WINNIPEG, Man,: Jacob Penner, founder and builder of the Communist Party of Canada, beloved and re- spected as the grand old man of the Winnipeg labor movement, passed away ear-= ly Saturday, August 28, after a brief illness, He was 85 years of age on August 12,

For more than 60 years he played an active and lead- ing role in the Socialist and Communist movements of this city. He took a prominent part in the Winnipeg General Strike of 1919. He was elect- ed to the City Council from Ward 3 in November, 1933, and with the exception ofone year during the height of the Korean War, served continu- ously as an alderman until his retirement at the end of 1961,

He was looked up to by friend and foe alike for his personal integrity and for his selfless dedication tothe welfare and interests of the working people. During the Hungry Thirties he was in the forefront ofthe battles on behalf of the unemployed. Later on he became the ac- knowledged champion of slum clearance and a subsi-

for a new tax deal for the homeowners,

dized housing program and-

JACOB PENNER

Winnipeg’s grand old man of labor passes at 85

For many years he was the dean of the Winnipeg City Council and set a re- cord with his second-longest service as alderman in the history of Winnipeg.

JACOB PENNER

Jacob Penner was born on August 12, 1880 in Yeko- tranislov, in the Ukraine, now known as Dnieperpre- tovsk, While still a young student he joined the revo- lutionary movement against the Czarist regime, Because of police persecution he was forced to emigrate and ar- rived in Canada in 1904, al-- ready a convinced Marxist,

One of his first acts was to seek out other Marxist- thinking workers and estab- lish circles of the Socialist Party of Canada. Later onhe ‘joined the Social Democratic Party. Following the post- war developments of 1918- 19, he helped form the first group ofthe Communist Par- ty of Canada in Winnipeg and was elected to its first national committee. From then on Jacob Penner was proud to bear the title‘Com- munist’ and he brought ho- nor and dignity to the party in return,

For 51 years he shared his life and struggles with his wife and comrade Rose, who was ever by his side. In addition to her, he is sur- vived by 3 sons, Walter and Norman of Toronto and Ro- land of Winnipeg, and one daughter, Ruth Gulkin of Montreal, and numerous grandchildren.

With his passing therehas gone yet another of that generation of far-sighted builders of the Marxist movement in Canada, His living monument will be the Communist Party he helped to create and the many com- rades he inspired with un- shakeable faith in the ulti- mate victory of Socialism in Canada,

‘Fought with selfless devotion’

The National Executive of the Communist Party this week re- leased a tribute to Jacob Penner:

“The Communist Party of Canada lowers its banners in tribute to our beloved Comrade Jacob Penner, who for sixty years served the working class of Canada and fought for its socialist future with selfless de- votion.

**At the dawn of the 20th Cen- tury, Jacob Penner had already taken his place in the revolution- ary struggles against Tsarist tyranny in his native Russia, which before many years had passed were to usher in the Great October Socialist Revo- lution,

**His life in Canada spanned the years from the organization of the first groups fighting for the great liberating ideas of so- cialism through the days of the memorable Winnipeg General Strike, the formation ofthe Com-

munist Party of Canada, down ~

to the present time,

**His long years as a member of the Winnipeg City Council are a page in the history of our country which will never be for-

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gotten, His courageous and un- wavering struggle for the in- terests of the working people of his city set a glorious example of what can be achieved by a Communist public representa-° tive, t

**No problem brought to him was ever too small for his sym- pathetic attention, and yet never

~ for a minute did he lose sight of

the ultimate solution of social- ism. He lived his whole life by the great principle of the Com- munist Manifesto: ‘The Com- munists fight for the attainment of immediate aims, for the en- forcement of the momentary in- terests of the working class; but in the movement of the present, they also represent and take care of the future of that move- ment,’’

**‘We extend our deepest sym- pathies to Comrade. Penner’s family, and especially to Rose

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—his wife and comrade through so many years, In this time of sorrow, she and all of us draw strength from the memory of

this life which was so richly

lived, because it was a life given to the cause of his class, his country, and all mankind.”’

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‘Keep German troops out

of Shilo,’ Pearson told

The announcement in mia- August that ‘fan advance group of German army officials would come to Camp Shilo in Mani- toba to inspect facilities to train and test German equipment’’-has aroused widespread protest,

The Manitoba ‘Peace Council, which threatened‘in a newspaper advertisement last week to picket the camp if the Germans arrive, sent a letter to Prime Minister Pearson which makes the follow- ing major points;

(1) The agreement to allow West German troops to train at Camp Shilo could become an election issue, along with the many other ‘‘inept’’ decisions of the government, Reference was made to the barring of U.S. Prof, Mulford Sibley at the bor- der earlier this year,

(2) Coupled with the ‘‘nuclear weapons in Canada issue and the immoral support for U.S. ac- tions in Vietnam,’’ the German troops training program could be detrimental to Canada’s image as a ‘‘force for peace’’ and to the prime minister as a ‘‘man of peace.”’

(3) The training program, said the letter, is an insult to the memory of Canadians who died in the Second World War, par-

ticularly as it is scheduled to.

take place in the year of the 20th anniversary of the Allied victory over the German fascist army.

The letter urged Prime Mini- ster Pearson to re-read the Potsdam agreement. It said every

effort would be made to prevell the troop-training agreement # be put into effect. 4

The Manitoba Peace Countl has written to other peace group to urge cooperation initiating | variety of activities on the issué

The National Board of th United Jewish Peoples Order it Toronto has also written th Prime Minister to protest, Re= calling that Ottawa had informe his association last year, after protest was lodged, that the con templated tests were not to take place, acting secretary J. C0" wan wrote:

‘At this time we once agaill — register our emphatic protest against allowing the Germal Army tests on our soil, We pro" — test because;

‘(a) The wounds of the last — war, in which the German Army | directly participated in genocide resulting in the extermination millions of civilians and amone — them six million Jews, are still fresh and painful;

“¢(b) The Canadian people av as yét not convinced that Gel” . many has been so regenerat that the country, the main caus¢ of two world wars, should noW be helped by us in its militari zation. :

“Hence we ask you to cancel the proposed plans which woul : be an afront to the memory %

_the sons of Canada and the world

who laid down their-lives to stoP Nazi Germany’s’ conquest of world,” ;

B.C. Communists mourn passing of Jacob Penner

The B.C. Committee of the Communist Party, over the sig- natures of chairman Tom Mc- Ewen and provincial leader Nigel Morgan, expressed deep sorrow this week over the passing of veteran Communist. leader Ja- cob Penner in Winnipeg.

In a wire, the party leaders said:

“Deeply grieved to learn of the passing of our beloved com- rade and leader Jacob Penner. For over half a century his name and work stand out as a fearless pioneer and builder of socialist thought and action in the ranks of progressive Cana- dian labor, as a veteran founder and builder of the Communist Party of Canada,

*fAs a long time alderman in his city of Winnipeg he served his people with matchless de- votion and _ integrity. We share

pleasant surroundings

the sorrow of his passing with his dear wife and companiOM — Rose Penner, and with his f° — mily suffer the loss of a belov' father and friend,

“Tn his passing the Communist ; Party loses one of its most ow standing leaders,’’ :

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