Dockers

a

Bnitish dockers defied the Attlee government’s strikebreaking order
this week, reaffirmed support for the Canadian Seamen’s Union, and
tied up 95 ships in the London area.

Voting 3000 to 2 at one union meeting to continue their boycott
of “‘hot”” Canadian ships, dockworkers at another meeting howled down
three Labor MP’s who urged them to go back to work because “‘the
CSU strike is part of a Communist plot to cripple Britain.”

Faced with this pointblank refusal of British workers to scab on
their Canadian union brothers, the Attlee government ordered troops to

the waterfront to unload food ships
In Sydney, the Victoria State
Union reiterated its support for the

paralyzed by the strike.
branch of the Australian Seamen’s
CSU and refused a request from

the Seafarers’ International Union to lift a four-month boycott on the
SfU-manned Canadian flagship Haligonian Duke.

William Bird, secertary of the
Australian union, curtly told the
SIU: “This is a seamen’s union,
not a shipowners’ outfit.”

Port workers at Ancona, Italy,
stopped work on the War Trot-
ter, a Canadian ship, in response
to an &ppeal from the World Fed-
eration of Trade Unions, which is
supporting the CSU.

In London, secretary R. Bar-
ret of the National Amalgamat-
ed Society of Stevedores and
Dockers, declared: “It has been
the traditional right of the work-
ers in Britain to refuse to black-
leg (scab). Solidarity today
seems to be a terrible thing in
the eyes of the government. All
the more reason for trade union-
ists to rally to <ne another’s
support and back the Canadian
seamen.” :

Barret wired the CSU head of-
fice that the stevedores’ executive
“strongly reaffirms ,support for
the CSU in their legitimate strug-
gle to preserve their wages and
conditions. The Stevedores’ Union
and secretary strongly urge the
prime minister of Canada and Ca-
nadian minister of labor to con-
vene a meeting of both sides in
order to allow seamen to resume
the status quo with the aim of ef-
fecting a settlement.”

Meanwhile, the people of Brit-
ain have taken the Canadian sea-
men into their ‘homes in a score
of ports and are raising food and
funds for the strikers. East Lon-
doners, including qa doctor and a
clergymen, have stepped forward
to help the CSU men _ whose
strike-bound vessels are lying at
Stepney docks. A hospitality com-
mittee has been set up and a hall
loaned to the seamen. ~

British newspapers report many
stories dealing with the assistance
given the Canadian seamen by
the working people. Typical is
this clipping from the East Lon-
don Advertiser:

“When Mrs. Ada Newman, of
27 West Arbour street, Stepney.
heard that Canadian seamen on
strike had nowhere to live, she
remembered when: her son went
to Canada as a trainee pilot dur-
ing the. war, he was _ received
with warm hospitality. Deciding
it was time to return the Maple
Leat hospitality, Mrs. Newman
used her home as a collecting
center for food and clothing and
invited two of the sailors to
join her family.

“A large box of food arrived
at 27 West Arbour street with
no sender’s name. A note stated:
*To help you out with what you
are doing for the Canadians’.”

In Canada Hal Banks, leader of
the strikebreaking Seafarers’ In-
ternational Union. growing desper-
ate because of his failure to “keep
the ships moving” for East Coast
operators, wildly threatened to
“tie up 3,000 British shins in Ame-
rican ports” unless British dock-
ers ‘cooperated with SIU scab
crews. The Maritime Trades
Council of New York (AFL) re-
buffed Banks by backing down

and terming the boycott “prema-
ture.” j

The truth is, the four-month
strike has cost shipowners mil-
lions of dollars, and they are fast
losing confidence in the ability of
the SIU to “do the job” of smash-
ing the fighting CSU. 2 x

Further evidence of the plight
of those forces attacking the CSU
was the lame statement issued thie
week by Canada’s deputy minis-
ter of labor. Arthur MacNamara.

Motors,

placing the blame for the strike

upon the CSU and urging union
leaders to call off the strike im
mediately because it has. “fail-
ed.” With more ships tied up ir
world ports than at any time
since the strike began, CSU
spokemen could find no logic in
MacNamara’s .claim.

