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FRIDAY, MARCH 20, 1959

‘Smallwood is guilty”
Phillips tells students

“According to press reports from Newfoundland,.a charge
of murder will be laid in the death of a policeman who was
killed as a result of a clash between pickets and police. If
this is so, then the name of Premier Smallwood should appear
on the warrant as the person charged with the alleged crime

of wilful homicide.”

Jack Phillips, secretary of
Vancouvear Civic Employees
Union, Outside Workers, made
this statement while address-
ing a meeting of some 150
UBC students at Buchanan
Hall on Tuesday noon this
week.

Describing the course of
IWA negotiations and the
strike which was called Dec-

ember 31 last year, Phillips’

charged that Premier Small-
wood “intervened openly on
the side of the company by
organizing a .company union
to replace the IWA and = by
decertifying the IWA through
a special Act in the legisla-
ture.”

He reviewed reports of the

clash between strikers and
the RCMP, duing which a
Newfoundland constable was
struck down and later died
as a result of his injuries.

“While we regret the death
of this policeman, we. do not

believe there would have been

the same outcry in the press
if-a striker had been killed,”
said Phillips...

“Tf the Canadian trade un-
ion movement unites in sup-
port of the strikers, and if a
solidarity appeal is made to
the labor movement of the
“world, Premier Smallwood
will have to back down and
the strike will be brought to
a successful conclusion.”

An editorial -

~SHRUM SHOWS BIAS

ITHOUT HAVING attended the Shrum commission
hearings, nor having seen the transcript, it is ex-
tremely difficult to judge the facts of the dispute be-
tween Purdy and Briggs over Power Commission resi-
dential rates.  e
The dispute arises because the B.C. Power Commis-
sion has a sliding scale of rates depending on “Monthly
Demand.” That is to say, a house that can at any given
moment draw three-kilowatts of power will pay a higher
rate for a given amount of electricity than one that
cannot draw more than two kilowatts
Briggs quoted certain rates for 300 kilowatt hours
per month based on a demand ‘classification which he
said applies to 65 percent of B.C. Power Commission
_ users. Purdy’s reply is that péople using 300 kilowatt
hours per month would be in a higher demand classi-
fication and therefore pay a higher rate. Which of them
is correct is a matter to be determined by anal-
ysis of actual cases. Apparently, however, each of
them is correct: under his own stated: assumptions.

: The disturbing aspect of the matter is the attitude
displayed by Shrum. Both on this occasion and on pre-
vious occasions, if one ean judge by the press reports
he seems to be over-anxious to put Briggs in a bad light.
In the present instance, the press reports that he stopped
Charles Nash from explaining Briggs’ evidence’ and

to the people of the whole province.” —

then went on to attack Briggs for doing a “disservice

SCANDALOUS WAGES

Office workers

strike at Forst’s

On Friday this week at 8 a.m.
underpaid office workers strike for decent
told Tuesday by W. A. Lowe of Local 15,

VLC delegates voted full support to the strike.

“Some 50 percent of the of-
fice employees at Forst’s get
$40 a week or less,” said
Lowe. “The final offer made
by the company was an aver-
age increase of $4/a week
over a two-year period. Em-
ployees are tired of working
for substandard wages and
decided to do something about
its?

Forst’s is owned and con-
trolled by Great Universal
Stores Ltd., with headquarters
in London, England. It is the
largest organization of its
kind in the Commonwealth
with 1,500 branches in all and
over 100-retail outlets in-Can-
ada.

This international colossus
is controlled by Isaac Wolf-
son, who was recently refer-
red to by the London Sunday
Chronicle as the “richest man
on earth.”

“Wolfson may be the rich-
est man on eafth but -his em-
ployees are probably the poor-
est paid,” said Lowe. “Junior
clerks start at $30 a week, in-
termediate clergs at $32, sen-
ior clerks at $35 and head
clerks (female) at $40. After
two years wages range from
$37.50 for junior clerks to
$49.50 for a head clerk.

“Many employees have been

offered $2 per -week increase —
for the two-year period while -

others, some with over 20 years

Communists gain
in elections

PARIS—Despite a “united
ffront” of reactionary groups,
Communists made further
gains Sunday in the final
round of France’s two-stage
municipal elections.

In the suburbs of Paris the

Communist candidates won 26
local councils. They also pick-
ed up four seats in the Coun-
cil of the Seine department,
covering the entire Paris. re-
gion, and now hold 59 of the
150 posts. : % z

In the’ earlier voting in
large cities the Communist
party candidates increased

their total number of seats

and upped their percenttage
of the popular vote. They
won 160 seats compared with
155 in the 1953 municipal
electtions. oe

*

of service at Forst’s, have
been offered the ridiculous
figure of 50 cents a. week, or
a dime a day increase for a
two year period.

“Office workers are making a
stand, and the support of
trade unionists and all fair-
minded people will assure us
of victory.”

The Teamsters assured the
strikers that “no teamsters

picket lines will be thrown up around Forst’s stores
wages, Vancouver Labor Council delegates w
Office Employees Union. Stores to be struck @
at 2550 East Hastings and 2434 Main in Vancouver, and 305 Columbia in New Westminste

will cross your picket lin
This could be the first direct
action by labor to smash Bill
43 by ignoring its existence. —
VLC gave a big hand to
group of Forst’s office
ployees who attended the coun
cil meeting as_ visitors,
several delegates conde!
Forst’s and gave encou
ment to the strikers durin
discussion on Lowe’s report.

FELLOW CANADIANS:

Quebec.

war—should war come.

NO YANKEE
ATOMIC DEATH BASES |
IN CANADA! |

The Diefenbaker government has decided to kow-
tow to the U.S. government’s demand for atomic
missile bases in North Bay, Ont. and Mont Laurier,

These U.S. bases in Canada expose our people and
country to automatic involvement in U.S. - organized

Such is the result of the “cold war” policy of
Tories and Liberals alike. .
These Bomare bases are outposts of the U.S, Armed —

Forces. The missiles will be used on U.S. orders—and
-Diefenbaker is ,quite prepared to accept them, as |
usual, .

These bases do not “defend” Canada, nor are they |
intended to do so. : :

The only defense for Canada isa policy of peace— |
and disengagement from the. “preventive war” maniacs a
of the U.S. military. - ee

There is only one path to security: “ Ki

The Diefenbaker government must cancel its de- 7
cision to allow such bases to be set up in Canada,
Instead, the Canadian government’ must— os

1. Call on the great powers for Summit talks at —

once.

2. Call for the bannning of all nuclear weapons and ©
the dismantling of atomic war bases everywhere. —
3. Call for the peaceful solution of the German —
> crisis through a peace treaty with Germany.
: 4. Turn war industry into peace industry and open |
up trade with the Soviet Union and China.

5. Recognize China. } S
Only this way lies peace! :
Atomic missile bases lead to war! A ee

Write, wire your MP and the Government of |
Canada — today! , ~¥

“NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
LABOR-PROGRESSIVE PARTY