caine li ta

TO

702-1 E US

4 Fecal I

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 1959

Mush! Mush! Mush! for

peaceful competition

ANCHORAGE — Dog sled
racers from the Soviet Union
have been invited to take part
in the annual mushing con-
test here this month.

President George Sharrock
of Greater Anchorage, Inc.,
sent the following cablegram
to Premier Nikita Khrushchev:

“Cordially invite Soviet Un.
ion’s participation in Fur

Rendezvous Championship Dog
Team Races, Anchorage, Al-
aska, February -17-22. Would
like your champion dog teams
to race with Alaska’s best.”

The races, scheduled for
three 25-mile heats, are held
on the final three days of
Rendezvous Week. Cash prizes
totalling $6,500 are awarded on
an elapsed time basis.

Continued from page one

LABOR SETS GOAL OF 100,000 NAMES

“Trade means jobs now!”

“Canada needs trade with
all countries!”

“Extension of unemployment
insurance benefits!” :

“Develop power for prog-
ress!”

“Don’t shove it aside! We
want jobs!”

“Force Dief to act!”

“Why wait till spring?”

“Is this not an emergency?”

“Bennett: We demand un-
employment insurance!”

“No buck passing!”

“Federation requests mora-
torium!” _ a

As they marched the short
distance to the legislative
building, six abreast, the dem-
onstrators, mostly men but
with a woman’s face here and
there, sang a workers’ march-
ing song: We Shall Not Be
Moved! When they stopped
singing they took up the chant:
We Want Jobs! We Want Jobs!
As they came close to the
legislative building, the chant
became a mighty roar.

Before the marchers entered
the building, Bill Black, presi-
dent of the Federation, ad-
dressed them briefly from the
steps in front of the main en-
trance.

As they stood before him,
holding their banners and pla-
cards above their heads, he

_ said that their demonstration

would give nation-wide pub-
licity to the problem of un-

employment. He also declared
that this lobby was only one
of many actions that would
have to be taken in order to
compel government to face up
to its responsibilities. ;
Prior to the adjournment
of the afternoon assembly of
the, lobby, it was decided to
appoint a delegation from the
Federation executive and labor
councils to meet with a com-
mittee from the cabinet. The
officers of the Federation, in
reporting the difficulties en-
countered by those who tried
to interview Premier Bennett,
revealed that he had suggested
such a meeting for later in
the day. Then they passed on
to other matters, without mak-
ing any proposal to accept the
invitation, On motion of Bill
Stewart of the Marine Work-
ers, a small ‘committee was
sent to arrange the interview.
It was agreed that after the
meeting with the cabinet re-
ports would be given to labor
councils.
_ The committee of Federa-
tion and labor council officers
that went to meet Premier
Bennett in the evening took
with it a resolution unanimous-
ly adopted by the lobby. It
deplored “the callous indif-
ference of the Provincial Gov-
ernment for its failure to rec-
ognize the urgent need for ac-
tion to combat the grave un-
employment problem which

Peace Council delegation to Victoria last week is shown i
on the steps of the legislative buildings.
brook) placed a resolution on the order paper

—W. A. BOUCHER PHOTO

n this photo as members gathered
Following the lobby, Leo Nimsick (CCF, Cran;
calling on the House to “urge the federal g0V-

ernment to give immediate diplomatic recognition to the government of the People’s Re-

public of China.’ Due to geographical position, Nimsick’

a natural avenue for trade with British Columbia.

confronts us.” It called upon
the government to “accept its
responsibilities to the unem-
ployed of British Columbia.”

According to a report from
Federation officers next day,
the lobby’s delegation of nine
met with the premier and his
cabinet. in the evening. The
premier, speaking for the cabi-
net, refused to agree that un-
employment constitutes an em-
ergency. He also refused to
accept the idea that many
workers are in danger of los-
ing their homes and household
effects through foreclosure.

The last action taken before
the final adjournment of the
lobby was the sending of a
telegram to the federal gov-
ernment. It called upon Otta-
wa to declare that an emerg-
ency situation exists and to
quickly convene a conference
of national, provincial and
local authorities to deal with
the problem.

Informal discussions by dele-
gates after adjournment indi-
cated that the following con-
clusions were quite common:

@ The cabinet is evasive,
non-commital and hostile to
labor’s program.

@ There is agreement by a
majority of MLA’s that a
moratorium should be serious-
ly considered, although certain
Socred back-benchers voiced
reservations,

@ The idea of an inquiry

into the Workmen’s Compen-
sation Act seems to be, ac-
ceptable to a majority of mem-
bers. Some cabinet members
voiced a qualified approval of
this idea advanced by the
Federation.

®@ All Socreds supported the
government’s use of the Civil
Defense Act in the Black Ball
Ferries strike, :

@ The CCF members and
Tom Uphill, Labor member
for Fernie, supported the. five-
point program of the lobby
without reservation.

©@ The two Liberal members,
Gregory and ‘Gibbs, favor res-
trictive labor legislation.

© Trade with China is vit-
ally needed. A number of
teams raised this question with
MLAs, as did president Bill
Black from the platform.

© Socred members are non-
commital on the question of
further restrictive legislation,
perhaps fearing that introduc-
tion would unite all labor, thus

facilitating and quickening
the defeat of their party at
the polls.

® Labor needs its own La-
bor-Farmer: party. (When this
idea was advanced from the
platform, the applause was
loud enough for Bennett to
hear it in his affice around
the corner!) F

@Much more pressure will
have to be generated to com-
pel the provincial and federal

February 6, 1959 —

s resolution pointed out, China is_

governments to recognize the
seriousness cf the unemploy-
ment. situation.

© The decision to launch @
petition campaign and to have
a second delegation to Vic-
toria provides an opportunity
to mobilize the unions, the un-
employed and the general pub-
lic around a constructive pro-
gram.

The lobby was far superior
to the one a year ago, in num-
bers, spirit and organization.
It was certainly more colorful
and striking with its banners.
placards and mass demonstra-
tion before the legislative
building.

Given bold leadership and
thorough planning, we may
witness a second labor lobby
this year, one much larger and
more effective. It is quite pos-
sible that if the petition cam-

paign gets under way in earn-

est, the Socred government
will have to yield to public
opinion and take more deci-
sive action to combat unem-
ployment,

What happened in Victoria
on February 2 is an indica-
tion of bigger things to come.
Labor is on the march and is
not content with superficial
remedies and government buck-

passing. Labor is demanding’

bold and constructive policies
to meet the crisis of unem-
ployment.

PACIFIC TRIBUNE—PAGE 8