Workers in France are striking and demonstrating against the war in Algeria and the economic hardships it is bring- ing to them. Photo shows workers in Mulhouse, Alsace, during a recent strike carrying slogans for “Peace in Algeria” and against high prices. Grain handlers should get labor-farm support By BEN SWANKEY As was to be expected, certain representatives of grain elevators are trying to make out that the present strike of Vancouver grain handlers is a strike against prairie farmers. for the “big rich corporations” Speaking in Calgary some by refusing to settle with the Dorr Diversion Proposed days ago, A. T. Baker, general manager of the Alberta Wheat Pool, is reported to have said that the strike “is not against big rich corporations but against the farmers .. .” What are the facts of the case? The union is seeking a wage increase to correspond to the increases in the cost of living and to correspond also to the particular type of work. its members perform (bad. work- ing conditions and the dust make this occupation injurious to health and exceedingly hazardous as well). But what is significant heTe is that the grain elevator companies have not at any time pleaded in- ability to pay. A wage increase is not the main issue as far as they are concerned. What then \is the main issue: It is simply this. The elevator companies are demanding that the union relinquish many of the rights of workers on the job, rights such as job classifi- cation which if they were lost would render the union in- effective. And what is signifi- cant here is that these Tights won by lab°r have not been any great source of trouble be- tween. labOr and management in the past. Why then are they the main ‘issue today? The answer is ‘that today there is a concert- ed nation-wide “rights of man- ‘agement drive” by “big, rich corporations.”- Its aim is to ‘whittle down any say that un- ions have as to where, when and under what conditions and Wages workers shall perform any particular job. The shameful truth is that today the grain elevator com- Panies are carrying the ball grain handlers; the grain ele- vators are doing the dirty work for the “big rich corpor- ati°ns.” At the same time the managers of the grain com- panies are deliberately at- tempting to foment antagon- isms between workers and farmers, that insidious weapon that. big rich corporations have always used against workers and farmers in order to better beat them both. That pool elevators, built with the hard-earned money of prairie farmers (and also from the labor of grain handlers) should be used for such pur- poses is disgraceful indeed. The wheat pools were estab- lished by prairie farmers as co-operatives to fight the big business interests that ‘were fleecing them, but the present managers of these co-ops are abandoning co-op principles and are carrying on in the same way as do reactionary managers of any big business enterprise. Union leaders have proposed that prairie farm organizations sit in‘on negotiations. They be- lieve that if farmers can see for themselves what the situa- tion actually is, a settlement will quickly be reached. The Inter-provincial Farm Union Council (representing the farm unions) agrees, but the grain elevator company managers oppose this suggestion as does the government ~- appointed strike mediator. The reason for this opposition is not difficult to understand — it would quickly explode the myth. that the strike is against the farmers. This strike need not have taken place at all if it were not for the influence of out- side interests and the willing- Communist Party campaigns to cancel Columk ia deal A plan of campaign was laid out by the B.C. Provincial Committee of the Com: munist Party at the meeting in Vancouver last weekend to help halt ratification of the recently-proposed U.S.-Canada treaty on Columbia Ri Materials will soon be pub- lished to expose the surren- der of Canada’s interest, news- paper advertisements will be inserted, a series of meetings organized and an official rep- resentative and brief sent to government hearings to be held shortly in the Kootenay area. “Tf the proposed treaty is concluded it will mean more US-Canadian integration, and represent another big step to- ward U.S. plans for annexa- tion of this province,” Nigel Morgan, B.C. Provincial Lea- der of the C.P. told the Pac- ific Tribune. “Regardless of Justice Min- ister Fulton’s explanation that the Diefenbaker gov’t. is an unwilling partner and that the Bennett gov’t. is respons- ible for the giveaway, it can- not be denied that the plan jettisons Canadian power gen- eration in favor of U.S. stor- age.” “Canada is not going to get what it should out of. this rich resource,’ Morgan charg- ed. “Benefits that should come to Canada are being surren- dered; jobs are being lost. The industrial complex that should arise in the Kootenays will not be built, because of Canadian water storage, south of the line in the U‘S. A couple of hundred short- |downstream benefits after the | means the cement spillway and earth dam at High Arrow. And, very little gain will be receiv- ed from the four mill power that we are to get back from | B.C. Electric giant slice. has taken its Four-mill power | very little compared to present six-mill power, when twenty-one mills is in- volved in costly B.C. Electric distribution,” Morgan added. “There is oniy one way to | protect B.C. and Canadian in-} terests: That is to cancel the | |derway the present agreement and get un- : Dorr Diversion | plan of General MacNaughion | with development of a pub-| ver development. )lically owned East-West Can- adian grid.” “Powerful forces are pro- moting the deal” he warned. “Nothing short of a massive | public campaign, with the full jand energetic opposition of labor, farm, Board of Trade, | citizens, CCF, Communist and ; all patriotic groups can halt | this biggest of all U.S. grabs, It is a matter now of weeks, and no time should be lost in writing MPs, and’MLAs, get- ting resolutions from all in- terested organizations and preparing to express the most united and vigorous opposi- tion. to the present plan,” Morgan concluded. i B.C. Electric seeks stall on P.UC 6.5 profit decision The Public Utilties Com- The B.C. - Electric argued mission postponed decision! such a decision would frighten last Wed. on whether to scrap! away eastern investors for fear the 6.5 percent rate of return! the PUC intended to exercise |} allowed the B.C. Electric un-| more control over the utility der a commission ruling of} He urged nothing be done rntil 1952. | the company next propos:s 2 | = ares BGS : revision in rates. Municipalities at the hearing | supported the proposal that | The B.C. Electric hopes by the PUC cancel the 1952 regu-| that time to beat down Cc oposi~ lation and require the B.C.) tion to the 6.5 percent fixed | } | hearing. term construction jobs are all | that are involved in building | School meet elects Codd and Gassman NOTCH HILL, BC; —Vet- eran Communist, Henry Codd, of Notch Hill and Ed Gassman of Tappin, were elected ix recent School Board elections in their communities. Codd, who has previous ex- perience has not been a trus- tee since 1952. Gassman. who recently went to the Shuswap country from the Fraser Valley to farm, is a newcomer. Notch Hill and Tappin are part of the large Salmon Arm School District. ness of the grain elevator man- agers to do the bidding of big’} rich corporations. It deserves the full support of all labor and farm organizations. Electric to submit reasons for| rate of return. The public |an increase before a board| should demand the PLC ren. | der its decision withovi delay John Bull and The Mermaid Ae FOMICHEV in “Izvestia” November 25, 1960—PACIFIC TRIBUNE—Page 3 Pred id