FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, raul! vat rernoentbesaeion nn ‘| > Aamir | NT al toh 1952 New Mine-Mill hall at Sudbury Architect’s drawing (top) of the new Mine-Mill union hall at Sudbury, Ont., which was opened on September 20. (bottom), complete with automatic record modern ‘sound bay” The hall has a player unit, PA system rigged ‘to any point in the hall, and tape recorder,: The debt-free Se hall will be Sudbury’s largest community centre, ‘ Legislation cannot wait, states Uphill: urges: fall session FERNIE, B.C. The Bennett government should undertake immediately to convene the new legislature for a fall session. This is the opinion of Mayor 'Tom Uphill of Fernie, veteran Labor MLA, _ “The people voted for a change in government policies ‘on June 12,” said Uphill in a press statement this week, ‘‘and no time should be lost by the . new legislature in carrying out ttheir expressed wishes. “While it is true, of course, that the new government is not bound by the promises of its _ predecessor, it was clearly un- derstood by all concerned that inasmuch as action was delayed last spring on a whole number of pressing items because of the election, a session would be call- ed this fall. “There are many items which urgently require attention, in- cluding such matters as the government inquiries into hos- .pital insurance, the ICA Act and the Workmen’s Compensation Act. The government has no right to stall off action on these matters which should properly thave been dealt with at the spring session when a number of recommendations for. im- provements were introduced.” Government - inspired’ sugges- tions that the legislature be dis- solved without being called into session — a moot constitutional issue — and another election held are estrus! opposed by Uphill. “Ip js absolutely Ankeinksbie that Premier Bennett should or- der dissolution of the legislature without even calling ‘together the elected -representatives of the people,’”’ he declared. “The present legislature was ‘only elected four months. ago. Premier Bennett’s party does not represent a majority of con- stituencies. The premier and the executive council are respon- sible to the legislature. “The government should take its policies before the legislat- ure for approval as quickly as possible. The voters are. close- ly watching the government’s action and I am sure any in- fringement of the right of etect- ed representatives will not be tolerated. The supremacy of pene must be upheld,” ’ Windsor | national figure by 9 death of Fred Colling Death this week took an outstanding. nie trade union leader from the struggles to which the had devoted 20 years of his life. Stricken with a heart attack last Sunday afternoon, Fred Collins, former international representative for the International Fur and Leather Workers Union, died a few ‘hours later in Van: couver General Hospital. He is survived by ‘this wife, Tillie. The-esteem in which Fred ‘Collins was held among the workers fhe led in Ontario before com- ing to Vancouver in 1949 was expressed in a telegram sent iby one of thiseformer co-work- ers, Malcolm. Murdoch, Ontario regional director, «in the name locals 35, 40, 58, 65, 205, 218, 221, 300 and 330 of the Inter- national Fur and Leather Work- ers Union. “The working class has lost one of its great champions. The struggles which Fred 'took part in will long ‘be remembered and when the history of the strug- gles of the working class to create a better world is written his name will be among that great army who, through un- sélfish devotion, helped to bring — into being the hopes and dreams of humanity: a world of peace, progress and security, a world Where ‘man to man the world o’er shall brothers be for af. that’.” Born in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1897,'Fred Collins enlisted in the Second Argyle and Suther- land Highlanders at the age of 17 and served throughout the First World War, ‘being dis- charged with the rank of ser- geant. In the late twenties he emi- grated to Canada, and in the thirties, when thousands of workers ‘moved into struggle against the ravages of the de- pression, he emerged as one of their leaders. The historic strike of furni- ture workers at Stratford in 1934 demonstrated his courage and ability as a trade union leader. That was the struggle in which Mitch Hepburn, then Liberal premier of Ontario, call- ed out troops and tanks - to~ break the workers’ picket lines. Led by Fred Collins, then an crganizer for the Workers Un- ity League, the workers held firm and won the first union agreement in the furniture in- dustry. A