Redbaiting by Victoria AFL-CCF clique boomerangs on promoters By C. H. PALMGREN The Vancouver Island Joint Labor Conference was wrecked as the trade union movement saw the storm warnings gather on the horizon. With the inauguration of Bill 39 the conference was dispersed. But to the everlasting credit of the Victoria trade unions— its last act was to condemn Bill 39. Even though, as a result, it suffered obliteration at the hands of the tory-liberal coalition stooges—it went down fighting. The coalition government sup- porters within the conference ex- ecutive combined their strength with that of right wing CCF “so- cialists” and reduced to rubble this edifice built by the Victoria trade union’ movement. The present secretary of the Victoria Trades and Labor Coun- cil, George Wilkinson, was op- posed to condemning Bill 39. His stand was defeated by the con- ference. The following meeting saw the ruthless wrecking of the conference. Wilkinson did not get on his feet to defend the exist- ence of the VIJLC although it had proved a powerful weapon in ad- vancing the interests of the Vic- toria workers. But the “socialist” Harold Thayer spoke for him in urging the destruction of the con- ference. The plot of the reaction- ary provincial government and their trade union assistants had carried. : The strongly anti-labor Victoria coalition paper—The Victoria Daily Times—has since been full of praise for this. kind of trade un- ion “leadership.” This is the way in which appreciation has been openly expressed by the coalition government forces. : : __ AFL seeks split _ in Latin-America is conducting a brave struggle to survive.” . ms Headed by Jacob Potofsky, pres- ident of the Amalgamated Cloth- ing Workers (CIO), the committee publishes a bulletin in Spanish which is mailed to nearly every union from the Rio Grande ‘to Cape Horn. It works closely with the officers of the Latin-American Confederation of Labor (CTAL). In taking advantage of this temporary victory an orgy of red- baiting and strike breaking broke loose. Local right wing CCF’ers, (Bevis and Caird) caught in the whirlpool of anfi-communism and fired by the prospect that the confusion might throw the lead- ership of the Victoria trade un- ions into their hands, became the supporting pillars of the trade union bureaucrats in helping the employers to extend their influ- ence into the trade union move- ment. ) Bevis assisted Wilkinson in lead- ing misinformed workers through picket lines and Caird stating over the “Town Meeting of the Air’ that ‘this was the last ef- forts of the communists to lead any trade unions in Victoria’. These gentlemen were not able to draw any lessons from the fate of the social democrats under Hitler. As a result, their plans miscarried, and they only con- tributed in promoting and solidify- ing the position of Wilkinson and Bergoyne within the trade unions. Both of whom are more familiar with anti-communism than with the fight to maintain a decent standard of living. ‘ ‘This is the immediate past his- tory of the Victoria trade union movement. Of course it has paid off in a gradual worsening of con- ditions for the workers. Wage in- creases in Victoria are away be- hind that of the Vancouver work- ers. This in spite of the fact that Vancouver trade union leaders have been slanderously misrepres- ented by the local “leaders” and ‘| their “socialist” admirers. However, the tide is turning. An ever increasing number of work- ers are now realizing what has taken place and are working to- wards a consolidation of the trade union movement. From informa- tion at hand it shows one big AFL local as having passed a resolu- tion condemning Wilkinson for unauthorized statements on trade union questions. Another AFL local has demanded a fall session of parliament to deal with Bill 39. The present position of the BCElectric employees further ac- centuates the futility of this leg- islation .and the BCElectric em- ployees must be given the fullest support in their fight. The Victoria trade union move- ment will prove that employers’ agents and right wing socialists cannot hope to kill the workers democratic will to fight for a better life. Along with its spon- sors and supporters Bill 39 must be defeated. eS SESS CLASSIFIED A charge of 50 cents for each insertion of five lines or less with 10 cents for each additional line is made for notices appearing in this column. No notices will be accepted later than Monday noon of the week of. publication. NOTICES Oldtime Dancing . To Alf Carlson’s Orchestra Every Wednesday and Saturday “Hastings Auditorium. 828 East Hastings Phone HAstings 1248 Moderate Rental Rates : For socials, weddings, meetings Hair ; : hair scalp disorder Restored— OK methods, restoring. 671 Symthe Street. Swedish Finnish Workers’ Club meets last Friday every month, 7:30 p.-m., Clinton Hall. : A Treat on Sunday— Film and Forum every Sunday, 8 .p.m., West Davie St. Everybody welcome. End Hall, 1332]. Croatian Hall Available for Dances, Socials, Weddings, Banquets, Meetings, Reasonable rates, 600 Camp- bell Avenue. HAstings 0087. Conrad Persson— — ‘ Teacher of violin, studio at 738 KE. Hastings. Pupils prepared for exam, ensemble playing and festivals. Wednesday and Satur- day—9 a.m. to 9 p.m. © Phone HAstings 1020. WHAT’S DOING Dance, Clinton Hall— 2605 East Pender. Dance every Saturday night. Modern and Old-Time. Viking’s Orchestra. Hall is available for, rent, HAstings 3277. ASH BROS. CARTAGE Moving — Transfer ‘FRIDAY, OCTOBER 17, 1947 Montreal hotel men may quit MONTREAL—The Quebec strike boom may shortly pick up added strength from 750 employees of the Mount Royal Hotel who are dissatisfied over protracted negoti- ations of their demands for a 15 cent an hour wage increase, the Hotel and Restaurant union (AFL) ‘said today. Union Business Agent, Jack Shaw, is making a full report on union-company discussions to the membership at a meeting in the Carpenter’s Hall, where it was expected the employees would vote to reject the company offer. The next step would be a strike vote. Besides a wage increase the union