& Tim: > AN Hilo ad f 3 od oy *PRIBUh Diienavullceieisie FRIDAY, APRIL 21, 1950 EDITORIAL Alll labor must _ ~ back railwaymen HE railwaymen can win their demands if they unite, and if they get the backing of all Canadian trade unions. They are members of the largest Canadian industry — 176,000 strong. Benefits won in the last 10 years by other unions because of solid organization and militancy, have not been won by the railroaders. Railroad workers have a clear -plan of action, which they should raise now: ®@ No dragging out of this question (as already hinted at in the press) but quick action for a 100 per cent strike vote. @ Demand that the Trades and Labor Congress and the Canadian Congress of Labor call an emergency session of their executives and of the independent Railroad Brotherhoods to unite the forces of all workers behind the railwaymen. ®@ Call to all unions in every locality to come together. in special conferences to back up the railwaymen’s demands. : @ Get a national railway conference ‘called—of ALL rail unions, composed of delegates from the lodges and locals. If the railroaders give this lead, and if their cause is taken up everywhere, this decisive battle can be won. Outcome of the railroad crisis can easily set the pattern for the tough negotiations which lie ahead of union labor. The bosses want a wage-freeze. That is the main argument of the conciliation boards’ majority in the railway case. And _ that is the dangerous thing about industrial pensions when these are ‘set against wage increases via the Reuther formula in auto, ss Millard has taken up in steel. The railway conciliation boards used bitter language to refuse the 40-hour week at the same take home pay.. They de nied that the railwey workers have any claim upon the com- panies and they flagrantly sentenced the Canadian railway workers to a lower wage-scale than other Canadian industries, and lower than the U. S. railroaders—who themselves are on the verge of strike action. — Here is’ the cold war in operation—subservience to the U.S., the assumption that Canadian workers must permanently accept less than fellow-members of their own unions in the United States. And the issue of peace or war is not to be ignored in this dispute... Lester Pearson made- it plain in an Ottawa speech recently that “‘loyalty”’ _teste are to be given to important workers. If the railwaymen are to be allowed to win their just demands, thinks the government, it will mean a great advance of strength-to their unions and their feelings of assurance. This the government is afraid of. Hence the stubborn attitude of the conciliation boards to the demands of the workers in Canada’s key, and largest, industry. © A. R. Mosher has issued a firm statement denouncing the conciliation boards’ reports. He intends to take a strike vote— as the law permits now. That is to the good. But’ Frank Hall, (the man who axed the CSU) in a weak statement for the 15 International unions, did not mention a strike vote, the obvious next step provided by the federal law. Charles Millard for the steelworkers, and George Burt for the auto workers, have pleged solidarity. So far, so good. But fine words butter no parsnips. The split in Canadian labor, wrought by the right-wing leaders, will not be healed by phrases. Men like Mosher and Millard who have not hesitated to raid afd split unions will not suddenly switch to united labor action for the railway workers unless a powerful unity movement _ Certainly Canadian labor, starting now with the railway workers on a national scale (and not forgetting the bitter battle in Trenton) could do with a strong dose of mutual aid. John L. Lewis tried to get it in the U. S., but the steel and auto leaders tuned him down. | ; What is required is that every Canadian union, from top to bottom, stands by the railway workers, who will be taking their strike vote for the second time in two years. _ In 1948 they voted 90 percent for strike, but their cause was weakened by the retreat of their top leaders. This must vot happen again. Sparked by the actions of the rank-and-file members who are ready to fight for the 5-day 40-hour week and the pay increases, sharply aware of the speedup of the indus- try and backed up by the united action of ALL unions, re- gardless of affiliations, the railway workers can win their struggle. This is a test for Canadian labor. Defeat of the railway- men will be the green light for the wage-slashers. Victory will be a red danger signal to every robber of the pay envelope. PTF says atomic weapons ‘crime against humanity,’ calls for ban on A-bomb Delegates to the 28th annual convention-of the British Columbia Parent-Teacher 3 ederation last week unanimously went on record urging the Canadian