Here, North Korean Colonel Lee Hak Koo (wearing cap) Waits outside a POW compound on Koje Island for an inter- View with U.S. Brig. General Haydon Boatner, his week, when Us, troops stormed the compound, they seized Col. Lee and Walked him “frog-legged”—on hands and knees—out of the compound ina calculated humiliation, Thirty POW’'s were killed, 152 wounded. ; Koje ‘black day. for Canada’ says Rush in protest — Maurice Rush, the Labor-Progressive party’s provincial labor Secretary and a former prisoner-of-war in Germany during the Second orld War, this week wrote External Affairs Minister Lester B. P 1 : ; . arson, strongly protesting the action of American au Koje Island. _ Here is the text of Rush’s ter: cer let- As one who spent time in a “erman prisoner-of-war camp dur- ‘tg-the Second World War, and therefore having some knowledge of the rights of POW’s, I read with ae and indignation reports in t ay’s newspapers (June 12) of © action of U.S. paratroopers ®n Koje Island. tron cording to press reports U.S. ha Moved in on the prisoners an, srenades, bayonets, tear gas aa tanks. Barlier reports said ee throwers were being pa for this operation. Bay- tr S are reported to have been ated used. The result was 30 ead and 152 wounded. ta U.S, authorities on Koje a Nd have broken just about Ty rule written into the Geneva Bp avcation governing treatment Ge Boners of war, Every Cana- N soldier in the Second World STARTING MONDAY, JUNE 23 COSSAKS ~ KUBAN Produced in the U.S.S.R. Ih Glorious Magicolor All Russian Cast Russian Dialogue STATE | 142 BE. Hastings St. TA, 2734 . ae thorities on War could testify that part of his training was that when taken prisoner he was required under international law to give only his name, rank and number. Yet on Koje Island the U.S. authorities undertook forcible screening of prisoners-of-war—an action which is completely contrary to inter- national law. I can welk imagine what would have happened in Stalag 11B in Germany, where I was a prisoner, if the German authorities ‘ had endeavored to earry through similar measures when every prisoner knew such action was contrary to interna- tional law. It was this arrogant and un- lawful action of the U.S. authori- ties which touched off. the riots on Koje Island in February and led to the present serious situa- tion. The lawlessness on Koje Is- land rests squarely on the shoul- ders of the U.S. authorities and nowhere else. I urge that the Dominion gov- ernment immediately lodge a pro- test with the United Nations over the action of U.S. officials in charge of prisoners-of-war camps in Korea, and against their un- lawful handling of, prisoners of war. The protest of the Canadian government over the sending of Canadian troops to Koje Island was welcomed by all Canadians. I urge that the federal govern- ment now follow that up with the demand that all ‘Canadian troops be removed from Koje Is- land, so that our country will not be held responsible by world pub- lic opinion for the atrocities com- mitted there against war prison- ers. The land again poin serious events on Koje Is- t to the need for 1the Canadian government to do within its power to signing of an agree- ment jin Korea to end the war. There remains absolutely no sens- ible reason for allowing the pres- everything bspeed up the ent situation in Korea to continue. ambiguous that critics of govern- ment policy could be charged with treason, Workers who. go on strike could be charged with committing sabotage and _ the functions of the trade union movement nullified. Further, the LDR statement ex- plained: @ The bill \would transform the RCMP from a civilian police force into an armed military force. : @ The effect of the bill would be to place Canadians under mar- tial law for all time, whether or not the country is at war and to turn Canada into a police state. @ The bill gives any police of- ficer the right to search homes and vehicles withont warrant. Leaders in the ,~Comomns and Senate have strongly criticized a similar measure which was passed last year. At that time, J. G. Dief- €nbaker, QC, MP, stated: “I know of no case in four or five hundred years’ interpretation of the law of treason that goes as far as this.’ Senator Arthur Roebuck warned: “The new legislation is terrible and drastic.” : The League for Democratic Righis is urging individuals and organizations across Canada to write or wire protests against the bill to Senator Salter Hayden, chairman of the Senate’s commit- tee, to Justice Minister S. S. Gar- son and to all members of par- liament. PUG TO CE ee ee Stan Wilcox heads Vancouver SRU, Stewart new agent Stan E. Wilcox was elected president of the 2,400-member Vancouver division of Street Railwaymen’s Union in elec- tions held last week, defeating * two other candidates for the top post. Charles Stewart jr. was elect- ed business agent; Charles Murdoch, first vice-president; Bert. Eldridge, second vice- president; and James Harkness, financial secretary. In winning the post of first vice-president, Murdock takes over a position held until re- tirement recently by Charles Stewart sr.. veteran union member. CL Women’s Congress seeks new library Criticism