“FOR UNITY IN STRUGGLE”

3 VOL. I

Published Weekly

VANCOUVER, B.C., FRIDAY, MARCH 15, 1935

Single Copies: 5 Cents

VANCOUVER, March 9—The grip f the bondholders was tightened by he eagerly awaited “Bradshaw Re- iort’ which has been made publie.- sradshaw is a representative of the Sastern financial interests, and was nngafed by the City Council of Van- ,uver to make an “investigation” & the city’s financial condition.

Bradshaw's report is a bondhold- report, and calls for further eecine of the poor. He recommends Pgiat water rates be raised, that the ‘§-hool budget be cut a quarter of a niiion dollars, that collections be shtened and that tenants be taxed ; high as ten per cent.

<3 s

aps About “Honorable Dealing.’ He strongsly urges that the high sury rates being paid to the bond- sliders be continued so that “credit” iid “honorable dealing’ be pre- @xrved.

The report is intended to serve as basis for further attacks on the Porkers and lower middie class in Be interest oi the property wners and the coupon clippers.

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While tenants of rooms, cottages id shacks are to be taxed, the of- seS and business buildings are to ive a reduction of taxes “extending er a period of years.”

Good Werd for B.C. Electric- A beuqguet is handed the B.C. Elec- le in the report in what amounts a recommendation against fur-— er taxing of that octupus. The port sayS that electric light and Wer, transportation and telephone cilities of abundance are supplied comparatively “‘reasonable”’ costs “private enterprise.’

McGeer’s Bluff.

Mayor- McGeer pretends to be op- sed to the Bradshaw report and indulging in some more dema- sic Shadow-boxine. But it was the nme McGeer who brought Brad- iw to Vancouver when he knew at he represented the bondhold- > and that it was a forefone con- iSion that the report would be just tat it has turned out to be, for wsn’t it the same Bradshow who ivestigate@’’ Winnipes for a fee $3,000.00 and advocated just such orogram as he has giyen to Van- iver?

Fhe bondholders are riding high- ey are to get their pound of flesh the expense of the poor—that is, they can get away with it. Me er’s demagogic antics should fool one. It is up to the tenants and rkers generally to organize 2inst the imposition of this addi- nal burden.

(ORKER FACES FAKE CHARGE

ilitant Railroaded To Oakalla for Strike at _ Half Moon Bay

VANCOUVER, March 12. — Ww. eTavish appeared in the Small bts Court in Vancouver for ‘‘ma- lous damage to government prop- y.” This militant young worker S active in a relief camp strike at if Moon Bay, and is serving 40 7S in Okalla on this charge. Mc- vish defended himself when he Ss charged “stealing government thing,” and was successful in ning an acquittal. He was de- ded by the C.L.D.L. in the Small ots Court and is committed for ud. Incidentally the charge arose

of the camp workers allegedly sckinge a bunkhouse during the ke.

A CORRECTION >

Fhe Seafarers Industrial Union shes to make a correction re- rding an article on “Border ince” appearing in the B:C. srkers News of March 8. There S no strike as. stated in the

/SRADSHAW—ENEMY OF WORKERS | HIGHER RENTS--INCREASED TAXES

tepresentative of Finance Capital Proposes Filch- ing From Poor Taxpayers to.Pay ¢ Bondholders

JOHN STRACHEY ARRESTED

VANCOUVER, March 13. — John Strachey, prominent British Communist author, is held on bond of $500 for deportation to Britain from the U. S. A., where he has lectured for the past few weelis. Strachey is the author of several of the best books recent- ly published on the Capitalist Crisis. His books, “The Menace of Fascism” and “The Coming Struggle for Power’ have had ex- tensive circulation in Britain and on this continent.

Strachey is a well read stu- dent of Marx and an accomplished writer and Jecturer and is charged with advocating the principles of Communism in the United States.

