—MONTREAL. HE election of Max Bailey to fill the I city council seat left vacant by the death of labor councillor Michael Bu- hay, and the 1,500 votes cast for Gaston Fecteau, CIO candidate in district 10, are being viewed in progressive circles here as an important part of the sharp rebuff Mon- treal citizens gave to the Duplessis machine which tried to capture the city administra- tion in last week’s elections. Max Bailey, running for the first time in district 5, rolled up close to 2,900 votes to place. second on the lists. With no mayoralty contest, and in a generally apathetic election, Bail- ey only dropped some 1,900 votes behind Buhay’s last record, while Rochon, who topped the poll, lost 2,200 ballots. Gaston Fecteau, who was ‘nominated and supported by the CIO Boot and _ Shoe ' ynion, and who was making his first bid for a council seat, was bucking two powerful election machines in an area which has been largely unexplored by la- bor until now. His substantial vote is being seen as an augur of future labor victories there. The Duplessis political mach- ine, out to win control of the city’s administration, concen- trated in district 3 to try to defeat J. O. Asselin, the Liberal leader of the city executive; in district 5 to attempt the elec- tion of Blais and Horn; and in district 10. In each district they were defeated by impor- tant majorities. Only Guevre- mont, among the chief leaders of the Duplessis bloc, running in district 10, was elected. e Guevremont -machine was aligned with Mayor Houde, who obtained an acclamation: Houde has for some time been flirting with the Duplessis forces, and in this election threw the sup- Greetings to all our customers LOTUS CAFE 10 E. Hastings ’ together port of his followers behind the efforts of Duplessis to capture city administration. The reason for Duplessis’ campaign is clear. Aside from the very lucrative positions and the tempting patronage, the Union Nationale feels it must win control of city hall if it is to make any substantial gains on the island of Montreal in the next provincial election. Victory for the Guevremont- Houde-Duplessis machine would have meant even more reaction- ary policies in the city hall, So desperate was the bid for power that hundreds of thugs, in some cases armed with lengths of pipe were used for ‘telegraphing’ and intimidation. Alt day long cars loaded with members of the underworld roamed the streets, travelled from poll to poll “plugging in” votes. The police were apparent- ly under orders to see nothing and hear nothing. Of particular significance in the vote given to Bailey was the fact that in the area south of Ontario, predominantly French-Canadian working class, the left-wing candidate had a ~ higher vote than Sarto Blais, who had the ‘blessing of the Duplessis. organization. Consid- erable number of “plump” bal- lots went to Bailey indicating a high level of political con- sciousness and some _ swing away from the ticians. -_ Hollywood Judas-theme—“We are fighting communism and fascism alike.” Another Jew, Rabbi Stephen S. Wise, has some bitter words which they might do well to heed as they take the scorpions and whips which the Jew-killers put into their hands for use against the “subversive” Jews who dared to make “Crossfire.” “Did not ‘we and they’ battle against fascism?” he cried out with a prophet’s anger to those who seek war with the Soviet Union. “My soul rebels,” he said, “when fascism and communism are lumped together as if they were identical and interchange- able terms. Fascism deliberate- ly turns away from the light of freedom and democracy. Communism, however faltering- ly, stumbles toward freedom and democracy. Fascism would destroy both. Communism, how- ever, erringly and imperfectly, seeks. both.” | Xmas Greetings from “have It is: not from complete knowledge of the science of Marxian socialism that Rabbi Wise speaks, but only of the passion of honesty. His eyes have seen what every decent human being must seen during the recent convulsion of human history in which Hitlerism went down to defeat after coming within an inch of triumph. He refuses to let this fact be destroyed by the new mad- ness which has arisen with filthy “anti-Communist” banners in its hand. He resists the Judas betrayal of his people while the Mayers and Warners are preparing it so heartlessly. And if it is only for the sacred principle of self-preserv- ation, the Jewish community must speak out in lashing hatred against the petty men of profit who, in the movie industry, are selling their people — and themselves — so cheaply. COAST BREWERS ¢ Compliments of the Season to all who Struggle For Democracy ! GEO. H. BROWN Season’s Greetings To All Woodworkers * GLADYS HILLAND Greetings To Organized Labor! © HENRY MATTSON wk VERNE CARLYLE * Merry Xmas and a Good 1948 NEIL McAULEY to all PT Readers and the * : Working Class from Malcolm McLeod . Xmas Greetings Season’s Greetings to ‘ ~ from Mum, Walter, Theodore LANG BAY LPP CLUB A’ A. BROWN to the readers of the rat 82 5 e and to all members, old or Vancouver, B.C. new old-line poli- ~ QS SQLOQQOQOQDOODOQDQOQQQQQOOL LEI Lye, Season’s Greetings Tailored to Measure Ready-To-Wear Suits — Coats Sport Jackets and Slacks MADE ON THE PREMISES 12 E. HASTINGS (Below IWA Office) VANCOUVER, B.C. > > ot OF CASH for your empty BEER BOTTLES 25c per dozen will be paid for empty beer bottles. 1 Phone TA 2753 for free pick-up or Deliver them to any of the following addresses: 1445 Powell St. 1040 Hamilton St. 2790 Vine St. 755 Homer St. 115 E. Second Ave. 6 E. Second Ave. 600 Main St. PACIFIC TRIBUNE—PAGE 1} 7 ie :