‘The labor movement needs a virile press’ ... says HAL GRIFFIN “Anyone who has worked for the commercial press knows news can be twisted, directly and indirectly. There are always sacred cows to be considered, certain facts which cannot be mentioned, and certain policies which must be observed in. everything written. “The labor press.is avowedly partisan, but it is a partisanship that serves the people’s _interests. The commercial préss serves big business, because the commercial — press is big . business, csuctens “Newspaper men, however, are on the whole as honest as their position. / allows them to be, a little cynical, per- | haps, because they have jobs to hold ||| down and. are not free to write as they - wish, For them, the rulé is, either write _ as the boss says or get out. It’s a tough proposition,” Hal Griffin, who was practically born into the newspaper business, knows whereof he speaks, He has worked on large commercial newspapers from London to Vancouver, and came to the labor press in 1935 with a healthy disgust for the so-called “free” press. 5 ‘ “If a better world is to be won, the labor press must be maintained,” says Hal. “Otherwise the labor move- ment will have no outlet in which to publicize the fight for progress.” ; fT! * The Pacific Tribune, incidentally, believes in practicing what it preaches. The Tribune has always fought on the side\ of organized labor, and this week, while the big dailies with huge financial reserves flatly turned the the organized news-vendors’ application for a signed union contract, the Tribune not only Hal Griffin agreed to recognize the union, but granted it a closed shop * agreement. This make your paper the ONLY Vancouver paper among weeklies and dailies alike to have recognized the new ‘unio: Actions, we believe speak louder than words—but words are. important too. That’s why we are asking friends of the Tribune to. give all-out support to our present press drive, which will enable the Tribune to keep on fighting for the work- ing people of the Pacific Coast. : * * Coming up! The big labor lobby issue of the Pa- cific Tribune, With the widespread interest in this im- portant event, we predict that copies of the issue will be in short supply as soon as the paper comes off the press. To be on the safe side, order your bundles now, and remember to ask for extra copies, because your cus- tomers will be asking for them. * * Heard the hit tune “You Can Depend on Me?” We're sing- ing a new version around the Tribune offices these days, “We Knew We Could Depend on You.”. Yessir, our hopes are justi- fied. Friends of the Tribune’ are rallying to the Press Drive committees in their areas and rolling up their sleeves for action. - ‘Clubs’ ‘in’ Kitsilano, Aldergrove, Britannia Mines, North Van- ' couver, Fairview,’ Hastings East, Capitol Hill and other centers havé: accepted press ‘drive quotas and are already in there fighting. * Donations of $40 from Kitsilano and $10 from Alder- grove have;been received, and we hear that North Vancouver _ is busily: planning a mass canvas for subs to take place before the drive. officially opens. Good. work, North Van. * * * This. column, by the way, is YOUR column, so don’t delay in sending in Press Drive News, Any club ready to challenge somebody to a trace for subs or dona- tions? Let us know, and we'll print your challenge immediately, And here’s an added incentive for good work,” friends. Besides the three press drive trophies which were awarded to clubs last year, three additional prizes will be awarded this year for best individual ef- fort. The prizes will be gifts valued at $50, $30 and $20 respectively. So how about some of you fine sub- sellers challenging a friend to a sub-selling contest? _ You may be a lucky winner, and take it from us, the prizes are pretty swell, “ii * St * =. * * Don’t forget that the price of the Pacific Tribune fine tribute cialist state, the USSR, Lenin left a deep impression on _ history.” The speaker said that Lenin’s teachings have universal applica- tions and that anyone wishing a fuller understanding of world (events should study Lenin’s writ- | ings. Chinese workers write Truman The Chinese Workers’ Protec- tive Association of Vancouver has sent a personal letter to President Truman demanding that the Unit- ed States government withdraw its troops from Chinese soi] and stop arming Kuomintang forces, so that China may settle her in- ternal difficulties without foreign interference. “We cannot reconcile the fact that though it is nearly two years since the Japanese were beaten, US forces still remain in China, while billions of dollars of U.S. war equipment and other supplies are being ‘loaned’ to the Kuomintang,” the’ letter states. “Unless all U.S. support is withheld until a democratic gov- ernment is instituted, the present anti-American demonstrations will srow in intensity. We Chinese here in Canada, like our fellow countrymen in China, sincerely want friendly trade and cultural relations with the USA. As this @emocratic objective is impos- sible to achieve while the U.S. state department seek to reduce China to. the status of an Ameri- can colony, we appeal to you to abandon htis imperialist course that leads to war and apply a truly democratic Policy. In plain words, give China the tools of neace—not war—and Ching will become America’s best customer instead of a vengeful enemy,” the letter concludes, This appeal to Truman was sent over the signatures of Y. C. Lowe, chairman, and Jack Woo, secretary of the Association. Greek regime outlaws unions ATHENS — Greek union mem- bers won't have any collective bargaining rights from now on as the result of a government de- cision reviving a law introduced by the fascist Metaxas regime. Under the law, all wages and conditions must be set by em- ployers and a government-named “spokesman” for the workers, The workers themselves aren’t con- sulted at all, Notary Peter Prystarz, Prop. wal OF ESUIMATES babe maz ey tena Kentato ; eee BOR et Sas Income Tax Forms Prepared 380 GILMORE eee . Poa teen Se mee Ee RW CURRY S25 MAIN STREET ales age he wit hind MOR A ions ace ses 9), yas Pig Giaee CRT _ TAtlow 1036 3 te Saae ie Be REY Mery ae PACIFIC TRIBUNE — PAGE SIX Near Hastings Street, way Oya FRIDAY, JANUARY 31)’ 1947 mabe «tas ee ote A t a