Soviet Film Potemkin Is Prohibited Movies in B.C. Reserved

For Glorification Of Imperialist War

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The Soviet film, ‘‘Potemkin,’’ has been rejected by the British Co- lumbia Board of Moving Picture Censors. The film is rejected for the following reasons, viewed from the viewpoint of these representa- tives of the Pattullo Government:

First—Depicting mutiny.

Second — Brutal massacre men, women and children

Third — Glorification of mutin- eers.

Fourth — Floutins order.

Fifth—Quite unsuitable for pub- lic exhibition during present un- restiul times.

of

of law and

Movies Powerful Weapon in Bosses’ Hands.

This is the decision of four men, appointed for their loyalty to the Capitalist Class in general, and to the Liberal Party of Pattulo in par- ticular. The last reason listed is the chief one, judged from the view- point of the Capitalist Class. The bosses consider the movies a power- ful weapon in preparing the work- ers for Imperialist War. Every or- Banization of workers and labor sympathizers should send protests to the Pattulo Government, demand- ing the film be allowed showing in British Columbia. Especially do we appeal to the C€.C-F. following to protest against this denial of the right of workers’ films being shown.

PROTEST MINE BEING CLOSED

Princeton Miners Want Reopening of Tula- meen Mine

The following communication is to hand from the Mine Workers’ Union of Canada (Princeton Local) With a request for publication:

We, the miners and workers of Princeton, B:C.,- wish to draw to your attention the conditions we are faced with here.

On WHebruary 25th the Tulameen coal mine closed down, throwing over 160 workers out of employ- ment, and face to face with starvya- tion, or semi-staryation even if they succeed in getting relief.

This mine, being the main indus- try and source of income and only me2ns of livelihood for the major-— ity of miners in this town, will re- sult in a heavy blow to this com- munity if it is allowed to be closed down.

(Continued on Page 2)

CUMBER WINS FIRST ROUND

Case Affecting Several Workers Granted Jury Trial

VANCOUVER, Mareh 12. — i. Cumber was today remanded for jury trial at the New Westminster Court House. He is charged with obtaining relief under an assumed name- Gordon Grant, C.L.D.L. law- yer, moved for trial by jury and a legal battle ensued; the magistrate wishing to try Cumber forthwith. However, the legal technicalities were referred to the Attorney- General for settlement with the re- sult that trial by jury was granted. Grant, threatened to change the venue if request was not given con- Sideration.

This is an important case which the C-L.D.L. is fighting tooth and nail, as the decision will probably affect more than 2,000 men have been forced to change their names im order to exist.

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THE PARIS

By BILL BENNETT

March i8th this year marks the $4th anniversary of the setting up of the Paris Commune. On that day, in the face of the armies of Bis- marck and Von Moltke, surrounding the city, the workers of Paris drove their bourgeois rujJers out, and for the first time in history began the organization of a social order on a classless basis. For two months they maintained themselves in power, re- erganizine their whole social life in the mferests solely of the only class that has any right to exist, the work- ing class.

They lacked political experience; they made many mistakes; they trusted in the “humanity” of their enemies. Not understanding that the first duty of a revolution is to de- Stroy its enemies, they wasted yvalu- able time discussing democratic forms and constitutions; they made possible the arming of the counter- revolution; they allowed .spies and traitors in their own ranks to under- mine their position and bring about their defeat. With the success of the counter-reyolution 30,000 of these noble Parisian workers were Slaughtered in the streets of Paris; 70,000 of the flower of our class

were Shipped to the galleys ae Freneh penal settlements, victims of bourgeois terror for their courage- ous attempt to remake society. The Commune was drowned in the blood of the working class of Paris.