government and the United Nations to ensure that atomic bombs would never be used again, and called the use of atomic weapons “the greatest crime against humanity’’. Bridges fights frameup : Harry Bridges (left), president of the Internationa] Long- shoremen’s and Warehousemen’s Union, talks to reporters follow- ing his conviction on a perjury charge by a U.S. federal court. Denouncing hi; tial as a frame-up calculated to weaken the union, he stated he would fight “to the end’, for vindication. j ® Vancouver Trades Council denounces union raiding Vancouver and District Trades and Labor Council (TLC) put itself officially on record Tuesday as opposed to raiding in the trade unions. This action came after council secretary R. Gervin recommended executive concurrence for a resolution against raiding from Division 101, Street Railway- men’s Union. Orville Braaten (Pulp and Paper) denounced Steel’s raid at Trail and charged that the attempt by officers of United Steel Workers “to win certification with signed cards was a threat to all unions. Support for the resolution was voiced by Bob McCulloch (Team- sters), Charles Stewart (Street Railwaymen) and Don Guise (Civ- ic Employees). Although the resolution did not specifically mention Trail it. left little room for doubt how council felt about the Steel hierarchy’s raid. © = Sensing the sentiment of coun- / Women set up Congress branch A Vancouver branch of the Con- gress of aCnadian Women was formed last week at a special meeting of women called to hear reports on the constituent con- vention of the Congress of Can- adian Women in Toronto last month.” B.C. delegates Mrs. Vi Bianco, Mrs. Marie Godfrey, Mrs. Betty Zlotnik, Mrs. Elsie Pearce and Mrs, Sylka Oklovitch spoke on the Toronto convention. Miss Pearl Wedro was a guest speaker. A provisional executive of 19 was elected, plans were made to build branches in other centers in B.C. and to arramge a provincial covention at some future date. ’ cil, Tom Alsbury agreed “in gener- al” with the resolution but at- tempted to confuse the issue by , suggesting “the other side had not been heard.” This argument was ‘swept aside by the delegates when all but one voted for the resolu- tion. More than 600 delegates repre- senting nearly 30,000 members attended the convention. A suggestion that British Co- lumbia teachers consider giv- ing up their trade union affi- liation with Trades and Labor Congress met with a strong rebuff. A substitute motion asking teachers to simply “re- view” their TLC affiliation was also tossed out. Comic strips glorifying violence and crime were denounced by speakers and delegates. ‘‘Child- ren’s spirits are easily inflamed by thoughts of guns, poison gas, fire and destruction,” said Dr. W. P. Percival, deputy minister of education for Quebec and president of the national federa- tion, “Let ug not be complacent or supercilious about crime com- ics.” Speaking of the need for good . children’s literature to replace crime comics, Mrs. C. W. Mellish, chairman of the children’s read-~ ing committee of the P-TF, poin- ted out: “There is a pitiful lack of children’s library facilities in this” province. We must strive to have this remedied.” Delegates passed a_ resolution calling on the provincial govern- ment,to speed up extension of hospital services and requesting that where no public ward care was available, other hospital ac- comodation be provided at no extra cost, Another resolution called for the provincial government to allocate funds to supply school children with milk at a nomi- nal cost, ‘ Civic Workers on air Vancouver taxpayers and trade unionists are going to get first hand reports of the current wage negotiations between the city and 1500 outside civic workers. The union ‘has leased eight, 5-minute radio broadcasts for a period from April 21 to May 16. Broadcasts will be at 7 p.m..every Friday and. Tuesday over CKMO. Petition To the Right Honorable Louis St. Laurent, Prime Minister of Canada. We, the undersigned citizens of Canada, acutely awa're of _ the suffering, horror and, destruction brought about by the use of the atomic bomb, respectfully petition the government of Canada to take the following immediate action: 1. Urge in the Assembly of the United Nations THAT ‘THE ATOM BOMB BE BANNED. 2. Press for strictest international control to ensure com- pliance of all nations in outlawing the bomb as.a military weapon. 3. Encourage research in the use of atomic energy for peace- ful purposes and its practical application for the increased well- being of our people. ~ NAME as . ADDRESS » Please send all signed petitions without delay to the sponsors of this petition; THE CANADIAN PEACE CO 49 Walker Ave., Toronto, Ont, 1 RESS, a PACIFIC TRIBUNE—APRIL 21, 1950—PAGE