Price controls petition
signed by 75,000 inB.C.

Proposals for a consumer boycott of butter’ and beef
and demands for immediate restoration of federal subsidies
on milk and feed grain highlighted the provincial prices con-
ference held in Pender Auditorium here last Saturday.

The resolution on butter prices
adopted by the conference pointed

out that the current parliamentary
investigation into prices had re-
vealed “the scandalous profits made
by the big packing companies” and
demanded that the government
take immediate action to reduce
the ceiling on butter. Failing such
action, the _ resolution concluded,
“we recommena a _ boycott of
butter,” date to be set by the
conference’s continuatiofis commit-
tee in consultation with delegates
to the national prices conference
at Ottawa this weekend.

The conference, sponsored by the
B.C. Housewives Consumer Asso-
ciation, was attended by 90 dele-
gates and observers from 52 organ-
izations. Chairman was Alex
Gordon, B.C. vice-president of the
Trades and Labor Council of Can-
ada.

In review of the campaign
conducted during recent weeks
for signatures to a national peti-
tion calling for restoration of
price controls, Mrs. Marion Park-
im, secretary, B.C. ' Housewives
Consumer Association, reported
that 75,000 names had been ob-
tained in B.C. alone.

This petition is being presented
to the federal government this
weekend during a three-day lobby
at Ottawa attended by some 500
délegates representing housewives
and consumer organizations, trade
unions, veterans and student groups
and others.

Seven B.C. delegates left Van-
couver to participate in the lobby
at the conclusion of the prices
conference here Saturday.

They were:
Mrs. M. Parkin; Mrs. Doris
Hartley, past president, B.C,

Housewives Consumer Associa-
tion; Mrs. Helen White, TWA
Women’s Auxiliary, Campbell

River; Sam Shearer, executive
Labor Council;
president, B.C. Federation
Labor; Mrs. A. McDonald, Wells
Miners’ Union Women’s Auxil-
iary, Wells. "

..The conference made a number
of recommendation to the nation-
al conference which will be held
in Ottawa this Saturday to organ-
fieze the Housewives Consumer
Association on a nation-wide basis.

Other resolutions adopted by the
conference demands:

@ That the provincial govern-
ment abandon the new sales tax
and revise its taxation proposals
“to place the main burden on
those interests which in 1947 reap-
ed the highest profits on record
from the natural resources of our
province.”

@ That the federal government
revoke the recently granted 21
percent increase in freight rates.

@ That rent controls be main-
tained until the housing shortage
has been overcome through con-
struction of homes under “a na-
tional, subsidized low-rental hous-
ing program.”

@ That an immediate inquiry be
held into the operations and ser-
vices of the BCElectric, that citiz-
ens and organizations be given
opportunity to present their views
before fare increases already al-
lowed are made permanent and
that “in the event of BCElectric
and its subsidiaries do not take
action to provide efficient service
at reasonble rates the provincial
government, in cooperation with

municipal bodies, take steps to
establish public oewnership.

@ That social service allowances
be increased immediately to an
amount “at least as high as old

age pensiones.”

CMA wants. Hitlerite
clauses in revised act

VICTORIA—A powerful

14-man delegation represent-

ing British Columbia’s top industrialists presented the Coal-

ition government today wih a brief demanding the inclusion
Bill 39, calling for the outlawing

of the Taft-Hartley law into
of all bargaining rights to unions
whose officers and members de-
cline to eschew what the Cana-
dian ~Manufacturers’ Association
term “communism”.

Sixteen employer organizations
‘were represented by the delega-
tion, These include the B.C. Log-
gers’ Association; B.C. Truck Log-
gers; Pulp and Paper Industry of
B.C.; Consolidated Red Cedar

Shingle Association; Interior Lum-
ber Manufacturers’ Association;
Mining Association of B.C.; North-
ern Interior Lumbermen’s Asso-
ciation; Vancouver Board of
Trade; B.C. Lumber Manufactur-
ers’ Association; Canadian Manu-

all clubs and other organ-
izations requiring extra
bundles for May Day distri-
bution, to forward orders
immediately.

facturers’ ‘Association (B.C. Divi-
sion); Canadian Restaurant As-
sociation (B.C. Region); Industrial
Association of B.C.; Master Bak-
ers’ Association; New Westmin-
ster Board of Trade; Salmon Can-
ners’ Operating Committee: and
Western Lumber Manufacturers’
Asociation.

The CMA bosses’ brief, read by
T. G. Norris, K.C., declares in
“Collective bar-

stand for the upholding of the law
of the land and the maintenance
of present tal institu-
tions”. Under cover of a red-
baiting smear on the unions, the
powerful CMA, through the medi-
um ofa Taft-Hartleyized Bill 39,
seek to destroy the trade union
by repressive legislation, and to
bring British Columbia in line with
Britonte’ Quebec labor laws, and
those of Alberta and Prince Ed-
ward Island, which respectively
are whittling away the last ves-
tiges of free trade unionism, and
paving the way for corporate
state technique in labor relations.

While the Johnson-Anscomb Co- |’
alition gave scant consideration
to the legislative proposals of the
labor lobby, both in regard to
Bill 39, the sales tax, health and.
other matters, it is reported that
the CMA boss loggers, mine op-
erators and other signatories for

Taft-Hartley restrictions, received
a cordial and attentive hearing.

‘

Will you do your part to see that:
Labor’s voice is not completely :

@ by radio which discriminates by refusing labor
speakers’ time on the air and by blue-pencilling
speeches replying to scurrilous attacks;

@ by the ’ ‘paid’ press which refuses to print labor's
answers to statements by pro-fascist writers and
speakers.

Labor’s rights are being throttled

@ by the goverment’s action to Taft-Hartleyise Bill
39 despite protest by organized labor;

@ by hoodlums attacking working class organizations
such as the Windsor Labor-Progressive Party without
any recourse being allowed through legal channels.

E voice is being silenced

\

Food, clothing and housing costs
soaring out of Labor's reach

are

@ by imposition of the Sales Tax despite public protest;

@ by refusal to control prices;

e by government's refusal to even meet with consumer
delegation in Ottawa;

@ by the greed of profit-mad monopolists.

The Pacific ee is the only medium of effec-
tive protest against these injustices---the

only paper where you can get the Truth!

*

silenced?

Send in your contribution today. Whether it is from
your club, your union, or from individual supporters, for-
ward it teday. To beat back the attacks of reaction we
must reach our sustaining objective.

*

We need ©
—$15,000 by May Day! —

OOOO ORONO
PACIFIC TRIBUNE—APRIL 16, A Se ee EU Re 4