Kee

een) be Rear = qa geen yma
sce hapeansinntinna in .

The new-found freedom for women under socialism is
vividly expressed by this photo of two young Chinese
women who operate spinning machines in a new factory.

North Van

labor asks

broader electoral unity

A B.C. Federation of Labor constituency conference
held in North Vancouver February 26 rejected a narrow
partisan approach to the forthcoming provincial elections
and decided to organize a second conference March 11.

Forty nine trade unionists
and their wives heard a report

- from the sub-committee of the

B.C. Federation of Labor set
up to conduct “nominations”
in the area.

In the course of presenting
their proposals the sub-com-
mittee was forced to admit
that the trade unionists pres-
ent ‘would not have the right
to nominate their own candi-
date. The proposal would only
allow the trade unionists to put
forward a name for consider-
ation of the CCF provincial
committee. Further questioning
revealed that not only would
the CCF provincial committee
have te give the final approval
but also the “nominee” would
have to join the CCF within
30 days.

Upon learning this a lively
debate took place. No less than
sixteen speakers participated.
A very substantial majority of
the speakers pointed out that
their local unions would never
agree to “conscripting” of their
members behind the CCF. They
pointed out that this had been
tried since the 1943 Conven-
tion of the CCL and that the
€CF vote ‘had actually gone
down as a result.

Various speakers called for
political action along the lines
of the 1958 CLC Winnipeg
resolution which called for a
broad alliance of all progres-

sive forces. Delegates from the!

Marine Workers, the IBEW
the Plumbers, the Longshore-
men and Office Workers, and
the Teamsters were not in
favor of the proposal as origin-
ally put forward and indicated
they expressed the opinions
of their membership.

The secretary of the sub-
committee, Reg. Bullock, at-
tempting to keep the confer-
ence within the narrow con-
fines of the “back the CCF”
stand of the B.C.F.L. suggest-
ed that those who didn’t agree
could. leave the conference.
Mike Eagle of the Plumbers
Union pointed out this was an
open invitation to disrupt the
unity of the conference.

The conference did not vote
on the original proposal but
instead agreed unanimously,
except for one, to convene a
new conference for March
11th, at which time the con-
ference itself would officially
nominate its own candidate.

NEXT WEEK

LESLIE MORRIS
_ writes on
DRAFT PROGRAM
of the
NEW PARTY

on unemployment urged —

A special resolution on unemployment was adopted by the Greater Vancouver
convention of the Communist Party of Canada which met in Vancouver last weekend.
The resolution urges the federal government to hold an emergency session of parle

‘| Ban on Soviet women
delegates protested —

Measures proposed in the

resolution are immediate

launching of a large scale pub-
lic works program, extension
of unemployment benefits to
all jobless, re-establishment of
a merchant marine, develop-
ment of trade with all coun-
tries and a cut back in arms
spending to make funds avail-
able to tackle unemployment

|on a large scale,

Delegates at the convention
staged a noon-hour . protest
march from Pender Auditor-
ium to the French consulate on
Saturday, demanding an end
to further nuclear tests. Ban-
ners carried by the 65 demon-
strators denounced the recent
Sahara test and called for
peace and disarmament.

“Peace is the key issue in
British Columbia as it is all
over the world,” said Harold
Pritchett, CPC city secretary,
in his keynote report to the
convention. “The provincial
legislature, now in session,
should speak out for lasting
peace. Such a stand would in-
fluence the federal govern-
ment, as a member of the 10-
nation disarmament commis-
sion, to press for immediate
reduction in arms spending.”

Some 80 delegates attended
the annual convention and ap-
plauded .a report on party
growth which showed that one
new member per day had been
recruited in Vancouver during
February.

A protest has been wired to
the Department of Immigra-
tion by the B.C. Jubilee Com-
mittee for International Wo-
men’s Day over. the refusal to
grant visas to two- prominent
Soviety women.

Committee Secretary Mrs.

H. Poloway, charged that “this
act goes against the spirit of
relaxation of international
tensions and is directly con-
trary to the professed stand of
the government for friendly in-
ternational exchanges.”

The B.C. Committee also an-
nounced plans for the celebra-
tion of the 50th anniversary
of International Women’s Day
will go ahead on Friday, March
11 at 8 p.m. at 600 Campbell
Ave. A strong protest will be
lodged at the meeting against
the government’s action.

Feature speaker will be Mrs.
Elsie Beeching, who recently
returned from .Berlin after
spending a year there. The pro-
gram will be highlighted by a
dramatic presentation of the
struggles of B.C. women over

‘the past 50 years, for the right

to vote, legislation protecting .
women and children, women’s ~
part in the labor movement —
and the fight for peace. Dan®
ing and singing will round out
the program.

Murphy fo four

Itinerary” for Rae Murphy,
SYLC national secretary wa
announced this week. March
he will address a banquet 1
the AUUC hall at 7 p.m:
March 6, meeting with high
school students; March 8 meet
ing in Hastings East; March 9:
Surrey meeting; March 10) —
UBC campus; March 13, Nan-
aimo.

The SYL has also announce
ed its members will take part
in a peace parade in Vancou-
ver, Sat., March 5, and that @
car caravan in the Fraser Val
ley is being organized
March 11.

\

——-

‘Solution to the

Farm Crisis’
HEAR

INTERNATIONAL

—

JUBILEE CELEBRATION

Russian People’s Home — 600 Campbell

Friday, March 11 -- 8 p.m.

MRS. ELSIE BEECHING
Guest Speaker

Special Program in Drama, Music, Dance and Song
Highlighting the Role Played by B.C. Women

JOIN THIS DEMONSTRATION

For Peace and Friendship, and For an Exchange of
Visits & Views With Women Throughout the World.

_- Auspices:
International Women’s Day Committee, Vancouver

WOMEN’S DAY

CHARLIE STEWART
Communist Party of
Canada

RADIO C.K.L.G.
(730 Kilocycles)

Monday, March 7
1:15 P.M.

March 4, 1960—PACIFIC TRIBUNE—Page 8