BRITISH COLUMBIA’S PROGRESSIVE HOME NEWSPAPER

FOR PEACE, PROGRESS AND DEMOCRACY

FULL No. 196.

VANCOUVER, B.C., FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 1938

WISMER ORDERS TO ACT IN TRAIL A

CITIZENS APPROVE GAS CUT

Decision of the provincial Sovernment to reduce the price of gasoline “substantially” Sained widespread public ap- proval this week, but indica- ions were that the big pe- troleum companies would con- Gnue to fight the rulings.

Amnouncement of the proposed reduction raS made earlier this week by the cabinet after receivins a report from Dr. W. A. GCarrothers. the Sovernment’s economic advise: . it was immediately followed Dy Statements from representatives of Petroleum Industries of BC threat ening to “reduce wages and pur- ehases of supplies and materials im the province’ if the reduction materialized.

Moterists and the seneral public, Gn the other hand, welcomed the move with enthusiasm. Frank Bird, manager of the Automobile Ciub, declared the results “fair to every-— ope.” but expressed concern that the government might increase the sasoline tax and use the money in eeneral revenue, rather than turn the Saving over to the consumer.

“The reduction was lone over- due,” stated Dr. A. H Barton, pres- ident of the Federated Ratepayers’ Association, “but I have doubts phat it will be passed on to the -oOnsumer.”

Stated Mrs. Thomas Prinn, pres- Gent of the Housewives’ League: ‘Certainly we endorse it. We are mn favor of any reduction that will yenenht the people.”

Gasoline retailers later inter iewed Dr. Carrothers at Victoria mn an attempt to gain assurance FOm the government that in the Went or a reduction they would iot be forced to absorb part of the ii companies’ loss by sacmficineg heir present Scent spread. They aade it plain, however, that they avored the reduction.

sruce To Speak \t Empress Theatre

Malcolm Bruce, noted writer and yominion committee member of ne Communist party will speak mn European events at the Em- ress Theatre this Sunday evening t & o'clock. The meeting is the rst Of a series of regular weekly leetings to be held under auspices fF the VYaneouver City Committee EF the Communist party.

Union Delegation Sees

Attorney-General At Victoria

VICTORIAS BCE. Oct. 43-— (Special). —Confronted with a delegation representing or- ganized labor in BC, Attorney- General Gordon Wismer on Wednesday, while rejecting the delegation’s demand for ap-

bointment of a commissicn, agreed to order thorough police in- vestigation im the theft and de- struction at Trail of a car owned by Arthur HL Evans, organizer in Western Canada for the Interna- tional Union of Mine, Mill and Smelter Workers, CLO affiliate.

On the delegation were: Arthur Ei Evans; Charles Stewart, execu- tive member, Vancouver and New Westminster Trades and Dabor Council: George Miller, Salmon Purse Seiners Union; E. F. Fox, president, Victoria Trades anu Laber Council and provincial exec- utive member of the Trades and Labor Congress; George Price. sec- retary, district council, Mine, Mill and Smelter Workers’ Union; Hjaimar Bergren, president, BU Coast District Council, Interma- tional Woodworkers’ Union: WNor- man Coe, Secretary, Inland Boat- men’s Union; and Nigel Morgan, Victoria CGF leader and organizer for the International Woodwork- ers’ Union.

A statement presented by the delesation declared that Tadanac police had failed to cooperate with Trail police in investigatine the theft of Evans’ car, while provin- cial police would only step in if requested to do 50 by municipal police.

Evans told the attormey-gen- eral that failure of police to fol- low up evidence already in their possession had led to spreading of a rumor that burning of the car was “a CIO publicity stunt.” This rumor, he charged, had been deliberately spread in an attempt to discredit the union.

Evans also sought permission to Carry an automatic for selfi-pro- “tection in view of threats made by unknown individuals in Trail.

“I was warned to get out of town after destruction of my car,’’ Evans said. “Somebody called me up on the “phone and told me to leave before worse things hap- pened.

“The people with whom I was Staying were similarly warned to

(Continued on page 5.) See TRAIL

skiers Plan Campaign lo Save Hollyburn

Despite apparent disinterest on the part of city and West

ancouver officials, skiers are idge as a pleasure ground.

George Bury, head of the ski promotion committee, outlined ans to the Advocate Wednesday in which they can accomplish is without assistance from either Reeve Leyland or the city

unceil. ‘Heep will take 20 year bonds, . theproperty,’” Bury declared, ad if we can get the Dominion vernment to let us have this id in trust, we can sell these nds at 2 percent and preserve > jJand for a natural park for ater sporits.’’

fost of the land on Hollyburn at present owned by the Do- niOn government only a tiny ce belonging to West Vancou- 2 The Heep logging concern s 36,000 acres of timber lease.

ready a quarter of a million t of cedar has been cut, a fing road built and building 2 mill commenced on the ,ola i site. It is proposed to build - Or six small mills Which wid cut about 10,000 feet a day 1 so get the lumber out in

a1i quantities.

