a | ee City council asks Bonner probe Wisk <2 etl i UD Pera Homan I oy D i ( ans, uo as gu ve Rtasseereriesel - FRIDAY, AUGUST 7, 1953 LPP candidates protest bread price increase bread price after LPP protest | Vancouver City Council on Tuesday asked Attorney-General Robert Bonner to probe the recent cent-a-loaf boost in bread prices. Action was taken after Maurice Rush, LPP candidate for Vancouver East, had presented a brief opposing bread and flour price ~ increases and suggesting that the major companies on the Pacific Coast should be prose’ cuted for violation of the Combines Investigation Act. a increase ‘‘completely unjustified’ and ‘‘an attempt by the Vancouver's five LPP federal candidates appeared before Vancouver City Council as a delega- tion Tuesday this week to demand action against the rece rice Rush, candidate for Vancouver East, points to the cause of thei loaf of bread. From left to right in the above photo: Ernie Lawrie ( Mrs. Mona Morgan (Vancouver Kingsway); Sid Zlotnik (Vancouver couver South). nt increase in bread prices. r protest—the higher-priced family Vancouver Centre); Maurice Rush; Burrard) and Gordon Elder (Van- Spokesman Mau- This Sunday all roads lead to Confederation Park for annual United Labor Picnic All roads lead to Confederation Park this coming Sunday, August 9, for the biggest summer social event of the year—the annual United Labor Picnic. | A program crammed with sports for young and old, games, dancing, a “popular labor champ- ion” contest, speeches and other items of entertainment will keep everyone occupied and entertained ‘Murder by persecution’ charged in Pennuck death SEATTLE Charges of. “murder by perse- cution” were levelled by officers of Washington Pension Union following the tragic death of William J. Pennock, the union’s 38-year old president, last Sun- day. - Pennock, one of seven men and women currently being pros- ecuted for their political beliefs on charges brought under the Smith Act, was found dead by his wife, Louise, in their Seattle home. Only two days before he had given direct testimony in the trial and proudly affirmed his membership in the U.S. Com- munist party. The preliminary finding of the coroner’s office was that death was due to “acute corrosive gas- tritis, cause and type of poison unknown.” It was ‘stated that Pennock had not been sleeping well and had been under a doc- tor’s care. Last May, an unknown assail- ant hurled a rock through a win- dow in the Pennock home, nar- rowly missing Mrs. Pennock and her five-year old son. Pennock, former executive se- cretary of the now-defunct Washington Commonwealth Fed- eration, represented the 35th Dis- trict in the Washington legisla- aure from 1939 to 1945. He or- ganized the Washington Pension Union ih 1938 and held the posi- tion of executive secretary until 1944, when he was elected presi- dent. from 11 a.m. until sundown. Guest speaker will be A. A. MacLeod, former Ontario MPP, who will be introduced by LPP provincial leader Nigel Morgan. A feature of the sports pro- gpam will be wrestling bouts be- tween Paul Nemeth and Tommy Spendlove, and Spike Malone ‘and Clarence Ross. George Bun- ka will act as referee. At 7 p.m. final “election” re- sults’ in the “popular labor champion” contest will be tallied and special announcements con- cerning awards will be made by MC Bernie Keeley. In case of rain “the show will go on” at Clinton Hall, 2605 East ,Pender. How to get to Confederation Park: Take a No. 14 streetcar to Kootenay Street Loop at end of line, then take a Bainbridge, Duthie, Warwick or Capitol Hill bus the rest of the way: Calling the bread price bakery and milling companies to squeeze excess profits out of- the consumers,” Rush presented facts and figures to prove that Vancouver citizens pay as much as 25 percent more per pound for their bread than people in any other city in Canada. Exposing the abnormal profits of a number of companies, Rush cited the case of George Weston Ltd., an American corporation which operates in the U.S. too, whose profits rose from $1,678,- 986 in 1951, to $2,289,660 in 1952. “The baking and milling in dustry has had a long reeord of monopoly practises in violation of the Combines Investigation Act,” he said. “In view of the general increase in bread and flour prices there is every indi cation that there is concerted ac tion by the major companies 0? the Pacific Coast*to raise prices: The minister of justice shoul¢ be asked to conduct an immedi _ ate investigation into recent price increases.” Sensational press | reports distort ‘Rupert protest PRINCE RUPERT, B.C: Compelled to act, by public protest against brutal police methods in this northern B.C. port, Prince Rupert City Council reprimande the local RCMP detachment in an emergency session held Tuesday this week. In what can only be described as a masterly understate ment, council formally asked the RCMP to “act in a more courteous — manner toward the people with whom they come in contact.” At the same time, council recom- mended that the mayor issue a proclamation asking for cooper- ation of the public in preventing further disturbances. These are the latest develop- ments in a situation which has been distorted by sensational press reports to convey the im- pression that “riotous drunken Indians and whites” have virtu- ally terrorized this city on recent occasions, forcing the RCMP to use teargas against a “mob.” The truth lies in the opposite direction—that citizens, both Na- tive Indian and white, were de- monstrating against arbitrary and brutal police conduct which brought from Mrs. Ann Minard, LPP candidate for Skeena, Ivan Adams, son of a Haida Indian chief and others charges that ‘ RCMP were using Gestapo me- thods. : ‘ Scoring the RCMP’s attitude toward Native Indians and de- nouncing press statements blam- ing Skeena River fishermen for the disturbances, Mrs. Minard stated: “Seldom do we hear about ne- cessary amendments to the In- dian Act. Little is said about the ruthless exploitation and dis- crimination against national min- ority groups. Never do we hear that the bottom end of this town should be pulled down and re- built. And now we have a police force fostering racism and prac- tising brutal Nazi methods .. . “Should we not be ashamed of what our governments have done to the Native population.” Ivan Adams pointed out that among other things Native In- dians who served in the war had fought against such Gestapo bru- tality. “We were told they (the Ges- tapo) searched homes and people without search warrants and pushed people around at the slightest provocation,’ he wrote in a letter to the local press. “We indians find it often hap- _pens to us over here. They (the RCMP) enter our roms, often bY force, in search of liquor - ° ° “After last Saturday’s troubles, were there any Indians fount ‘Not Guilty’?” ; The case of Donald Pittem dreigh, which came before Mag istrate W. D. Vance in city police court last week, indicates RC police methods which provoked the citizens’ demonstrations ov side the city hall last Saturday: Pittendreigh was charged with obstructing a police officer, year old Constable Gilbert Brow! who admitted under cross-ex42™ ination that Pittendreigh W* sober, that he had not committed any crime and that he had 4 rested him only because he “ex pected trouble.” Gilbert said in had been in the RCMP only months and had no instructions to arrest any one for refusins move on when asked. Magistrate Vance dismisse4 the case, accepting the defense ° A. Bruce Brown, Pittendreigh * counsel, that the rights of cith zens are equal to those of ine, police. Citizens, Ret “observer have the right not to be push around without just cause. _ RCMP went far beyond her familiar practice of pushing 500 zens around when some ~ people, Native Indian and W gathered at,the city hall arou iy 1 am. Sunday after a Satu evening marked by police PY? cation and intimidation. It was essentially a pop protest against RCMP metho Whatever Mayor Harold Wha on intended to say to the dem strators was lost when hem tossed teargas bombs at t and were answered with rock"! ic The demonstration—and publ ig reaction to use of teargas y one police—has already prought rt result. Attorney General R tet Bonner has announced his * tion to launch an invesU immediately. 12 PACIFIC TRIBUNE — AUGUST 7, 1953 — PAGE