WEEK IN THE HOUSE By HAL GRIFFIN CREW DONATES $1500 TO CSU Gov't hits workers, Winch tilts at windmill —VICTORIA, B.C. ‘ROM their own narrow viewpoint, the big business boys who manipu- late Coalition policies from the relative obscurity of the back rooms made no mistake in 1947 when they selected “Boss” Johnson to head their government. Improving on the old political recipe used by former premier John Hart, of sweetening the most unpalatable policies with deceptive concessions, Johnson has contrived to give his legislative ‘concoctions an attractive appearance—until they are tasted. The recipe is being used in generous measure at this season. To put the voters in the right mood for the coming election, and to help them forget the hangover of the sales tax and the labor act from the} last session, Premier Johnson announced the government’s intention .of spending millions of dollars on various projects. Then his Tory second in command and principal challenger for the premiership, Finance Minister Herbert Anscomb, brought in his ‘record $92 million budget revealing where the money was coming from —the people’s own pockets by way of sales, gasoline, auto, liquor and other taxes, none of which were to be reduced. The big business boys in the back rooms could have asked for nothing better, because, in fact, the government was asking nothing from them. The second round of the Coalition’s political elixir was served last week with passage of the measure to give the franchise to Chinese and Japanese Canadians, and Native Indians on reservations. . The government, however, does not like to overdo things, pre- Sumably out of a not unfounded fear that citizens will go on an anti- ‘Coalition voting spree. So an application for certain belated amend- ‘ents to Vancouver’s city charter, which is even more in need of im- provement than the city’s streets, has been whittled down to one change by the private bills committee. The committee does not favor giving the civic franchise to wives ‘and husbands of property owners. It will not give the city the right to enter into closed shop contracts with unions. It will not recom: mend extra allowances for two full-time aldermen or permit expense grants for park board members. But it is quite prepared to allow the parks board to hand over its successful Theater Under the Stars to a private company ahd so remove the one blot of public owner- ship from an otherwise unbesmirched privately operated city. Again, what more could the big business boys ask? e N the propaganda front, which is absorbing most of the energy of both the Coalition and its CCF Opposition, Harold Winch’s attack on the lieutenant governor’s position has received considerable attention in the daily press. ‘This, of course, is just what the CCF hoped. . The earlier exchanges in the House involving Herbert Gargrave (CCF, Mackenzie), Arthur Ash (Coalition, Saanich) and Harold Winch, left the impression that the CCF was not the “socialist” party it pretended to be. Stung by provocative Coalition statements that the big monopoly enterprises, such as Aluminum Company of Can- ada, it was inviting to exploit British Columbia's resources would not establish themselves here if the CCF came to power, Winch hastened to assure big business it had nothing to fear from the CCF. “The CCF would suggest that should development proceed it be on the understanding that, over a period of time based upon quantity of metal produced, the ownership of power plants would revert to the crown on an honest compensation basis, with a full guarantee to the investing companies of their requirements of electric power,” Winch stated. ; : “The Coalition know full well that CCF policy has been-and is one of treating fairly with every one within the province,” he \protested, “and if in the public interest it was deemed advisable in any phase of industry to change from private to public ownership, this same ‘would be done on an honest compensation basis.” Herbert Gargrave followed this up with the statement, “We are TAILORED-T0-MEASURE SUITS *3 Price Ranges $55.00 . $61.50. $74.50, SPORT JACKETS BLAZERS IN STOCK GARRY CULHANE IMPORTED CLOTHS PHONE FOR APPOINTMENT TA. 2729 HA. 3611-L roel — | If= See i= Te (— =] =r. J [- ere pS St t SLACKS = Je. f= JJ r= oes psa — = West Indian workers back Canadian seamen —KINGSTON, Jamaica Canadian seamen have the support of West Indian workers in their fight to maintain a decent standard of wages and work- ing conditions.. This has been made plain to the St. Laurent government in a resolution adopted by a joint rally sponsored by the Trade Union Congress and National Pedple’s party here, which condemns any attempt to cut back Canadian seamen’s, wages and conditions “as a betrayal of the principles for which they, and all seamen, gave courageous service in the last war.” The resolution was adopted after three crew members of the Lake Canim, members of the Canadian Seamen’s Union, in port here last week, had addressed the rally at the invitation of Richard Hart, secretary-treasurer of the Caribbean Labor Congress. Hart himself voiced the concern of West Indian seamen over loss of employment on Canadian National ships and outlined what Jamaican labor organizations were doing to obtain aboli- tion of the so-called West Indian rate. A collection for the CSU deepsea strike fund aboard the ‘Lake Canim realized $1500 contributed by 30 crew members. socialists and proud of it, but experience in this House has taught us there are limitations to the powers and duties of a province.’ And finally, after the speculation that the CCF was “abandoning its social- istic theories on the provincial field” had subsided, Winch solemnly announced that everything said by Gargrave and himself to reassure big business had been “incorrectly interpreted’’ (presumably by_ some of the. CCF’s honest socialistically-minded supporters) and reiterated his belief in “socialism.” : To prove his point, he evaded the substance and substituted the symbol, launching an attack on the $9,800 vote to pay secretarial salaries and office expenses at the lieutenant governor’s mansion, “Do We need an establishment such as Government House?” he asked. Unfortunately for Winch, his version of Don Quixote lacked orig- inality. A Liberal, former premier Mitch Hepburn of Ontario, saw this windmill first—in the thirties. The most expressive commentary on Winch’s noisy propaganda about “socialism” is his eloquent silence on the government’s bill to remove the 44-hour week barrier to more intense capitalist ex- ploitation of the workers. Only one interpretation can be placed on that. : 6,000 strong miners hit LaCroix bill A strong protest against fresh attempts to enact the LaCroix police state bill at Ottawa has been made by spokesmen for 6,000 hard- rock miners. District convention of the Inter- national Union of Mine, Mill and Smelter Workers unanimously ad- opted a Kimberley resolution brand- ing the bill as a threat to all civil liberties, The union is to contact MPs, urging them to go on record “emphatically” against the bill. The bill provides for outlawing ‘the Labor-Progressive Party, sole party in Canada to oppose the big business program of war, crisis and fascism. It is also wide enough in scope to legally silence any other advocates of peace, security and freedom. Copies can be obtained from the King’s Printer. The government is studying it and Tory leader Drew is pressing for such an act. (See Page 2.) : Peace time agreements which you have broken. Decent homes, job security, civil liberties, taxation of the greedy in- stead of the needy—these are the things Canadians want, not war. I say that a policy of peace and — security will be taken up by all peace-loving Canadians and that your policy of subservience to a foreign power—U.S. monopoly—will meet the overwhelming condemna- tion of the Canadian people. TIM BUCK, National Leader, Labor-Progressive Party. Work week Victoria to see the Labor Minister. The Board of Industrial Rela- tions attacked the loggers’ 40-hour week last year at contract time by giving permission to operators to effect longer hours. The explanation attached to the bill shows how serious the threat it. It says the present act “limits” the Board, and that there are whole industries and groups where the Board feels extensions should be considered. They want “wider scope.” Danger that Bill 39 will pass is accentuated by possibility CCF MLAs on the floor and machine men in labor will be content to let it pass with their recorded opposi- tion to make political capital at election time. CHARLIE CROMPTON 19 Years’ Service RAST. 0340 766 E. HASTINGS | Hastings Steam Baths : - Expert Wasseurs In Attendance and NIGHT GEEN DAY B.C, Vancouver, FROM... EARL SYKES “Everything in Flowers” 56K. Hastings St. . PA. 3855 Vancouver, B.C. bought the paper. Southams took over, “Southams rewarded my - Castle Jewelers Watchmaker, Jewellers .-Next to Castle Hotel 752 Granville MA, 8711 A. Smith, Mgr. my job. printers. We will be there HIGHEST PRICES PAID for DIAMONDS, OLD GOLD Other Valuable Jewellery STAR LOAN CO. Ltd. EST. 1905 ference table in good faith.” | HAVE BEEN ON THE PICKET LINE AROUND THE ' | DAILY PROVINCE FOR 32 MONTHS _. “Until I was forced on the picket line by the Southam Co, in June, 1946, I had worked in the composing room of the Daily Province for 19 years. ; “I contributed my fair share to the building of the Province, and I worked there long before the Southams of Montreal moved into Vancouver with their millions and There never was any trouble until the months on the picket line, obtained a court injunction, sued- members of my union for damages in the Supreme Court and imported individuals from all over Canada to take “I am ‘still on the picket line with my fellow I.T.U. abandon its union-wrecking policy and sit around the con- TAM WV LL PRINTER’ lifetime of service with 32 until the Southam Co. will 719 Robson St. — MAr. 2622 POSS BONS SS PACIFIC TRIBUNE — MARCH 18, 1949 — PAGE 12 | ASK YOUR SUPPORT h )