IWA starts ‘hot’ conciliation for wages

BERLIN

worst tradition of the Goebbels

whose ashes lie in that city, false

and inflammatory prupaganda for
news of actual events. Contrary
to all B.C. dailies, the Soviet

Union never threatened to use

starvation as a political weapon

in Berlin, and never demanded
tiat the western powers get out.

It is the Western powers who
cut off their sectors of Berlin by
attempts to force carrying on of all
transactions with their illegal cur-
rency. Hoax of the face-saving and
ludicrous aerial “lift” is exposed by
the Soviet’s shipping of over 100,000
tons of food for citizens in affected
sectors, to be paid for without dis-
crimination. in regular zone curren-

cy.

Key to the Berlin crisis is this
simpie question: since  four-
power occupation of Berlin was
set up to administrate a single
Germany, and since the western
Pewers have bisected Germany
through seizure of its western
half, what purpose can they have
for wanting to stay in Berlin
other than aggression? This ques-
tion lies at the bottom of Soviet
insistence on discussing plans for
a united democratic Germany,
since the Berlin affair is the pro-
duct, not the cause, of the Ger-
man crisis,

Millions died to make possible
the Potsdam agreement for the de-
nazification, demilitarization, dem-
ocratization and unification of Ger-
many for the sake of world peace.
Millions could die again, unless
there is return to the _prin-
ciples of that agreement. The west
German puppet state is being rear-
ed in collaboration with notorious
Nazis. \It’s purpose is war.

The separate currency consum-
mated the split, Attempts to intro-
duce it through Berlin into the
eastern zone constituted economic
aggression aimed at* disorganizing
the economy of the zone where
Naziism has been rooted out.

St. Laurent’s “Canadian” diplo-
mats backed to the hilt the tearing
up of Potsdam. They — and the
Honorable Minister for External
Affairs himself—pioneered in call-
ing for the replacement of the Un-
ited Nations by the western axis
they are working to cement for
their American masters, <

It was never more urgent for
every Canadian to act to rescue our
independence, compel the govern-
ment to defend the United Nations
and work for a peaceful settlement
of Soviet-American differences. _

This is a job for the workers
‘who bear the brunt of war, for the
veterans who fought for lasting
peace, forethe mothers as part of
motherhood.

In our land, too, the people are
stronger than the warmongers,
provided we can unite—now—for
peace! \

Arrest of US. Communists —

seen as desperate election bid —

—NEW YORK.

The common fear of the Truman administration and the Republican leadership, of
Congress that the popular movement gathering around Henry A. Wallace’s third party

will destroy their war-bent policies was revealed this weet in the arrest of national lead-|'

ers of the U.S. Communist Party.
Of, twelve leaders indicted on charges of violating

“conspiring to teach and advocate
the overthrow of the United States

Shith Act provisions against

‘cated the desperation of the move j

government by force and violence,” |t© fan a flagging anti-communist

seven had been arrested, one had

| hysteria and so intimidate and dis-

surrendered voluntarily and four | 'Upt the growing opposition to bi-

others were being sought by the

FBI, as the Pacific Tribune went | tiated

to press, Arrested were: William Z.
Foster, national chairman; Eugene
Dennis, general séeretary; New
York City Councilman Benjamin
Davi3; Henry Winston, organiza-
tional secretary; John B. William-
son; trade union secretary; Jacob
Stachel, educational secretary;
Carl Winters, Michigan state chair-
man. All were arraigned in court
and released on $5,000 bail each.

John H. Gates, editor of the
Daily Worker, New York, surrend-
ered voluntarily.

Others indicted were: Robert G.
Thompson, New York state chair-
man; Gilbert Green, Chicago dist-
rict chairman; Gus Hall, Ohio state
chairman; Irving Potash.

The pattern of dévelopments
leading up to the indictments indi-.

' partisan - policies. It also substan-

the Communist Party’s
charge that the indictments were
“a monstrous frameup.*

“The American people can now
see to what desperate provoca-
tions Truman is driven in an ef-
fort to win the election, by hook

> or by crook. As the New York
Sun flatly stated, the reported
indictment of the Communists is
neatly timed to embarrass the
new people’s party now holding
its founding convention in Phila-

delphia.”
In the calculated manner of the
Canadian “espionage” cases, the

FBI surrounded the indictments
with an official secrecy while al-
lowing information to leak to the
daily press, which is blowing it
up into sensational and mislead-
ing headlines.

FIVE SEAMEN WOUNDED BY SHIP’S OFFICERS

TLC, CCL back rally as CSU blood flows on Lakes

Attempted murder of five strik-
ing members of the Canadian Sea-
men's Union at Sarnia has stirred
the anger of Canadian labor from
Vanccuper to Cape Breton. Two of
the men are in hospital in critical
condition (one shot just below the
heart) from bullets which the
union charges were fired on the
defenceless seamen by Captain ce

€ Lethbridge and
Sts Bory page of Canada
Steamship Lines’ publicly stated
policy of using firearms against

pee protest has ecmpelled
Ontario's provincial attorney-gen-
eral to have charges laid against
the two cfficers in what he terms &
“test case” to see if the company
has a right to shoot down strikers.