“The difference is not one of
mere economic theory. Britain
faces a serious economic slump
in the sales of her goods for ex-
port. And opening up her mar-
kets to cempetition with more
efficient American production
would probably be ruinous. How-
ever, America too faces reces-
sion and if ske doesn’t open up
the markets to American. goods
her depression is likely to grow
worse,

“Though the Brussels confer-
ence took place behind closed
doors, reports that have leaked
out tell of an extraordinarily heat-
ed debate. The American ECA
Ambassador, Mr. Averell Harri-
man, is said to have accused Brit-
ain of ‘trying to ‘build a bigger
and better trade fence around
your economy. We -don’t want
this,’ he said. ‘It is contrary to all
that we have worked for. —_

According to the same_ report

Britain’s economic chief, Sir Staf-|
pounded the confer-|

ford Cripps,
ence table and answered, ‘You’re
trying to get me caught ina pin-
cer movement, You want me to do
things I simply cannot do. The
meeting broke up in complete
deadlock.”

Tab Du Ponts
in cartel suit

The U.S. justice department has
filed a civil anti-trust suit against
the Du Pont Company, General
and United States Rub-
ber, which was described as being
together the “largest single con-

centration of industrial power” in.

the country.

The suit was filed at federal
district court at Chicago. It also
named as defendants the Chris-
tiana Securities and Delaware Re-
alty. and Investment, Wilmington,
and 128 members of the Du Pont
family. The Christiana and Dela-
ware companies were described as
personal holding companies of the
Du Ponts.

The suit charged that E. I. Du
Pont de Nemours Company, Gen-
eral Motors, and U.S. Rubber, sell
their products to each other at
preferential prices and in closed
markets. ;

It said that the Du Pont family,
through its personal holding com-
panies, Christiana and Delaware,
holds a controlling stock interest
in the Du Pont Company,
in turn controls General Motors.
It said that members of the Du
Pont family also hold controlling
interest in the U. S. Rubber. .

The principal defendants in the
Du Pont family are Pierre, La-
mont and Irenee, all directors of
the Du Pont Company. Also nam-
ed in the suit are 125 members
who are related “by blood or mar-
riage” to the three principals and
who hold or “have a beneficial in-
terest” in shares of voting stock
of the Christiana, Deleware and
U. S. Rubber companies.

defy

which |-

proximately $5,000,000.

A

Mie knoe Ss ee woes

tlee, back CS

BRITAIN ANGERED BY PLAN

PARIS

The recent statement to the
Senate Appropriations Com-
mittee by U.S. Army Secretary
Voarhees that tne main task
ef the United States is to trans-

HJALMAR SCHACHT
From Hitler to Truman

form western Germany from a
recipient 6f Marshall aid to a
distributor of economic aid to
the countries of western Eu-
rope had violent repercussions
at the meeting of the Marshall-
‘ite finance ministers discuss-
ing the Marshall plan crisis at
Paris.

One British delegate openly
threatened that the “change of
the Marshall plan into the
Schact plan” might force’ Bri-
tain to publish the history of
the machinations between the
American occupation authori-
ties-in Western Germany and
Hitler's now America’s
“financial wizard’, Hjalmar
Schact.

The “Schact-Marshall Plan”
provides western Germany with
the means of building up its
heavy industries and war po-
tential at the expense of the
other Marshajlite countries,
and on increased American
private investments.

Voorhees told the Senate
Committee that if the U.S. Con-
gress provides sufficient aid to
Germany, Germany will be
able to aid the other Marshall-
ite countries and permit cuts

Threatens to expose U.S. deals

a ‘
in dollar aid to these coun
tries.”

While Voorhees did not men-
tion private investments, Mar-
shall plan administrator Hoff-_
man stated that in future all
profits from American private
investments in Western Bu-
rope will be freely convertible
into dollars. Until now, con
vertibility was limited to cel
tain fixed amounts. It is taken —
for granted in Paris that the
measure announced by Hoff-
man will concern not only di-_
rect American investments but
alsd trdnsactions undertaken —

by Americans through West-
ern Germany. ,

British répresentatives
OEEC are not trying to hide
their anger at Germany being
granted the status of “Little
Marshall” jin Europe which
was originally intended for Bri- —
tain. The “Schact plan” thus —
far only a threat against Brit-
ain, is now as,Hoffman an
Voorhees indicated, to be cal
ried out in consequence of
Cripps’ reluctance to obey Am-
erican orders to free ‘the Brit-
ish dollar reserve for the ben-
efit of other Marshallite coun-
tries.

