Soviet ship orders could employ 5,000 “Ottawa’s statement that Canada is prepared to approve export of Canadian ships to the Soviet Union represents a welcome change on the part of the federal government,” William Stewart, secre- tary of the Marine Workers and Boilermakers Union, told the Pacific Tribune this week. Stewart, who visited the USSR recently, will speak of his experiences in that country at a mass meeting in Pender Auditorium this coming Sunday, October 31, at 8 p.m. The concert-meeting is being sponsored by the Shipyard Gen- eral Workers Federation. “My union has been battling on this question for some time,” said | ‘Stewart. “While the federal gov- ernment has finally changed its attitude on trade generally and shipbuilding in particular, it still - does not go far enough. We would like to see Ottawa send an official _ trade mission to the Soviet Union to investigate the possibility of extending our trade with that country — and also we would like to see our government invite a Soviet trade mission here.” While in the USSR, Stewart held a two-hour session with a represen- tative of the Chamber of Com- merce there, who informed him that his government was in the market for cargo vessels, tug boats and trawlers. “If we could secure even half the Soviet orders for ships that are now being filled in British yards, it would keep 5,000 Can- adian shipyard workers employ- ed for at least three years,” said Stewart. ‘Public be damned’ say oil companies LOS ANGELES Smog — which has been gagging citizens here for three straight weeks — has become a major issue in the current campaign for state governor. Taking a “the public be damn- ed” stand, the oil industry has re- fused a request by Governor J. Knight to shut down operations temporarily for a smog test. The Independent Refiners’ As- sociation attacked ‘the request as “completely impractical from the industry standpoint.”. All major oil companies took an equally de- fiant position.. “Oh, he can’t really read—he just looks at the pictures!” Take a look at our big line of Fall Suits and Topcoats. Styled right and priced: right to suit your budget. Buy on our FREE CREDIT PLAN and save extra charges that range up to 15%. 45 EAST HASTINGS HUB HUMOR’ | Walker heads LDR A well-attended conference of the Vancouver branch ‘of the League For Democratic Rights on Friday last week adopted in prin- ciple a draft provincial Bill of Rights prepared by a group of Vancouver lawyers pe pnes by John. Stanton. A lengthy discussion took place and many suggestions of improv- ing the draft were made from the floor. It was decided that this bill would be widely circulated to in- terested organizations and indivi- duals with the request that all suggestions for changes be turned in to the League For Democratic Rights. ah League officials reported this week that copies are now in the mail with an accompanying re- quest that suggested changes be turned in by December 15. Parley adopts draft B.C. Bill of Rights Les Walker was elected presi- dent of the Vancouver branch; Mrs. Tillie Collins, executive sec- retary; and John Stanton, counsel. This draft bill would guarantee the right to hold opinions -and to communicate freely by speech, in writing or otherwise and ‘the right of association. It would outlaw discrimination in employment and all discrimina- tion based on race, creed or color, for which stiff penalties are pro- posed, including the cancellation of business license and heavy fines up to $1000, or 12 months in jail. As proposed by the bill, an inter- ested citizen, as well as the ag- grieved party, would have the right to institute court Brogeets ings. Copies of this draft bill may be obtained by writing to League For Democratic Rights, 339 West Pen- -|der Street, Vancouver 3, B.C. Honor Dean for role in civil rights Harold Dean, . prominent city lawyer, is to be honored for his| outstanding contribution to civil liberties. ® Vancouver Branch of the League | For Democratic Rights will present him with a scroll at a dinner to be held on Sunday, December 5. Dean was counsel for Nick Ey- dokimoff, Sons of Freedom Douk- hobor, who was recently acquitted after he appealed a sentence of 14 years for "allegedly being founa near a jug filled with gasoline and oil. Dean also served as counsel for the League for Democratic Rights in the Donnelly case, which result- ed in quashing the city’s power, under the old city charter, to prosecute