THE NATION

Defeat scheme

By TIM BUCK

HE, lavish press and radio publicity being

given to Frank Hall’s attempt to split the
Trades and Labor Congress of Canada exposes
the interest of the corporations, and of the
government, in his scheme. :

Very few workers realize as yet that the
- scheme is, actually part of an elaborate scheme
instigated by union-hating cor- -
Porations. (Realization of that
fact is growing, however, and
its growth is being speeded up
_by the striking paraliel be-
tween the policies and aims of
the Canada Stearhship Lines
and the actions of Frank Hall.
For example, when the Sea-
men’s strike was at a crucial os
Stage Frank Hall prevented wiM BUCK
the freight handlers from refusing to handle
freight for and from CSL boats. When the new
Dominion Labor Relations Act came into opera-
tion on September 1 the Canadian Seamen’s
Union was in a favorable position to eliminate
the CSL’s company union because the Act out-
laws company unions and the CSU is unques-
tionably the union of Canada’s seamen. The
Owners of the deep sea ships recognized the
hew situation and agreed to enter into negotia-
tions with the CSU although they had previously
Said they would not do so.

Si

@ Hall changed the situation for the shipping
companies by negotiating the merger of Canada
Steamship Lines stooge outfit with the Seafarer’s
International Union. By this he enabled CSL
to argue that its stooge outfit is no longer a
company union. In performing ‘that service
for the Canada Steamship Lines company Frank
Hall aligned himself with the anti-union shipping
compantes and against the trade union movement
On the four following counts.

First: Frank Hall did not deny that he, an
officer of the trade union movement, was help-
ing a company union against the bona fide union
affiliated to the Trades and Labor Congress. Far
from denying it he told the capitalist press that
he chose the company dominated union in prefer-
ence to the CSU—because, he says, the leaders
of the CSU are Communists.

: Frank Hall deliberately broke a de-
ane ak 1947 Trades and Labor Congress
convention which had ruled that the CSU is the
Congress affiliate enjoying jurisdiction in its
field and declaring the SIU a dual organization
in Canada. | ae

ird: Within a few days of Hall’s announce-
moun ine set sea shipowners reversed oes
attitude towards renewal of their agreement ne
the seamen. They suddenly and provocatively
threw on the bargaining table a demand for a

/

bo sea ships—plus a_ number of
oes ciaahdyirss worsening of conditions.

"Fourth: The rump conference that Frank
Hall organized, his attempt to establish bg
fanization against the leadership is an “hea ost
attempt to disrupt the Trades and Labor Con-
Sress of Canada.

a betrayal of the trade union movement; objec-

and service to the bosses.

 ®@ A carefully organized plan is afoot to split

the trade union movement—through both the
National centers. Its instigators and organizers
include right wing social democrats as well as
flements who are brazenly in the service ot

to split Congress

' he stated.

general wage cut of $20 per month across the.

Each one of the four actions noted above is

tively they constitute organized cooperation with :

clerical reaction and union-hating corporations.
The Financial Post, reflecting the anticipations of
its CCF sources of information, is already boast-
ing that a trade union split of national propor-
tions is in the making.

But a split can be prevented. The would-be
splitters can be defeated. But the need to bring
home the facts about this situation, and the
tnreat of wage cuts that it holds, to the rank and
file members of the trade union movement is
urgent. This is particularly true concerning the

‘Trades and Labor Congress, to the disruption

of which the main efforts of the splitters are
now directed. The rump organizations set up by
Hall, for the declared purpose of either seizing
control of the Congress or splitting it, has failed
to secure any genuine rank and file support so
it is offering to finance delegations pledged to
oppose the present leadership of the Congress.

Against the organized effort to disrupt the
trade union movement progressive trade unionists
must arouse rank and file members to maintain
the unity of the trade tnion movement by main-

_- taining the authority of the Trades and Labor

Congress. Nothing should be allowed to stand
in the way of getting the strongest possible
progressive delegations to the Victoria conven-
tions this year.

UNITED NATIONS

Bevin's accusations
ae | | 1
cloak for own plans

“ [HOSE who make accusations are generally making
a cloak for what they plan to-do themselves.”
This is what Ernest Bevin, Britain’s tory-line Labor

foreign minister, declared in his speech before the UN

General Assembly in Paris this week.

It's an old trick that has gon through history,”

stripped from the accusations made by Bevin himself.
Bevin charged that if atomic war comes, Russia
must bear the re-
ponsibility for it
“by refusing its co-
operation in the
control and devel-
opment of this
great new force
(the UN) for the
good ofj human-
ity. . .” As though
the USSR, and not
the U.S., had enun-
ciated the Truman
doctrine. As though
the USSR and not
the ‘U.S., through
Britain, had inspir-
ed the idea of At- 4 ee
lantic Union — the ?

BEVIN |

war alliance of the West against the Soviet Union. .

