ILLIAM KASHTAN’S

ABOR COMMENT |

SPITE the efforts of some
' international presidents
i leaders of building trades
ancils who are striving to
Svent it, labor councils are
‘ussing terms of merger;
Ners have already worked
1% agreements; still others
Ve completed them. By the
this process may be com-
ed.

nfortunately there appears
e divided opinions on how
» trade union movement
duld

use its new-found
Pength to advance labor rep-
entation on municipal

ancils and school boards.
Dne group holds the view
ft municipal elections should
) fought on a straight party
is. In line with this, its
orts have been directed to
ning labor councils endor-
ion of CCF candidates.
Another group holds that
» best results might be ob-
Ined through labor council
dorsation and active support
labor candidates, irrespec-
e of the party affiliation of
de union candidates.
There is a third group which
ists that the trade union
ement maintain
rtisan” attitude ,towards
nicipal affairs. Its position
rpetuates a situation in
hich the representatives of
‘€ business maintain a
ranglehold over municipal
litics to the detriment of the
ople,
* * *
What’s needed is a common
fenominator to advance. labor’s
gBht on the municipal arena.
hose who call for labor coun-
endorsation of labor candi-
tes, irrespective of party af-
ie may be closer to re-
uty.
‘’Such an approach may min-
nize friction and differences
dad at the same time enable
e trade union movement in
very city and-town to use

Aes ONS

its new-found strength to win
labor representation on city
councils and school boards.

In some cities it could even
result in election of labor ma-
jorities based on a program
of municipal progress which
could unite all democratic-
minded citizens around labor’s
program.

* \* *

It now looks as if the mer-
ger between United Packing-
house Workers and Amalgam-
ated Meat Cutters and Butcher

-Workmen is proceeding.

At one stage agreement had
been reached on all details
of such a merger. Then it broke
down because of new condi-
tions the Amalgamated put
forward. Now these differ-
ences appear to have been
worked out and the merger
is closer to reality.

Negotiations are also on be-
tween International Wood-
workers of America and Pulp
and Sulphite Workers with a
view to merging both unions.

A merger agreement has also
been worked out between the
Seafarers’ International Union
(SIU) and the West Coast
Seamen’s Union.

Progressive trade unionists
will welcome this trend. How-
ever, they are duty bound to
insist that these mergers re-
suli in strengthening the auto-
nomy of the particular unions
in Canada. The constitutions
should definitely establish this
fact and include the right of
the unions to hold Canadian
conventions, elect officers and
establish councils, representa-
tive of the membership in
Canada.

If they move along these
lines the union mergers will
not only strengthen the eco-
nomic and bargaining position
of the workers concerned;
autonomy and democracy will
enable them to move in other
directions ’as well.

| Winch berates committee for

stand on capital punishment

ommons-Senate committee who voted to retain capital

Members of the joint C
punishment were accused of “lack of courage’

> by Vancouver MP Harold Winch (CCF,

Vancouver East) as soon as the report was tabled in parliament.

“T am bitterly disappointed
because I’m convinced that
an unbiased study of the evi-
dence presented over two
years conclusively proves that
capital punishment is not a
deterrent, conclusively proves
that to abolish capital punish-
ment would not endanger the
lives of police officers,” said
Winch.

“TI am convinced that after
almost three years of sittings
this committee is of the al-
most unanimous opinion that
capital punishment is going to
go and I am bitterly disappoint-
ed that the committee felt that
it is necessary to follow pub-
lic opinion rather than lead it.”

In tabling its report, the
joint Commons-Senate com-
mittee said it believed the
death penalty is a deterrent
to murder, restrains criminals
from using violence and pro-
tects police.

Using biting humor as his
weapon, Vancouver Province
columnist Eric Nicol flayed
the committee on capital
punishment.

“I think we should award
all 27 members of the commit-
tee a handsome set of thumb
screws, as a token of our
thanks for nothing.