of gov't becomes treason if Bill H-8 passed, Rights League warns “Tf Bill H-8 is passed, any Canadian who criticizes government policy is in danger of being” punished for treason, the penalty for wihch is death or life imprisonment.” issued this week by the League for Democratic Rights, which has submitted’a brief to the Senate Committee on Banking and Commerce, urging that Bill H-8 in its present form be not approved. In Bill H-8, the LDR pointed out, the definition of treason has been so broadened and made people . This warning was Civie Union ad seores Ald. Gervin “Attention, Alderman Gervin,’” was the headinggon a newspaper advertisement inserted in the VancOuver News-Herald Friday last week by Vancouver Civic Employees Union, Outside Workers. The message’ under- neath read: “You are a member of Van- ecouver City Council’s conciliation committee. As such, you meet with the representatives of the employees in collective bargain- ing. You, sit on the employer’s side of the table. “Here is what the ICA Act lays down on the question of employer interference in trade unions: ‘No employer or employers’ organiza- The provincial council of the Congress of Canadian Women this week asked Vancouver City Coun- cil to endorse ‘the request of the library board for $2,000,000 to erect qa new public library in the city. The CCW pointed out that a new library is long overdue for Vancouver and asked for immedi- ate action. - TORONTO The Canadian Slav’ Committee thas sent a strong protest to the Canadian Broadcasting Corpora- tion, which recently eancelled a performance of the opera May Night over the CBC network. In a curt reply, Charles Jen- of programs for the CBC, wrote: “Tt is apparent from the points of view expressed in your letter that the corporation—basing its action on advice and information which it accepts as completely reliable—attempted to serve the same cause of unity which you yourself profess. Thank you for bringing to our attention the fact that the Soviet Union has celebrated a number of annivers- ‘aries this year.” The Canadian Slav Committee secretary, John ‘Boyd, answered this CBC letter as, follows: “Your curt reply to our letter of May 27, in which we protested your shameful cancellation of the performance, of Rimsky-Korsa- kov’s opera, May Night, is, in our opinion, an unprecedented display of discourtesy and arrogance by such a public body as your cor- poration: It serves only to em- phasize the fact that the said cancellation was motivated by partisanship and prejudice. “Jn your reply you evade the arguments on which we based our criticism and protest and nings, assistant director general CBC eancellation of May Night hit by Canadian Slavs choose instead to cast reflection on the desire for unity that exists among thousands of Slavic Cana- dians and to indulge in ill-man- nered and unwarranted cynicism about our references to the So- viet Union. 3 “You defend your action as and information’ of some mys- terious interests. What sinister reason prevents you from making public the source of this ‘advice and information’? Is the CBC’s policy to be dicated by a kind of ‘thought control police’ who wil] decide what opera, symphony or play Canadians shall or shall not hear purely because the So- viet Union was likewise celebrat- ing the anniversary of a world- renowned author? “We would remind you, gentlemen, that the cultural heritage of mankind—whether it is the works of Shakespeare, Beethoven or Gogol—belongs neither to the Soviet Union nor to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. It belongs to the people and the ‘people have the right to enjoy it. ~ “May we also humbly suggest ‘that as a public body you would be wiser to base your policy on serving the Canadian people and the best interests of Canadian cul- ture and not anonymous interests or individuals with political axes to grind.” having been taken on the ‘advice. ALD. R. K..GERVIN ‘Who is your authority?’ tion, and no person acting on behalf of the eniployer or employ- ers’ organization, shal] participate in or interfere with the forma- . tion or administration of a trade union or employees’ organization or contribute financial or other support to it.’ “Why did you attend a meet- ing of this new union of Van- couver civic employees, on Friday, May 23? Why did you sit on the platform and take an active part in shaping the poiley and organi- zational work of this union, set up as a rival to the duly certified Vancouver Civic Employees Un- ion, Outside Workers‘ “We favor the idea of organized labor being represented on coun- cils, public boards and in govern- ment, But those elected must set an example to all employers in respect to labor relations. They must not give encouragement to anti-labor employers. “At this meeting, you assured the new local they could win certification in some of our de- partments, if they won a major- ity, In other words, you assured them the Labor Relations Board would break up our certification. You said you had assurances from the highest authority. Who is your authority? The premier, the minister of labor or the Labor Relations Board? We want to know!” ‘PACIFIC TRIBUNE — JUNE 13, 1952 — PAGE 7