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Victoria political pot boils as
Bill 39 issue puts heat on coalition

VICTORIA, B.C.—This capital city is buzzing with political rumors. Everyone you
meet has a different story, but back of it all lies this fact: that the coalition government,
and the two parties which comprise it—liberal and tory—are faced with a political: crisis,
people’s opposition to the government’s labor and taxation

which has grown: out of the
policies. a ,
It is not by accident that Min-
ister of Labor ‘Pearson is con-
sidered the key ‘figure in the pres-
ent crisis. It is known by every-
one here that the Minister of ‘La-
bor is carrying out ‘his duties in
other goverhmental departments,
but is on ‘holiday’ from his labor
post. =e
It is strongly rumored that the
cabinet is being pressed by the
monopoly ‘interests -to force a
showdown ‘with the Minister of
Labor ‘over ‘the: ‘enforcement : of
Bill 39. f :
. ‘Phe --coalition’s.- difficulties . are
increasing. in ‘direct. proportion .to

. the growth of-public. pressure for

amendments to:.:Bill..39 .and re-
vision of the.educational tax. The
Tory-Liberal. coalition has- never
had such hot issues in its lap
as at. present. Reports indicate

. that important. liberal party eircles

are becoming. increasingly  con-
cerned with the growth of public
feeling against the present. gov-
ernment.

, Farmers demand

Bill 39 repeal

SALMON ARM. — Demand
that the Hart government call a
special session of the legislature
to alter its “unfair school tax
policies” has.been sent to: Victoria
in a resolution adopted by Notch
Hill branch of the Farmers’ In-
stitute. =

The resolution. voices. strong
condemnation of the government’s
attitude in “expecting the farmers
to shoulder the major. portion of
school taxes.”

A second resolution approved
by the branch urges repeal of
Bill 39 awd asks the govern-
ment to consult with and obtain
the approval of both the CCL
and TLC “before another bill is
‘enacted in its place.”

Pointing out that many farmers
in the Notch Hill district are de-
pendent _upon other industries,
such as logging, mining and build-
ing, the resolution warns that op-
position to..the undemocratic pro-
cedures of..Bill- 32 among. organ-
ized workers in these industries
threatens to make “this province
the scene of great industrial strife

“having damaging economic effect

on the entire. population.” ::.
<4 . .

105 E. Hastings § Vancouver.

By MAURICE RUSH

This situation is rumored to
have given encouragement to
those forces in the liberal party
who never liked being tied up
with the tories, and who now
fear for the political future of
their party unless its association
with the tories is ended. A very
persistent report hereabouts is
that important liberal circles in

MAURICE RUSH

Vancouver are pressing Hart to
end the coalition.

It is likely that this gituation is
responsible for the fact that in
the last few days both Hart and
Anscomb have been closeted in
secret meetings with bigwigs of
their own parties. The most per-
sistent story around the parlia-
ment buildings is that these meet-
ings are discussing the political
crisis, which is being further com-
plicated: by Premier Hart’s antici-

Conciliation in
Medalta strike

MEDICINE HAT.—Efforts are
being made to conciliate the dis-
pute at Medalta Potteries in this
city. David Mathieson of Edmon-
ton has» made approaches to get
the union and the company tc-
gether. :

The union, leading the 35-day-old
strike, rejected a proposal made
by the industrial relations. con-
ciliator that he be allowed to ad-
dress a general membership meet-
ing of the union. They pointed out
that .their negotiating committee
had been charged with the re-
sponsibility of conducting any dis-
cussions. -

We Sell

Army and Navy

ingly be undersold. We will meet
any competitor’s price at any time,
not only ceiling price but floor price,
and we will gladly refund any differ-
ence. Army and Navy prices are
guaranteed to be the lowest in‘ Van-
_couver at all times, —

Army & Navy

DEPARTMENT STORES

3 Vancouver and New Westminster

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 1947

For Less

will never know-

@ fall session of the provincial

pated withdrawal from leadership
and the prospects of serious rifts
in the coalition over matters of
policy and leadership. ;

This is -the first time in the
history of the coalition that such
powerful people’s forces have been
actively arrayed against it .The
coalition has been given a rough
ride by farmer and municipal
bodies over its taxation policies.
At the same time the AFL and
CCL unions and LPP have been
clamoring for a special session to
amend Bill 39. The government’s
anti-labor Bill has provoked indus-
trial: strife instead of better re-
lations and the working people
are swinging against the coalition
in large numbers.

There is little doubt that if the
official opposition, the CCF, came
out more actively in support of
the trade union and LPP cam-
paign for a special session of the
legislature, the hard-pressed: Hart
government could be compelled
to convene the legislature to
amend Bill 39. The alternative be-
fore the coalition would be poli-
tical suicide.