“With every country of
western Europe except France
now having formally damned
the death penalty, the commit-
tee has assured us a place
among those socially backward
nations such as Saudi Arabia,
where they still cut off the
hands of thieves. Now there’s
a recommendation they over-

: ote handed to Canadian legation at Warsaw

d

OTTAWA
Poland is demanding that
Janada return priceless art
easures which have been
pt in Canada since July 1940,
he legation of the Polish
People’s Republic here an-
ounced this week.
~The Polish demand was con-

ained in aj note handed to the ,

canadian legation in Warsaw.
The text reads, in part:
The Polish government
eems it necessary to present
nce more to the Canadian
government its position con-
Serning the return to Poland
f the priceless treasures of
lish national culture and his-
ory which have been kept in
Sanada since July 1940.
The Polish government
Wishes to recall that it has re-
atedly approached the Can-
adian government in this mat-
r during the past 11 years
rough diplomatic channels,

by means of numerous notes,
official conversations, as well
as public declarations.

In the course of these con-
tinuous endeavors the Polish
government ‘obtained in 1952
the assurance (which was re-
iterated in the following years)
that the Canadian government
would take vigorous steps
aimed at restoring to Poland
her national treasures.

These assurances, however,
have not materialized...

The government of Canada
might be aware of the growing
indignation by all Poles and
friends of Poland at the fact
that this case still remains un-
settled.

Anxiety is also increasing
that these treasures are not
adequately conserved
locked away as they are in
cases and trunks since the time
they were carted away from
Wawel Castle and the Warsaw
Royal Castle, the National

Library and other Polish mu-
seums and institutions, to pre-

vent seizure by the Nazi in-
vaders.

The government of Canada
will no doubt admit that there
is no justification whatsoever
for the lossés sustained by
Polish culture and the culture
of the world, as a result of the
prolonged retention of these
treasures in Canada.

The Polish government
deems it necessary to state that
together with the entire Polish
people it attaches the greatest
importance to this matter. It
does so, for the added reason
that a settlement would be a
significant factor in bringing
about an ultimate normaliza-
tion of Polish-Canadian rela-
tions and a closer co-operation
between the Polish and Cana-
dian peoples — an aim pur-
sued sincerely and consistent-
ly by the Polish government,

HAROLD WINCH

looked. If we’re going to deter
people from crime, let’s deter
them in.a big way...

“The only major change the
report recommends is the re-
placement of hanging with

all
mon-

electrocution. Let’s by
means, modernize the
strous, if for no other reason
than it creates more employ-
ment. It takes only one man
tc hang a person, but at least
two to burn him to death with
electricity.

“But I don’t think this will
lose us our right to be called

one of the most primitive
peoples of. the Earth. The
sheiks of Saudi Arabia also

drive big American cars. It
sure is nice to have so much
in common, isn’t it?”

Mervyn Davis, executive
secretary of the John Howard
Society, said his organization
would like to see “a test period
of abolition of the death pen-
alty.”

“I am opposed to. capital
punshment in all cases,” said
Rev. J. A. R. Tingley, presi-
dent of the Vancouver Coun-
cil of Churches.

Plumbers take
strike vote

Some 1,300 members — of
Plumbers Union Local 170 are
now taking a government-su-
pervised strike vote, following
breakdown of negotiations
with contractors over wages.

Last offer of management
a 30-cent

involved hourly

wage boost over a two-year

Poland again asks return of arttreasures

PREMIER DUPLESSIS
His government’s attitude has
been a major factor in pre-
venting return of art treas-
ures to Poland.

July 6, 1956 —

period, but the union men are
hanging tough for their or-
iginal demand of a 25 percent
wage hike to bring the hourly
scale up to $2.95. Present
tradesmen’s rate is $2.35 an
hour.

In fighting for substantial
wage gains the plumbers are
setting a pattern for other un-
ions to follow, for at no time
in history have B.C, employers
been better able to pay decent
wages out of rapidly - rising
profits.

The plumbers in their origin-
al demands also asked that
helpers’ rates be raised from
$1.85 an hour to $2.31.

The fringe benefits sought
by the union include tighten-
ing of boundaries for travel
time in the Vancouver area
from’ Willingdon to Boundary
Road.

Unanimous award of a con-
ciliation board was a wage
boost of 20 cents over two
years. This “dime a year” pro-
posal was firmly rejected by
the union membership.

Next the employers came up
with an offer of 15 cents this
year and 10 cents in 1957, but
this proposal was also decise-
ly turned down.’

With a strike vote looming,
contractors offered a 30-cent
hourly increase over a two-
year contract period, but the
men turned thumbs down on.
this too and asked that a gov-
ernment-supervised strike vote
be taken.

PACIFIC TRIBUNE — PAGE 5