We intend to, fem some sort

determined to keep Hollyburn

of an organisation to get this land ourselves,” stated Bury, “but if the city and Wrest Vancouver would cooperate we could get it

CIO Organizer Charges Police With Failure To Cooperate

Distortions Spread By

Canaan Dah Co rone

Teacher

Was Nippon Gevi’s ‘Guest’ On Recent Tour Gf Japan

One month ago Miss Lena M. | Wowlan, 1546 West 12th avenue,

Septesher 2350 Se RST 5

te Avthur E. Bress, 3355 Bay Zvenus, = TRAIL, B.C. Bear Sirr-—

¥e beresith encslosa cur chegue for 357.50 in satisfaction ef your clisig referred to in your letter of Ssptomber 21,1535.

| Yours truly,

Ub) BROADCASTING STATTON cyAe st fn Qo | LOWY f- \ es We Beces — Memsger — F - | wee /ap Encis2s . Sa ICS A cB? Z pain CarnsAn : Baste Radic Faciivies tre REPRESENTATIVES Weed & Ca New York Chicsge aA

Above are shown photographs of the cheque with which radio station CJAT at Trail met Arthur Evans’ claim for expenses incurred when the station banned his speech, and the letter ac- companyings the cheque. The cheque is significant because it is signed by B. A. Stimmel, manager of the zinc department at Consolidated Mining and Smelting Company’s Trail smelter. Stimmel is also a director of the station.

He DRIVE 1S ON

The drive is on!

This month $3000 for the maintenance voecate and the Clarion Weekly ers and supporters of these newspapers.

This money won’t be raised easily. It will come out of the pockets of hardrock miners in Atlin and the Cariboo. from coal miners at Cumberland, Nanaimo and Fernie. F armers in the Fraser Valley, in the Okanagan and on the Island will con- tribute from this summer’s meagre returns for their labor.

of the People’s Ad- will be raised by ardent read- two outstanding progressive

under this new 2 per cent self- liquidating scheme. If Seattle had such a skiing ground near, it would be willing to pay a million dollars to develop it.’

SEiiers intend to sell small but

words, “Save Hollyburn for 2 public park,” to help in their campaign.

‘Aid. “Flalford Wilson earnestiy appealed to the civic finance committee Wednesday to support skifers in their efforts. :

“The time has come,” he said,

‘shen the city and West Van- eouver should take some definite action in endeavoring to preserve this area.”

(Gontinued on page 5.) See HGLLYBURN

ty

White-collar workers in offices and Stores, and workers in heavy industry will vie fer honors. Loggers and fishermen will donate. Unemployed workers, lacking cash to give in the cause of the people’s press, will canvass door-to-door for sub- scriptions.

One thing is certain—the $3000 will be raised, despite ad- verse economic conditions. The only point in doubt is how much more can we raise?

Now, more than ever before, the need is great for a pow- erful press to fight the growth of fascism, to maintain unity in the ranks of erganized labor, to put forward the demands of the people for social progress. Reaction has a powerful press. The people’s press must be still more powertul.

Let us remember that appeals such as this can be obviated if we build circulation to the point where our papers can be self-supporting and, knowing this, make a determined effort to win new readers in this drive—new readers and new sup- porters for the democratic front.

Council Asked To Curb Nazi Activities In City

Danger of ‘Italian, German and As “no definite allegations” Japanese organisations wunder- were made, according to Ald. mining Canadian institutions by Halford Wilson, the letter was ineuleating fascist propaganda”’ received and filed.

was stressed in a letter sent to

: : “I suppose they refer to our the city council this week by the

Wazi friends on 16th and Main,’’

Canadian League for Peace and remarked Ald. J. W. Cornett Democracy. “ap F Civic authorities were urged but I fail to see what we can

do with it. It is a matter for the Police Commission.”

toe curb activities ef fascist or- ganisations in the city.

teacher at Kitsilano Junior High

i school, returned from Japan. She

{ and Miss Bardsley, 1586 West

j i4th avenue, teacher at King Ea- ward High school, toured Japan for six weeks with a party of schoolteachers from the United States “as guests of the Japan- ese government.”

On her return to Vancouver, Miss WNowlan commented that members of the party were “treated like royalty.”

“We were provided with speak- ers, one of whom explained the present policy of Japan in China,” Miss Nowlan remarked.

