a eo 2 ——— a PEARL WEDRO, PROMINENT TRADE UNIONIST, WRITES- - “Albania Forging Pearl Wedro, who for some years was an organizer for the Fur and Leather Workers’ Union in B.C., has just returned from a trip to Albania, where she was a guest of ‘the Central Council of Albanian Trade Unions. Below are reprinted .some of her impressions. Most of my time was spent sat a beautiful summer resort just outside the city of Durres and less than an hour’s drive from the capital city of Tirana. It didn’t take me long to find out that this resort was just completed a couple of years ago, and that _prioz to the liberation the only people who ever stayed here were the royal family and friends. Now, however, the resort is open to any worker or profes- sional, is operated by the Trade Union. Council and plays host to hundreds of for- eign guests every year. providing Canadian poplar trees, which fact was impress- ed upon me by numerous workers and children. Needless to say, this information made me very proud. In order to more fully grasp the accomplishments of social- ism, it is necessary to point out that this small country of 1,- its closest; 625,000 people and consisting of 27,000 square kilometres was oppressed literally for centuries. After being ruled by num- erous . princedoms, Albania was occupied for about 500 years by the Turks, except for ‘The climate at the resort is a period of 25 years when it ideal . . . lots of sun and| was liberated by its national warmth during the day and hero Skanderberg. With his cool evenings. The entire re-| death from malaria in the 16th sort is surrounded with shade- century, the’ Turkish Empire Twenty-five new factories and plants were built last year in Albania. Photo shows a workshop in the Thalmann canned goods factory. Ahead” regained control of the coun- try and remained undisputedly. so until 1912, when for a brief period independence was won.]| | However, due to the conni- vance of neighbouring em- perors and their own quislings, the country was saddled with King Oga, who maintained his power until the Italians occu- pied Albania in 1939. They were driven out by the parti- sans, but were soon replaced by the Germans. e It was not until 1945 that the country finally gained its independence with the libera- tion by the Soviet Army, Both the present Prime Minister, Mehmed Shehu, and the sec- retary of the Albanian Labor Party, Enver Hoxha, were in the front ranks of the partisan movement that played so pro- minent a part in the liberation, and despite what our “free” press tells us, have earned the undying gratitude of the Al- banian people. But the struggle for libera- tion was not without its heart- breaks. Of an initial force of 70,000 partisans, 28,000 were killed, 12,000 wounded, and 10,000 imprisoned. Add _ to these figures the fact that over 1,000,000 domestic | animals were lost and 61,000 houses destroyed, and one. gets a fairly accurate picture of the country’s condition when the people and Party first set out to build Socialism. An addi- tional burden was the fact that} 96% of the women and 80% of the men were wholly. illit- erate. . Today, the situation is vastly different. After 15 short years of socialism and due to the in- spired labors of its people as well as the peoples of the So- cialist countries, illiteracy has been all but wiped out and GREETINGS TO ALL OUR FRIENDS 138 CORDOVA STREET facilities, tables “for conventions. MOVEMENT ON LABOR DAY, 1961 FISHERMEN’S UNION HALL AUDITORIUM available for dances, socials, smokers, meetings, conventions, etc. Good acoustics, public address system, kitchen Seating capacity: For rates or additional information : PHONE: BRUCE YORKE, MU 4-3254 IN THE LABOR EAST 400. ss Photo shows a worker in the Albania makes rapid strides in industrialization. In industrial production was 17 percent greater than im Hoxha metal working eorded in the fields of agricul- ture, industry, culture, and others. e While learning of all these things I listened with the greatest of pleasure and thought with sadness of the great unemployment among our textile workers at home. I also thought of the little our historic progress has been re-, resources and agricultW land, they found it nard understand the your ones in particular. I left the country very happy about the pF recorded by the people little country, and I t what a pity that attempts? still being made to restor | old system, as was rec# proven at a trial of collab workers know of this great ioe one ere in the ent new life developing at great speed in this Socialist country. of the American Sixth about the workers and when I told them about what a beautiful coun- try Canada is, about its rich in closing, I should li say that I shall always Te! 98 per the kind and_ friend ception that the people Oy banian accorded me. : When the workers asked me} Canadian textile Labor Day Greetings! 4 Let us unite the world over for peace ¥ higher living standards, and for the | freedom and dignity of mankind! | Vancouver Civic Employees Union | Outside Workers © PENDER | AUDITORIUM — (MARINE WORKERS) “a 339 WEST PENDER LARGE AND SMALL HALLS | FOR RENTAL Phone MU 1-948] Labor Day Greetings | 196] The workers in the metal mining, smelting and refining industry of Western Canada extend fraternal greetings to all workers, wherever they may be. Particularly at this time do we acclaim the mounting struggle of our brothers and sisters in Latin America towards freedom, peace and progress. The heroic people of Cuba have shown the way! WESTERN DISTRICT UNION ‘International Union of Mine, Mill and Smelter Workers (Canada) TRADE UNION RESEARCH 339 WEST PENDER—PRESENTS — THE CASE OF | a “THE TEARFUL TYCOON — An answer to the lie that Canadian work!” are pricing themselves out of world marker Humorously illustrated, easy to read, brie’ and to the point. 25c COPY — REDUCED PRICE IN QUANTITY : a q og = | . | i 4 sth : Savages el ~ =— = September 1, 1961—PACIFIC TRIBUNE—Pas”