Studies uniuinle sinent in U.S. Arthur Gaeth, radio commentator for the United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers (CIO) is on a nationwide U.S. tour to find out what the unemployment picture really is. Here in Allentown, Pennsylvania, he talks with union members before his broadcast. Jobless figures have soared past the five million mark in the United States. Here in Canada Tim Buck predicted a half-million unemployed by Christmas unless the federal gov- ernment acts to provide jobs. (See story on this page.) Mine-Mill convention votes for new elections A special one-day convention of the Mine, Mill and Smelter Workers’ Union held in Pender Auditorium Tuesday decided that the union would hold new elections October 10. Results of recent elections were thrown out by the international office when it was discovered that several locals participating were not in good standing because of delay in paying per capita tax. The short. convention was at- tended by 16 delegates and four board members. It decided that rank-and-file sponsoring commit- tees for candidates will be set up in all locals. . Main union issue around which the election will probably be fought is attitude towards the new Bralorne agreement, which the present union officers censured. Candidates for union office are: President—R. C. Billingsley, lo- cal 480; K. A. Smith, local 663. Secretary—David McGhee, local 651 (acclamation). Board member number one — George Anderson, local 649 (accla- mation). a Board member number two — Prominent Yugoslav cultural worker dies Stricken by heart attack, John Lekich, Yugoslav-Canadian veteran of World War I and active worker in Canadian labor and cultural circles for many years, passed away last week at his Lulu Island farm at the age of 59 years. Interment services. were held at Langley under the direction of Branch 21 of the Canadian Legion. Speaking at the graveside in trib- ute to the memory and work of John Lekich, his life-long friend and neighbor, Metro Nastich, thanked the Canadian Legion “for the honor they have shown their former comrade, and to all friends who have come to pay their last respects.” “John Lekich was a man of deep resolve, who stood by the cause of the working people in all his efforts; a man of honor who offered his life. for his native. Montenegro and for his adopted country, Canada, during the first world war, and took an active part ‘in the daily struggles of the work- ers,” said Nastich. John Lekich was a member of the Lulu Island branch of the LPP. “Kitch” Bannantyne, local 480, and Doug Gold, local 651. Board member number fhree — Glen Osborne (acclamation). The convention unanimously went on record in support of the striking miners at Coeur d'Alene. Harvey Murphy, western repre- sentative for Mine-Mill, will visit Dawson soon to negotiate a new agreement for Yukon miners. Miners reject Inco’s offer : SUDBURY A membership meeting of local 598 International Mine, Mill and Smelter Workers’ Union (CIO) overwhelmingly voted to reject a “final offer” by International Nick- el on terms of a 1949-50 contract. The union is demanding a 30 per- cent wage increase, 40-hour week, pensions, strengthened union se- curity and other contract improve- The company offered a increase on a 44-hour cents increase on ments. 4% cents week, or a 5% 48-hour week. Meanwhile many of the big mon- opoly’s 11,000 local employees have been observing the open concilia- tion hearings in the courthouse, at which Inco has given more than one sign of its chagrin at seeing the Union in Sudbury to stay. In a powerful 30-page brief the union showed the company had ex- ploited its employees to the tune of $62,266,335 admitted profit in 1948 (a 37 percent increase over 1947) and that first quarter re- turns for 1949 show this year’s pro- fits running at $76 million. The 1948 profits were 28.5 per- cent of the net worth of the com- pany, a net worth that includes such items as $138,000,000 ploughed back into the company from earn- ings in 20 years. $300,000,000 divi- dends have been paid in 10 years. ‘Half mil lion jobless soon unless we act now,’ Buck By BRUCE M. -KLEBURGH __TORONTO “Unless governmental policies are drastically changed there will be half a million unemployed in this country by Christmas,’’ Labor-Progressive Party national leader Tim Buck declared this week. “With parliament due to meet September 15 it is for Canadians to make plain their determination not to be thrust back to the conditions of the Bennett economec crisis of the Hungry Thirties.” The ‘LPP leader called for an all-out fight by progressives, to help the labor movement unite in time to compel parliament and the gov- ernment to protect the jobs, homes and living Standards of the Cana- dian people—and to put Canada back on the path of peace and in- dependence. “Prime Minister St. Laurent made martvellous promises in the elections. Now is the time in every constituency for every organiza- tion and every individual to de- mand that their MP seek legisla- tion which will+-ensure that no worker shall be unemployed through no fault. of his own. “Now is the time to demand that Canadian goodsi be sold where there is a market for them. Now is the time for Canada to seek a con- ference with Britain and the other countries to help develop trade with the Soviet Union and new People’s Democracies’to