Focal point of protest on the

Coast this week is the mass rally
called by the Canadian Seamen’s
Union in the Pender Auditorium
Friday July 23, Both AFL and
CCL councils have backed the
rally with quarter page advertise-
ments in the daily press.

Trades Council here cited the
companies’ record of lawlessness
and states: “Every trade unionist
should protest to his member of
parliament against such flagrant
violations of Canadian labor regu-
lations. Every citizen who believes
in democracy must protest. The
defiance of the law cannot be cov-
ered up by crying “communism.”
We ask you, Mr. and Mrs. Canada,
‘Which side are you on?’.”

Trades Council has set up a
special committee to co-ordinate
activities of its affiliates in support
of the seamen. Delegate Bob Cor-
mack of the Street Railwaymen’s

Union raised the need for sympathy
action to bring the piratical com-
panies to terms.

‘On the day of the shooting the B.C.
Federation of Labor (CCL) ‘wired
Prime Mini$ter King and Labor
Minister Mitchell as follows: “Ex-
ecutive officers B.C, Federation of
Labor, emphatically denounce un-
lawful and gangster-like shootings
of seamen in Great Lakes strike by
captain and mate of SS Lethbridge
at Sarnia. Demand prompt action
immediately to arrest and bring
the culprits to speedy trials; also
instruct shipping companies to
comply. with Canadian law and end
present anarchy by employers.”

Example of the censorship dis-
torting the strike picture was
seen when IWA educational] dir-
ector Al Parkin was banned by
CJOR from stating the follow#mg

in his “Green Gold” breadcast:

“Company officials are pleading
self-defense. But it is obvious
that six men alone could not have
intended to attack the full crew
of a large ship. It is Gbvious that
they were merely going aboard
to plead with the crew to sup-
port their strike for a 48 hour
week and observance of labor
laws of Canada.”

District Council of the United
Electrical Workers (CIO-CCL) has
unanimously decided to send pick-
ets to join the seamen’s picket line
around the Liberal convention in
Ottawa August 5 and some B.C.
unions are discussing plans to fol-
low suit. ‘

Seamen in the Welland County
jail have called a hunger strike
against their illegal arrest and ex-
orbitant bail demanded. Example
of inhuman conditions in the jail
is ledging of 28 seamen in a block
with a maximum capacity of ten.

4

6

The IWA’s surprise appli-
cation for conciliation this
week set back operator strat-
egy in both Coast and Inte-
rior negotiations and strength-
ened the position of 40,000 wood-

to meet the cost of living—a fight
on which to-a considerable extent
depends the level of prosperity of
the majority of British Columbi-
ans.

The IWA is holding its strike
vote in reserve for use immediately
occasion arises, and embarking on
a vigorous campaign to consolidate
the union on the job and to win
the active labor and public support
that can guarantee victory.

“This is an offensive in a new
direction,” District. President Er-
nie Dalskog told the Pacific Tri-
buns. “We are not discarding
strike action and certainly will not
be stifled by a legalistic approach
to the ICA Act. But first we must
have full unity in our ranks.”

This remark was obvious refer-
ence to attacks on the district un-
jon from International President
Jas. E. Fadling and his corporal’s
guard from New Westminster. Only
plausible explanation for the Stu-
art Agency’s 78 days of provoca-'
tion and stalling is that operators,
in addition to counting on the
Coalition’s slave ICA Act, also ex-
pected to disrupt the: union prior
to or during showdown.

That th@ membership is al-
ready moving on this internal
threat was evident when Sunday’s
district council meeting, demanded
Fadling’s resignation to his face.
Council cited the Fadling group’s
violations of the union constitu-
tion, their public and inner-union
campaign to destroy the district’s
policies, and their sabotage of ne-
gotiations in effort to obtain dist-

rict control.

Delegates insisted on restoration

B.C. membership, and established
authority for council to take any
necessary steps to protect the mem-
bership and save the union,
Operators have also counted on
support of the government, with its
Slave labor laws, on their unlimit-
ed financial resources; on the
power of the big business press
and radio; and on the fact that the
right-wing in labor has this year
prevented a coordinated wage drive

move simultaneously into the front
line.

Biggest strength on the union's
side is that it has the militant sup-
port of woodworkers without whom
the province’s key industry cannot
operate. This enormous power the
union may have to call on at any
time—a power strengthened by the
union’s tradition of militancy and
unity, and by its experienced and
tested leadership. The conciliation
offensive will allow the union to
strengthen this power further by
the moves against Fadling, to ex-
tend labor support from quarters
which are experiencing the legis-
lative and red-baiting boss attacks
for themselves, and to rally the
majority in British Columbia for
active support of a fair settlement.

Break of Coast negotiations left
the union holding firm for 25 cents
across the board, union shop, wel-
fare fund and strict 40-hour week.

eight percent on wages and a flat
“no” to all other demands. Only
offer from Interior operators is
5% cents and the union is simul-
taneously applying for conciliation
‘in this dispute also.

After enduring 78 days of at-
tempts to compel collective bar-
gaining in good faith, the union
has clearly designed its program
of job pressure and publicity of-
fensive, plus preparations
against showdown, to see there

ciliation.

workers in their fight for wages.

of full district autonomy for the ~

whereby big sections of labor could:

Only operator offer is 11 cents or

is no prolonged delay in con —