citizens for distributing circulars. He is one of the authors of the draft provincial Bill of Rights which is being circulated widely throughout the province as a basis of discussion prior to the coming session of the legislature. The Vancouver executive of the League for Democratic Rights has decided to award a scroll of honor annually to the person in British Columbia who, in its estimation, has made the most outstanding contribution to civil liberties. Demand public enquiry into disaster As Ontario cleans up the. destruction caused by Hurricane Hazel, Stewart Smith, Ontario LPP leader, and J. B. Salsberg, MPP, are pressing their demand that the proposed Royal Commission to assess flood damages be extended into a public inquiry into responsibility for the disaster. charge that the three provincial government departments which should have warned residents of the stricken Humber Valley “failed miserably” in their duty. They Shortage of 700,000 glassroois. ‘LOS ANGELES | U.S. cold and hot wars have pro- duced a shortage of 700,000 school classrooms, according to figures given at the recent convention of the Association of School Business Officials. Between $25 and $30 billion should be spent on new schools in the next five years, Dr Jordan L. Larson, president of the American Association of School Administrat- ors, told delegates. Larson called the situation an “emergency” governments to share costs equal- ly. Larson clashed with Eisenhower appointee, Samuel M. Brownell, federal commissioner of education, who maintained that the school problem was a local one. and urged federal U.S. needs $25 billion in schools “The government should assist in this emergency, just as it does when there are emergencies in other fields,” Larson argued. “A delay in the building of schools when children are on half- day sessions just cannot be defend- ed on a national level.” Brownell held that “only” 370,- 000 more classrooms were needed at a cost of $15 billion. \ , PAGIEIS TRIBUNE -~ OCTOBER 29, 1954 _ PAGE 2 MAURICE RUSH ‘Communist is good Canadian’ “There is no contradiction be- tween being a good Canadian and being a communist,” Maurice Rush, Vancouver Labor-Progressive party secretary, told an overflow audi ence attending a Town Meeting debate here Friday last week 0? the subject “Can a Good Canadian be a Communist?” “One cannot be a good Canadian communist who does not feel deeply about his native land,” co™ tinued Rush. “Canadian commun ists are people who make great pel sonal sacrifices to help our country solve the big social problems which beset it. We are prepared to do that because of our abiding faith in and our love for Canada. “The.extent of a person’s ei 2 ism is not determined by who ca? shout most loudly, ‘I am a 8 Canadian.* We can only judge # good Canadian by his deeds, bY — what he stands and fights for, and whether these things are good for the Canadian people. This is thé ‘only yardstick for measuring Ca? adian patriotism. Let us apply it “Take, for example, the unem® ployment situation. This month Canada has twice the number jobless we had last October — 170,000 people without jobs. Y signs point to the coming winter being the worst since the Hung Thirties.. “Now | ask you: Is _ it aoe Canadianism for the federal gov ernment of Louis St. Laurent t? refuse to initiate nation-wide a¢ tion to provide jobs for all will ing and able to work? It is not! We Canadian communists say | | is a disgrace. fe “We communists have put for ward a 10-point plan to beat threat of depression, a plan whic} would provide jobs at decent want raise living standards and oP new markets for our : ae farmers. We fight for this anti- : depression program because we be lieve it is good for Canada. In 40° - ing so we are patriotic Canadians — who place the welfare of our cout” — try and its people first. “Let us take another example During the last few years U.S. col” porations have entered Canada and seized control of our most Vv! natural resources. ; "This anti-Canadian policy | which is destroying the indepe™ dence of Canada is officially call- ed ‘integration’ by the Libera! government. We Canadian cont munists fight against U.S. don _ ination and for Canadian inde- pendence, We call for the pro- cessing of our raw materials — right here in Canada. In doing so we ‘Put Canada First.’ We rightly consider this fight our Ba da ioctiet te hictatt Solita: PANTO) 2 re clad Bast ok ay patriotic duty.” jit