beat the dollar crisis. We must have price controls, guarantees for farm prices, and social security. “We must have action to compel St. Laurent to keep his promise that the first concern of his gov- ernment would .be homeg for the people. A quarter of a million new homes are needed immediately. Even 100,000 a year would absorb the present total of 300,000 unem- ployed. “We are standing on the eve of some of the greatest struggles the labor movement has ever faced. Yes, we fought and won great struggles in the 1930’s. But how much bigger a victory it would have been if we could have pre- vented the terrible sufferings of people; prevented the 12,000 evic- tions in Toronto in 1931, or the 6,400 faitmers from losing their farms, or 5,000 retailers from go- ing bankrupt, or 1,220,000 adult workers from losing their jobs, or the youth from being herded into 20-cent a.day slave camps. “I appeal to working people to build their movements now—before those. conditions—and worse—re- turn.” Buck noted that the chief world market now was the socialist mar- TIM BUCK “Time to act is now... ” ket from which Canadian goods are barred by the government. He said the people’s victory in China meant that a total of 750,000,000 people are now building socialism, as compared to 542,000,000 in countries committed to capitalism. He recalled that at a time when the daily press was certain the Liberation Army would never bizak out of north China he had predicted that Chiang “Kai-shek would be unable to offer serious re- sistance south of the Yangtze and went on to say that the whole Atlantic Pact policy would meet the same disaster as had met Am- erican intervention in China. The fight for trade and_ protection against crisis would carry Canada away from the suicidal policies of a Wall Street war. Becky Buhay to speak at LPP meeting Becky Buhay, national educa- tional director of the Labor-Pro- gressive party, will address an LPP membership meeting in the Russian People’s Home, 600 Camp- bell Avenue, on Wednesday, Aug- ust 81, at 8 p.m. Admission will be by show of LPP membership cards only. Bury 2000 after quake Salascas Indians help with the mammoth task of more than 2000 dead as burying the a result of an earthquake in Ecuador. This week two quakes some 650 miles west of Vancouver severely shook the Queen Charlotte Islands and caused the north coast of B.C. to tremble. PACIFIC TRIBUNE — AUGUST 26, 1949 LPP reviews election work The provincial committee of the Labor-Progressive Party met in Vancouver August 13 and 14 to es timate recent federal and provin- cial elections, to discuss ways and . means of strengthening the strug- gle~for peace and jobs, and t0 chart a course of intensive political activity for the period ahead. The meeting, which brought tO gether 45 members of the commit- tee from all parts of the province, heard a report from provincial leader’ Nigel Morgan, “Unity—key to the struggle against poverty and war.” Becky Buhay, national edu- cational director of the LPP, wh? extended greetings on behalf of the National Executive, spoke 0? “The fight for theory.” Striking a self-critical note, thé report of the provincial executive delivered by Morgan cited three main’ factors responsible for thé return of the Coalition and thé federal Liberal sweep: (1) The dreaded fear of insecurity and pov” erty, which stampeded thousands of confused electors into voting Liberal in the mistaken notion such action might prolong the wartime boom; (2) The failure of the CCF to fight the election on the real is- sues; their support of the St. Laut ent-Drew foreign policy, the At- lantic Pact, the Marshall Plan, 2” Winch’s position on the sales and the BCElectitic franchise mag@ it possible for the Liberals to di& guise their imperialistic, war-P?O voking, depression-making big bUS: iness policies; (3) the concerte anti-labor campaign which W4* greatly aided by the right-win& CCF and trade union speakers W in many cases outbaited the = a baiters; the CCL-PAC which stifle the stitivings for genuine politic action and delivered large~ block® of labor to the Liberals. * Critically examining weakness?" in the LPP’s campaign, the failut® to enter in a public way in aut cient constituencies, shortcominé in mobilization of membership 2? execution of concentration poli é and failure to draw into full Pa ticipation trade union leaders ae members,—the meeting adoptt proposals for the launching of sie campaign to “strengthen party. is cipline, to develop party consciol™ ness and the need to fight for party.” Pay tribute to work — of late Dr. Magid WINNIPEG The death of Dr. Aaron Mae here is a great loss to the “ig movement, the Manitoba LPP §* this week. Ald. Jacob Pennel io, the LPP provincial said: stg “The news of Dr. Aaron Masia s passing came as a shock ane yy a deep feeling of loss to his. ay friends in the city of WinniP pee “The working people of babe vividly remember his unselfis votion for the welfare of ae employed in rendering free cal services to them in the period of the crisis when p medical services were 1° available to them. rho . “He took a prominent: Pe ctiv the anti-fascist democratic i 10° ties of the left-wing moveme™ ie cally, and then moved to the "ed fields of Spain where hé aocto the Republican cause aS 4 — inst and a soldier of the people 38°. une Franco and fascism. : 6 _ page