United labor-farmer-LPP-CCF
action NOW is the key to defeat-
ing the big busifess government,
and forcing it to retreat before
the people’s needs and demands.

PR fishermen
score Bill 39

PRINCE RUPERT—Mem-
bers of the Prince Rupert Lo-
cal of the United Fishermen
and Allied Workers’ Union
last week joined the province-
wide fight of the trade union
movement to have Bill 39 amend-
ed. Opening their campaign the
Members sent the following tele-
gram to Premier John Hart:

“Prince Rupert Local United
Fishermen and Allied Workers’
Union passed resolution demand-
ing- fall session of the legislature
to revise Bill 89 in accordance
with wishes of B.C. trade union
movement. Reply.”

To date no word has been re-
ceived from the Premier.

Among features of the act to
which the union objected were
the government-supervised strike
vote, the big fines for union
officers and members who engage
in strike action, the inclusion’ of
employees’ organizations other
than trade unions, i.e. company
unions, as bargaining agents un-
der the Act, which were branded
by the fishermen as “chains to
bind the trade union movement
in slavery.”

The union decided to circulate
a petition among the citizens of
Prince Rupert with the objective
of obtaining 1000 signatures of
people endorsing the demand for

law-makers.

T. Dennis, E. S. Brett; R. L.
Gardiner .were appointed as a
committee which will prepare
plans for the city-wide canvass.

~

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“... er... yes, Mr, Kenney, yes ...

the CMA will be very

glad to endorse our bona fides. May we repeat that our services
‘can be of inestimable value to you in making Bill 39 work -: ‘
and our fees are very moderate.” ;

Shoe price increases

robbery’ sa

ys union

MONTREAL—“Outrageous increases in the price of
shoes which have so shocked the Montreal public is nothing
short. of highway robbery and totally unjustified,” Robert
Haddow, director of organization of the CIO Boot and Shoé

union stated last week.

“The manufacturers and the big
buyers tried to prepare the ground
for this raising of prices by claim-
ing several weeks ago that the
signing of amendments to the
collective decree would cost the
industry $2,500,000 per year in
higher wages,” Mr.’ Haddow said,
“but this is the biggest swindle
ever perpetrated on the long suf-
fering public.”

J: A. Boivin, president of: the
Canadian Shoemakers Association,
said that proposed increases of
15 percent to 30 percent in the
price of shoes were necessary, be-
cause of higher costs for labor
and some materials.

Reports that a 50 percent price
rise was coming were described
by him as “nonsense” but he

stated that a general meeting a
the industry next week would 10
into. the whole matter. the
Haddow, who is in charge of at
big CIO drive to organize Dit
and shoe workers here, denied ges
labor costs have risen to any feats
tent. “This is the most ony
lie, in an attempt to pass OF oy
the workers the blame for Tisttt
prices. The truth is that the
crease in basic rates did not se
increased wages for the major
of workers. Most of them 4 the
ready earning little more ‘an jow
minimum rates, which are 3s
as 18 cents per hour. of
“An increase in the gpa
shoes, with no increase in W
is a scandalous robbery ° ers)” |
the public and the shoe wor

J)

A charge of 50 cents for each
insertion.of five lines or less with
10 cents for each additional line
is made for notices appearing in
this column. No notices will be
accepted later than Monday noon
of the week of publication.

NOTICES

Oldtime Dancing
To Alf Carlson’s Orchestra
Every Wednesday and Saturday
Hastings Auditorium :
828 East Hastings
Phone HAstings 1248
Moderate Rental Rates
For socials, weddings, meetings

Hair Restored—

OK methods, hair scalp disorder
restoring. 671 Symthe Street.

Meetings—

Swedish Finnish Workers’ Club,
meets last Friday every month,
7:30 p-m., Clinton Hall.

ASH BROS. ©ARTAGE
Moving — Transfer
“Dump Trucks

2239 Cambie
Phone FAir. 0469

PE

said Haddow. :

SS eS eS

Dance, Clinton Hall— eve
2605 East Pender. Be fs
Saturday night. 01 gtr?
Old-Time. Viking’s Orche®
Hall is available for

HAstings 3277. ene
Croatian Hall gocials

Available for DanceS, ~ Jigs,

Weddings, Banquets, Mer

Reasonable rates, 600 0087: i
g8 .

bell Avenue. Hastings

Conrad Persson— 738
Teacher of violin, studio at ed
E. Hastings. Pupils
for exam, ensemble Play. gatul
festivals. Wednesdav 2? vey

day—9 am. to 9 DS ee
‘ WHAT’S DOING .

A Treat on Sunday—

Una Grande Fiesta— ae
Mexican Nite at Norrie
near Slocan and inky "90 Pm
urday, September 27 & pts.
Chile Con Carne, oft
Program to consis spic
short talk, dancing. A LPP:
Civic Workers’ Clu?. pack &

PACIFIC TRIBUNE—