On Tuesday this week when Miss Nowlan spoke to members of the Lions Club here, it was apparent that she had proven a profitable siuest of Japan and

that the time spent by the Jap-_

anese official in “explaining Japan's policy in China had not been wasted.

Miss WNolan employed state— ments strangely reminiscent of those used by H_ Nemichi, Jap- anese consul in Vancouver, when he addressed city service clubs.

“Japan’s action has been ne cessary to save all of the East, including India, from the Com- munism which is creepin= in from the North and endangering all of the Far Bast,” Wemichi told the Kiwanis Club in Ocio- ber, 1937.

“Amother reason for the war in China was Japan’s fear of com-_ Munism in Asia,’”” Miss Nowlan Said in her address to the Lions Club this weelk.

Wemichi, in kis speech, claimea the Chinese were responsible for the famous Lukuochiao incident, a claim promptly repudiated by Chinese Consul HH. Pac who pointed out that the “incident Was inspired by Japan as 4 pre- text for invading China.

Miss WNowlan told the Iions Club that “Japan had made friendly approaches to China, but without success,” and assert ed that Japan, actually, was “carrying on a war for peace.”

Spokesmen for Japanese fas- cism have been singularly un-

Successful in their attempts to spread their propaganda in this city, but it appears that they

have by no means exhausted all their avenues of approach.

PROBE OF FISHING IS ASKED

Four recommendations for a federal investigation into BC’s cod industry were included in the report handed down this week by Ald. Harry DeGraves, chairman of the special civic

committee which probed the industry last springs.

Heading the list of recommenda-— tions was one calling for inyesti- ation into charses that linge cod are being exterminated in Bc coastal waters through destructive fishing methods by Japanese fisher men. Accompanyins this was a de- mand for a probe into issuance of fishing licenses to other than Brit_ ish subjects, and a Ppreposal that quotas be established for issuance of licenses to Japanese.

“White fshermen unanimously condemn Japanese ishing methods as destructive and likely to result In eventual extermination of the cod,” the report stated, quoting 2 resident of Irving’s Landing as de— claring Japanese “clean out” a reef before leaving it.

The special commitiee failea, however, to recommend action oF enguiry into the monopoly of the industry by dealers under the Combines Investigation Aci.

Charges that a combine in Wan- couver controlled the entire market were responsible for the probe last

Spring. Officials of the Pacific Coast Bishermen’s Union received the

report with Some reservations as to its value. Main criticism was directed sat the attempt fo pin all blame for the cod industry's serious condition on to Japanese fisher- men, and it was shown that while Japanese save no thought toe con- servation methods, main blame Should be attached to the combine.

May Involve Gev’t im Fire Lawsuits

Likelihood of the BG Sovernment

| becoming involved-in the lawsuits

pending as a result of last sum_ mer’s great forest fire on Vancou- ver Island was seen this week as company investigators pushed their survey of fire damage.

In event of the government being dadrawn in, likely because of poor firefighting methods by the for estry department, BC people will be forced to pay for company neglect and government ineficiency

in costly lawsuits involving high- priced legal talent.

Housewives Challenge Writer To Debate

day declared the league would of the article to which they debate on Bil] 89.

Inferring that the Retail Mer- chants Association, instigator of the bill, is working in the interests of the small retailer, the article States that the bill was “introduced in the interests of good business.”’

“We have spent a great deal of time and thought in pretestinge this bill,” members of the committee declared.

“We are not to be confused with eny organization with headquar- ters in the Women’s Building and we are not sponsored by any large

retailer or manufacturer as might | be inferred from Miss Eirrol’s article.”

“The Housewives League with

| 20 branches already established in | BC is the first consumer body to openly oppose and bring to the pub- | lic notice the damasine | from such a bill,’ stated Mrs. M Norton, seeretary of the BC House wives League.

results |

Answering an article appearing in the current issue of the Federationist, CCF organ, on Bill 89, of British Columbia in’ an interview

the Housewives’ League with the Advocate Thurs_

challenge Constance Errol. author take strong exception, to a public

“& careful study of Bill 89 would convince Constance Errol that it does not benefit the small retail er, nor the consumer. The legisla— tion is against the interests of the

public because wholesalers and manufacturers are enabled to fix their prices and increase their

profits by it.

“As the entity consumer sroup i BC that knows what itis doing and is fighting for the right to buy openly in a competitive market, a consumers’ protection, we feel thar there is more to be said against this Act than for it”’

Bill 89 hours of sered by MT-A~

Constance Errol is the pen—-name of Mrs. Elizabeth Kerr CCE pro- vincial executive member.

was passed in the aying the last legislature, spon— Mrs. Paul Smith, Liberal