B.C. TELEPHONE

Ruddell produced the following
figures to prove that no increases
are needed.

B.C. Telephome Profits
Net Profit
After Tax
$719,931
659/528
732,102
639,003
716.544
718,708
794,070 —

Capital and
Surplus
$10,507,329

10,537.260
10,506,733
10,687,444
10,777,046
10,803,590
10,832,298

“The company is now proposing
rate increases which, for the most
numerous groups, amount to 40
percent,” said Ruddell. sobs
means additional revenues of ap-
Yet the
company pleads that the increase
is necessary to make up a. deficit
of $32,000 in its dividend require-
ments.

“The B.C. Telephone Company
makes much of the fact that its
rates have not been increased
since 1921. This means that its
rates were established on the
basis of the 1920-21 price level,
which was the highest in history
prior to 1948. It means that we
paid for phone service at 1921
inflation prices throughout the

depression years without regard
to the fall in other prices.

*“Now, when for the first time
prices have reached a still higher
peak, the company wishes to in-
crease its prices accordingly ana
Saddle the consumers with such
prices for the next 30 years,

“The principal on which the
company apparently works is that
rates should be adjusted in ac-
cordance with cost of living
changes upward from the 1921
level, but not downward, :

“The Civic Reform Association
will, fight this attempt to boost
telephone rates, and we know that
thousands of Vancouver citizens
will back up in. this battle to hold

down rates.”

CCL executive
officers for criticizing policies

OTTAWA

Canadian Congress of Labor
executive council aggravated the
growing resentment in union
ranks against its uniol-raiding,
unity-splitting policies when jt
suspended five members of the
CIO United Electrical, Radio and
Machine Workers of America this
week. Pe

The five suspended. UE leaders

are Clarence §. Jackson, presi-

suspends UE

M
George

dent of District No.5 council;
Chambers, vice-president;
Harris, Secretary-treasurer;
iia organizing director, and
Jack F. Douglas, editor of the
union paper, as

Ross

The UE union has
gress for union-raiding against
Mine-Mill, and for its failure to
fight effectively gop
creases in the fac

‘critized Con

Wage... in-

e of rapid is
ing living costs, si ot

PACIFIC TRIBUNE — JULY 8, 1949 —

IWA meets

conciliator

IWA delegates, coast lumber 9?
erators and government represe?”
tatives met several times this:
week as conciliation proceediné”
On conditions for renewal of ©?”
tracts got under way. at

The Woodworkers’ Indust et
Union has pledged support to =.
IWA to win gains ‘for woodwor
ers, “including strike action if A
cessary.” 2 to

IWA delegates are pledged
fight for a 15-cent-an-hour Wi
boost, a comprehensive welfor
plan paid for by the operate
and other concessions. T° de:
operators have rejected thes@ ~
mands.

Island loggers
mourn leader

\ By W. HARASYM Be
PORT ALBERNI, ©)
Last week. a jlarge grouP 14.
friends gathered to pay final sete
bute to a union. stalwart. june
Orheim, who died here 0 *
&. 7
It is doubtful if any logse™ ie
better known by rank-are of ©
workers than Pete, A member)
the Lumber Workers’
Union many years ago
tinued to organize down
the years and in April of |
became WIU_ business
this area, a post he held t
health forced his retiremen’
Although young in Y
was only 38 at the time
death) Pete was a veteran
struggles of the working
Quiet of manner and
speech, his firm stand at 4
on the side of the exploite
the respect of all who
Many will remember Path
of the Pacifie Tribune's Fam:
dent supporters. He was
iar figure around Pott, i
with a bundle of “PT’s” U” Ps
arm, ; ye
Born in Norway, Pete OF
came to Canada when 17 Bo
age. He leaves a’ wife ers
daughter, to whom Ww? accpe™
this area extend their

Sympathy. pack 2

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