To the Social Democrats, the Commune was merely a heroic but deplorable and regrettable incident in history. It had no meaning for the windy ranters of the 2nd Inter- national. To the revolutionary work-

ing-class, however, the Paris Com-

VANCOUVER, B.C., Mareh 11-— Militant United Front Action by Chinese and White Workers resulted in the Chinese Consul taking action on behalf of the Unemployed Chin- ese Workers. Following is a copy of the letter sent to the Provincial Government:

March 5, 1935. Honorable Geo. S. Pearson, Minister of Labor, Victoria, B.C: Dear Sir:

i have the honor to inform you with further reference to the Chinese relief recipients. After makings personal investigation on the spot in the Soup Kitchen con- ducted by Miss Hellaby, I come to the conclusion that the food served is not sufficient and of in- ferior quality.

May I take: this opportunity of reiterating the stand taken by this consulate with regard to the prin- ciple of relief. The present Soup-

rd.

Kitchen should be abaridoned to

United Front Compels Chinese Consul to Act

Requests Previncial Government to Stop Discrimi- nation of Chinese on Relief

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the re-instatement of meal tickets of $2 per week and $1.05 per week for room allowance due to each relief recipient, thus placing the Chinese recipients on the basis of equality with other nationalities. On personal investigation I found Chinese relief recipients are unan- imously opposed to the present sys- tem of being fed in the Soup- iGitchen.

Since the Chinese taxpayers pay the same amount of taxes as Canadians, prejudice should not be made as to the differentation of Chinese standard of living.

I can not fail to point out these Chinese entered this country legally on paying $500 Head Tax each into the Treasury of Ganada and therefore should be entitled to same consideration as Cana- dians.

Inspired by a spirit of good un- derstanding and to remove injus- tice déalt to Chinese relief recip-

COMMUNE

Cumberland ‘Unemployed Standing Pat

Relief Workers Remain On Strike

CUMBERLAND, B.C, March 3.— There was not much went on at to- da’s meeting except the committee went te see the Government Agent again about these cuts and they were told that they were Waitine for a reply fromi Victoria and the Japa- nese cases were taken up as they only get half the allowance. When they asked, why, this was what they were told: “It was because the Japanese worked for less money, so they should have less relief.’ The Japanese who worked in the mines were getting the same pay as the white men, so the meeting ended with us still on strike till we more Satisfaction.

set

mune is not merely a heroic “inter- lude-’ It was the opening battle in the last class war—the war between the bourgeois capitalist class and the class, the culmination of which will end forever the domina- tion of one class over another. The Communist Party, which is the heir to the heroic tradition of the Com- mune, has learned from the history of the Commune to ayoid the mis- takes of the Communards. The Com- mune was the initial form of the Dictatorship of the Proletariat, which is the central objective of the Com- munist Party.

The revolutionary leadership of the workers learned from the Commune that the workers cannot the bourgeois chine and use it for their own pur- pose, but must smash it and build one of their own, their Dictatorship, to erush their enemies. The other lessons of the Commune, no less vital than the basic one, are the need for a real political party of the working class, free from and unhampered by democratic traditions of ast revolu- tions; the linking up of the toiling farmers with the proletariat and the necessity of getting the support of the workers of all countries. These things the braye Parisian workers did not know because of their po- litical immaturity. They paid for their lack of knowledge with their blood.

Forty-six

working

has

take over State ma-

later when the Russian workers took the revolution- ary road they did not make these mistakes. They had learned the

meaning of the Commune and the

years

ients, I haste to ask you to take

appropriate action thereby re- instating Chinese recipients on the same basis as other national- ities. I appreciate an early reply. ' Yours truly, PING YANG LAI, Consul for China.

Splendid Response of Van. Island Longshoremen to Build a Militant Union

Revolutonary Trade Union Methods and Readi- ness of Workers to Struggle Gain Results

ANGUS MaNNIS OPPOSES UNITY —GIVES ADVICE

Calls for Commonwealth Propaganda Against Communists

In the last issue of the CE: Sheet, ‘‘The Commonwealth,”’ ap- peared a letter by the C.C-F.-Liberal, Anseus MelInnis, under the title of “The Communist Sniping,” referring to the B.C. Workers News and in i he made that well-known crack all reactionaries: “As a matter fact, I do not take the trouble read their papers anyway, etc., etc.,”’ but he did not finish his sentence by stating that the papers of his choice were the “Sun,” “Ottawa Citizen” and all the anti-workine class press.