As though the USSR, and not the U.S., were the only
country possessing a stockpile of atom bombs and re-
fused to destroy it. x

‘Bevin charged that Russia has waged a continuous
“war of nerves” and “cold war’ against the Western
Powers in’ Germany. As though the USSR had violated

the Potsdam agreement. And who launched the “cold

war” if not President Truman through his bi-partisan
Truman doctrine, following hard upon Winston Church-
ul’s Fulton, Mo., speech which Foreign Minister Bevin
has repudiated neither by word nor deed? Who launched
the “cold war’ if not Prime Minister Mackenzie King
through the “espionage plot” fabricated in full consul-
tation with the U.S. state department and Bevin’s own
British foreign office? Who has waged a “war of
nerves” if not the U.S. by allowing men‘ highly placed
in public life to call openly for atom-bombing of Russian
cities. ~ ; j

Bevin charged that Russia was not -sincere in pro-

‘posing one-third disarmament for all nations within

a year because it did not reveal the size of its own
‘forces. But the proportion of the Soviet budget allo-
cated io military purposes is far less than that of the
American budget, which now provides for unprecedented
peacetime military expenditures. Canada, acting for
the U.S., and not Russia, is feverishly building military
bases along the Arctic. And Britain, despite its great
need for men in industry, is adding to rather than
reducing its armed forces at the precise time that the
USSR is demobilizing entire classes of men in_ its
armed forces. ‘

Vishinsky spoke to the UN of peace. Bevin spoke
of war. For those who respect the facts, Bevin proved
only one point. His accusations were indeed a shoddy
cloak for the war plans of which he is a principal
instigator. —

It is, indeed. Especially when the cloak is

LABOR FOCUS

Financial Post
. /
wants new center

By J. B. SALSBERG

S everyone knows, the Financial Post is the

main organ of big business. in Canada. Its
purpose is to help the money-men: make more
money. Of late, however, the Post has widened
its services to its clientele. It has become a sort
of brain-truster for the union-buster. The Post
also assumes the role of tutor to the type of
union bureaucrat who listens to his master’s
voice.” But in its zeal the Post frequently gives
its hand away. It blunders out the wishful
thinking of its clients. It did just that a couple
of weeks ago with its feature front-page story
which was headlined: “Will Reds Form New
Labor Body?”

To the Financial Post “labor” is almost as
important as iron, thread or anxle-grease. They
are all necessary to “make money.” As for the
irom and thread, the Post would like to see them
produced ,with caution, because if too much of
them are made their’ prices might decline. Then
Post readers wouldn’t make enough money, which
would be bad. But as for “labor” the Post
would like to see that available in unlimited
quantities. The reason for this is clear: what-
ever else Post readers may: do, one thing is sure,
they do not sell their labor-power. This, they
only buy and they would, therefore, prefer to
have a buyer’s market.

To make sure that iron, thread or axle-
grease will not be “overproduced” the Post favors
the establishment of combines, trusts, cartels
and monopolies. All of these are in accord with
the Post’s purpose—they help make more money.
But when it comes to labor the Post frowns on
such methods. The Post wants nothing that
might ‘rob the proud and independent working-
man of his freedom.” That's why the Post
is opposed to unions. :

Once upon a time the Post was quite unre-
strained in its opposition to unionism. It fought
unions with gusto—all in the name of “freedom.”
of course. ... But times have changed. Tie
unions grew despite the Post. (That’s how little
workers ‘care about their freedom.) They pene-
trated the sacred precincts of all-powerful in-
dustrial giants (the Post’s best advertisers).
There are now about 900,000 union- men and

_ Women in Canada (including the Catholic Sydi-

cates) and the Financial Post has changed its : a)
No; ‘the. ~

approach. Mind you, not its views.
Post is as ever for the unrestricted freedom of
the proud workingman... . . (A strikebreaker is
the Post’s prototype of a “free and proud work-
er”) But the Post did change its approach.

@ The organ “for businessmen and investors”
now gives a lot of space to “labor.” To better
achieve its purpose the Post has hired a character
with a CCF background—its “labor” specialist.
Through this hireling the Post now fights only
the “bad” unions and it attacks only the “bad”
union leaders. To union leaders the Post likes
to give fatherly advice. How true the old
saying is that new times bring new songs. But
the Post’s new song still sounds like the hiss of
a cobra before it strikes.

The Fost prefers Toryism to the CCF. But
see how lovingly it speaks of red-baiting, union-
splitting CCF labor men like Mosher, Millard,
et al. The Post knows they are helping to weak-_
en the unions and the organ of Bay Street ap-
plauds them. Frank Hall has now become the
Post’s idol.
he has already won the battle—their battle—in
the Trades Congress. In fact, the Post has
practically elected him Congress president.

Now it predicts a “new” “red” trade union

center. How the Post would love to see further

.

splits in the unions! It dreams of it!

But alas, it ill be disappointed. Communists
are not only not planning a “new” center but
they will ight, as always, against splitters and —
for the unity of the unions. And we predict
that the majority of the workers and their lead-
ers will do likewise, ee

The Post and its proteges, the Halls and the

rest of the labor fifth columnists, will be rudely
jolted. ‘

@ Bruce Mickleburgh, the Pacific Tribune’s la-_

bor editor, is on holiday, and his column will ee

not appear in the next two issues.
PACIFIC TRIBUNE—OCTOBER 1, 1948—PAGE 9

It encourages him with stories that