is asking for the closed shop, vacations with pay, overtime after eight hours a day, a com- pulsory, irrevocable check-off and seven legal holidays with pay. VLC turns down ‘sympathy’ bid Tuesday night’s session of the Vancouver Labor Council turned thumbs down on a pro- posal from ‘revolutionary workers party’ (trotskyite) ele- ments to consider a 24-hour gen- eral “sympathy” strike in support of striking steel, furniture, pack- inghouse and marine workers. In- stead the VLC will urge the co- operation of the Trades and La- bor Council (AFL) in the calling of a joint conference of all AFL and CCL unions to coordinate the work of each body in support of the strikers. The VLC session heard a pre- liminary report of CCL conven- tion delegates, in which the ma- chine tactics and red-baiting of top CCL officials was roundly scored. Delegate Turner stated that instead of dealing with the pressing problem of the growing strike wave for increased wages to meet steadily increasing living costs, and the growing menace of anti-labor legislation to block wage increases, the CCL conven- tion wasted three and a half days in an orgy of red-baiting. The machine tactics employed by CCL leaders, which resulted in the ouster of George Burt of the United Auto Workers and ‘Freeman Jenkins of the United Mine Workers from the executive council of the CCL was also scored. “In one case,” said Delegate Tur- ner, “the new incumbent from the UAW on the CCL. executive couldn’t. even be elected to a re- sponsible position in his own local.” LPP bazaar to present daily radio program — “MEET MRS. LABOR,” a daily fifteen-minute radio feature program of the popular audience-participation type will be one of the attractions offered to persons attending Labor’s Annual Fall Fair and Bazaar, slated for Pender Auditorium, November 12 to 15. The program, which is something distinctly different for a labor bazaar, will give bazaar goers an opportunity to voice their views on many topics and is ex- pected to be one of the high-points in an attraction packed slate of activities for the bazaar, The committee promises that at least part of the Sadie Hawkins activities will be aired so that home-bound housewives will be able to get in on the fun, and gifts and favors will be offered to those taking part in the broad- cast. a An “oddity” booth, featuring items from many corners of the earth and offering goods as ex- otic aS.a hand-painted bark scroll from Tahiti, operated by seamen, is another attractive feature of the coming bazaar. Many souven- ier-type goods, as well as valuable pieces well-suited to brighten up the home will be for sale. A prize item to be raffled at the bazaar is a hand-worked lace spread, valued at over $150.00, the work of a bed-ridden woman and offered to the bazaar. This work, a square inch of which represents over an hour’s work, will be. raffled to the holder of the win- — ning ticket in the draw. { Carrying out the “Sadie Haw- — kin’s Day” theme of the bazaar, it is rumored that the services of the fabulous Lena the Hyena, beauteous femme fatale’ from Lower Slobovnia, have been s& cured to run in the Sadie Haw- kins Handicap. Other characters from the famed Al Capp strip Lil Abner, including Daisy Mae, Moon- beam McSwine, and the Wolf Gal will joyously pursue males and Marryin’ Sam will be present to do the nuptial honors (if and when necessary). Other features of the bazaar will include hard-to-get home aP- pliances, offered as prizes, an at and photography exhibit, hobby show, handicraft exhibit, home craft display, as well as booths where food, clothing, and espec- ially hard-to-get children’s cloth- ing and toys will be offered for sale. AAF preparing staffs for attack on USSR NEW YORK—Top officers of the U.S. Air Force are indoctrinating their personnel for an attack on Russia an plan’to extend their propaganda to the public, a former aif force colonel charged in a letter to air force chief General Carl Spaatz. The colonel, G. P. Johnson, who signed the letter as president of the Association of Air Force Pub- lic Relations Officers and said he was speaking for his entire organ- ization, was released from service at his own request a week before writing the letter. He explained to the New York Daily Worker later that he could not tolerate the war talk at the Maxwell Field, Ala., air university to which he was as- signed. Johnson attacked high air force officials who, he charged, know all about the “attack Russia” teachings but do nothing to stop them. “Action must be taken to curb” these officers, he declared. Last October, Johnson revealed, two high-ranking officers at Max- well Field invited him to a meet- ing where they asked him whe- ther he thought “the public would accept a proposal for an immedi- ate attack upon Russia before the Soviet Union became stronger.” Johnson says he replied that “Am- ericans would never support such a proposal.” He was then informed, he says, that a public propaganda campaign was being prepared to 2 convince the American people af- ter “an undercover campaign t0, swing *AAF officers to their way of thinking.” : : The former colonel described the — Maxwell Field school as a “phony — educational institution” whose aU- thorities are so anxious to swiDs — the war drive that they neglect — the required ‘courses for air forc@ personnel. So far, neither Spaatz nor the — heads of the Maxwell Field school — have commented on Johnson's let ter. Vd. MEN’S WEAR ; Work Clothes For Workers | ... BELIEVE IT OR NOT..- Our Prices Are Right! 54 West Cordova (% block east of Woodwards) —— et te JOHN STANTON Barrister - Solicitor Notary Public 2 502 Holden Bldg. — MAr. 5746 Night: ALma 2177-M HAST. 0340 766 EB. HASTINGS Hastings Steam Baths ; Expert Masseurs In Attendance OPEN DAY and NIGHT Vancouver, B.C. For A Whirlwind Of Fun EVERYBODY is OUT TO HALLOWE'EN Cabaret and Novelty DANCE Sat., November 1 . John Goss Studio 641 Granville West End Council, LPP @ HOME COOKING @ HANDICRAFT MEET ME AT THE FAIR! “SADIE HAWKINS DANCE & RACE” PENDER AUDITORIUM — -@ WOODWORK @ NEEDLECRAFT NOV. 12-15 as