Qne can plainly see that Woods- worth’s son-in-law is like himself— not a Marxist—and of course his past activities prove that point, for he was a spectator some years aso of the clubbing-down of the unem- ployed on Powell Street grounds, while a so-called labor alderman, and at the next city council meeting Stated the clubbing-down was justi- fied.

McInnis Calls for Opposition

to Unity.

He then stated in this letter that he couldn’t see “How our CCE. people can fall for this Unity, or- Sanized by the C.P. to get some advertising.” He then urges Bill (Bill Pritchard) te put in a few leading articles showing the “fal- lacy”’ of uniting with the Commun- ists.

This is the same Pritchard, who, as Reeve of Burnaby, had the police called out against the unemployed and passed a Slurring remark on those same unemployed. It can be plainly seen that these reactionaries are losing their prestige and some of those great leaders in the C.-C. FP. movement have even Qdrifted to their respective places ‘in the Liberal party, as, for instance, Capt. Philppot.

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HUMPHRIES TO TOUR B.C.

Ewart Humphries, Secretary of the National Unemployment Couneil for Canada will arrive in Vancouver Monday, 18th inst., at 9 a.m. Humphries is making a national tour in connection with the Workers’ Insurance Bul, and will endeavor to attain the objec- tive of getting 5,000 labor organ- izations to endorse the bill be- fore Parliament prorogues.

On Tuesday, March 19th, at 8 p-m- M. Humphries will speak to all active unemployed and Trade Unienists at the L.W.1.U. Hall, 130 Hastings Street West. Pack the hall.

KAMLOOPS MEET PROTEST TERROR

Pass Resolution Against Savage Sentences on © Miners

On Saturday, March 25 held at Heffley the auspices of the Canadian Labor Defense Leasue. The speakers, MM. Rush and C. G. Cook, outlined the pressing problems confronting the workers and farmers of Canada.

a mecetinse

was Creek, under

Resolutions protesting the sched- uled arrival of the Fascist warship, “Isarlsruhe”’” in Waneouver, was unanimously endorsed by the meci- Ings. . 3

On Sunday night, March 3, an enthusiastic audience numbering 100 attended a mass meeting in Kam- loops, in protest of the Savage sen- imposed on the MNoranda The case of T. Marino, the Japanese working class leader was also brought out by the Speakers. Resolutions in respect to the Nor- anda strikers, LT. Marino and the “Fearlsruhe,” were unanimously en- dorsed by the workers assembled.

tences miners.

CAMP CONFERENCE LAID PLANS

FOR MASS WALK-OU

cause of its defeat. It was not eee

ly a heroic incident to them; it was a demonstration of theory, strateey and tactics. They had a Party; they set up the Proletarian Dictatorship: they knew their first duty was 10 destroy their enemy; they formed an alliance with the peasantry; they drew upon the support of the inter- national proletariat.

The bourgeois world today lives in fear of the Dictatorship because with its help the workers of the Soviet Union are building the new social order begun by the Commune of Paris- The sadistie terror that made the Seine flow red with the blood of our class is rampant again today. According to the figures of the In- ternational Red Aid, 429,722 reyolu- were killed duringe 1933. This is for one year, on all fronts, trom Hitler concentration camps to the battlefields of Soviet China.

tionaries

This bourgeois Ppanic-fear, which expresses itself politically the monster of Fascism, must be fought and destroyed if we are to be true

in

to the martyrs of the Commune. We must draw the workers into a united front of strugsle against this terror, no matter what parties they belong to, just so long as they are workers. The Commune sets us today the im- mediate task of building the united front to defeat Fascism. Unless we do, we will meet the fate of the heroic Parisian workers of the Com-

mune that “stormed heayen” in 1871.