year later, in 1935, when ‘tthe late Arthur Evans led the > On-To-Ottawa Trek from Van- couver, leader of the Ontario unemploy- ed who marched on foot from to Ottawa to place ‘their demands before the Tory government of Prime Minister R. B. “Iron Heel” Bennett. It was during these years that - lhe became a member of the old ‘Communist (Party of Canada, serving for a time on its central committee. When the Commun- ist party -was.banned by the King government in 1940, Fred Collins was one of the Com- munist leaders interned at Pete- ‘wawa and later Hull because of his resolute opposition to the Fred Collins was the © ‘continuing Munich policies that openly and covertly aided Hit- Ler 5 Released from internment in 1942, he ' returned immediately to the trade union movement, devoting this now considerable experience to organizing‘ the John Inglis plant in Toronto. Following the war, he was ap- pointed international represent- ative for the International Fur and Leather Workers Union. Among the many important posts to which he was elected during his long trade union career were delegate and execu tive member of Toronto Trades and Labor Council and Ontario provincial executive member of the Trades and Labor Congress - of Canada. In 1949 ill health compelled Fred Collins ‘to ‘relinquish this union ‘post in Toronto and move ‘to Vancouver. Here, during the widespread unemployment in the winter of 1949-50, the ‘became the spokesman for the -Unem- ployed Action ‘Committee, head- ing a delegation first to Vic- toria to demand a works pro- gram from the now-defeated Coalition government, and a'f- terward to Ottawa. Later, he worked as a sea- man, joining tthe West Coast Seamen’s Union, and’ still later’ as a welder. At the time of his death he was an executive mem: ber of the Shipyard General Workers Federation and an active member of the Marine Workers and Boilermakers: Union. ace A foundation member of the Labor-Progressive party, he was elected to the LPP provincial executive in 1950-51, and among the many tributes ‘to his mem- ory was one signed by Tim: Buck for the LPP national commit- tee. “We are shocked to hear of the sudden death of our bbelov- ed comrade, Fred Collins,” the message said. “Our party mem- bership will mourn his passing ‘in The midst ‘of the fight. “Ets thousands of friends among the industrial workers of Ontario, in the furniture,;“shoe and fur and leather industries, will, honor his fighting .mem- ory. Fred was the man who helped them build their unions ‘and ‘to conquer hideous sweat- ' shop conditions. “In the famed Stratford strike of almost 20 years ago Fred was the courageous trade union leader who led his historic bat- tle. He was a leader of stricken thousands in the battle for re- lief in the Hungry Thirties. He was a Communist whose record in struggle was unparalleled and whose yvision of socialism - frontal or internal attacks, FRED COLLINS was bright. The misleaders of “Mabor had in him.a powerful a0 versary, the workers a_ true and trusted friend. -“We send all his comrades and friends in B.C. our deepe sympathy, and especially to Hs wife, our comrade, Tillie.” Other messages of sympathy . were sent by: Nigel Morgat LPP provincial leader; Stewart Smith, LPP Toronto and Yorks regicnal director; Charles Sim% editor, Canadian ‘Tribune; C. Jackson, president, Canadiat ‘district, United Electrical Wor ers; J. E. Gledhill, secretary” _ treasurer, Local 221, and Alfred Gledhill, president, Local 205 International Fur and Leather Workers Union: At funeral services held Wed nesday this week from Simmons and McBride funeral home, with interment following in th? Soldiers’ Plet, Mountain View Cemetery, tributes to Fred Col lins’ life work as a- Communist | and trade unionist were paid bY Tom McEwen and Frank F ood. “Fred ‘Collins was a Commu ist, a comrade who meas Bi history with thé science 2 (Marxism-Leninism, © who knew ‘that at the end of the road vie ‘tory would crown all the efforts and struggles of the comm0# people,” said McEwen, “In the unions he helped to lead the — - Breatt battalions of labor on the march, zigzagging at times a™ often compelled to retreat but always striving .towards # ‘summit of a new society. ti Pallbearers were: Tom” Boy’ “Jan, Jack Scott, Eddie ApPS ,Emil Bjarnason, Sid mea - ‘Alt Dewhurst, \ Clemens still cannot talk Condition of. Clarence Clem ens hospitalized after anal ae ed beating at the hands of t® Vancouver policemen July 197 still “unchanged.” Qlemens’ 1® flexes are nil. and he remains a semi-paralyzed state, unable talk or move his limbs. - PACIFIC TRIBUNE — SEPTEMBER 26, 1952 — PAGE 1?