TIN APREL

Alberta and B.C. Camp Workers Will Take Mass Action

Besin immediate preparations for an organized Mass Walk-Out of all relief camps in B. GC. and Alberta Was the decision at the Conference of the Relief Camp Workers held at

Kamloops on the 10th inst. Dele- Sates numbering 26 attended the conference and they represented

numerous camps in both provinces.

The conference voted adoption of seven main demands, which will be placed before the authorities, and if not sranted the walk-out will take place scheduled. The demands are:

50 per hour minimum wage for all work done.

Six-hour day and five-day week.

Adequate first aid, and compen- Sation allowance for injuries rev ceived at work.

Abolition of military control of camps.

Abolition of the black-list and restoration of the franchise.

Recognition of Camp Committees and the right to organize.

Non-contributory Unemployment Insurance based on the Workers’ Insurance Bill.

The conference lasted two days, und was rich with constructive dis- Delegates told of the ter- ritic iron heel suppressive measures being adopted by the bosses under the Department of National Defense.

as

cents

cussion.

j At a Series of rapid fire meetings held in Chamainus and Ladysmith, March 9, 10 and 11, one hundred and fifty longshoremen, operating be- tween Victoria and Port Alberni, the remnants of unorganized longshore abor on Vancouver Island, were or- ganized into a new union, the Pro- gressive Waterfront Workers’ Asso- ciation.

A former attempt of a year ago Was thwarted by the police and mill owners of the Chemainus district, who, undoubtedly, acting upon in- Structions from the shipping inter- ests, closed all halls to the men and chased the organizer off the com=- pany property.

Bold Organizational Methods.

Benefittine from that experience, a Vancouver organizer, represent-— ing the Longshoremen and Water _ Pransport Workers of Canada, Slipped into Ghemainus Friday after— neon, and by man to man canvass and telephone, gathered together §4 men for a meeting Saturday night.

The meeting unanimously declared the need for an organization, and elected committees representing: each locality, to the meeting the follow— ing night, at Ladysmith.

Workers Rally to Jom Union.

One hundred and forty-two at— tended the second meeting, The or- - €anization was launched and every man signed the roll, a good percent— age depositing their initiation fee and first month’s dues.

Officials and executives were elected and the organization was put ~ well under way.

A further meetings was called for Monday, a name was selected, the executive instructed to draw up constitution and by-laws. A com- mittee was appointed to present the list of membership to the employers,. with the ultimatum that the mem- bers get the first call on all work.

One Hundred per cent for Unity.

The enthusiasm and determina-— tion of the men can be gathered from the fact that, although the homes of the men are scattered from Victoria to Nanaimo, a distance of every man notified at- tended the first meeting of Saturday night, and every man involved at- tended the two meetings of Sunday and Monday, with the exception of the sroup from Kuper Island, and those men telephoned in to say their boat had broken down, but to count them in on anything the bunch de- cided.

FRAME-UP ON W.U. ORGANIZER

Resolutions of Protest

Should Be Sent To Att.-Gen. Sloane

75 miles,

IXAMLOOPS, B-G., March 8—Ajlex. Meronyk, organizer of the Workers Unity League, was arrested on a charge of vagrancy in Creston, B.C., March 1, 1935.

The Relief Camp Workers Union, Nelson and Cranbrook Section, was to hold a conference in Canyon on March 2, and as representative of the Workers Unity Leasue C(W.U.L.), which the Relief Camp Workers Union is affiliated to, the above named comrade was to attend the conference, to greet the delesates and put forward what the W-U-L- stands for.

The C.L.D.L. is handling the case Resolutions of protest should be sent to the Attorney-General, demanding his release.

This was proving a boomerang to the Capitalist Class, and organiza— tion was growing in most of the camps. This will now be accelerated in preparation for the walk-out, and rapid organizational work developed te make the walk-out as wide as possible.