; PaaS ea ee eee

Page Two

B.C. WOREERS' NEWS

September 25, 1986

VULTURES ARE
WAXING FAT ON
RELIEF PEOPLE

“Hit the Ball’ or ‘“‘Hit
the Trail’ Is Their
Watchword

CROFTON, B:C.. Sept. 20—Trade
minion wages and working conditions
simply do not exist on the new
owichan Lake road now under con-
Struction by the Taylor Construc-
tion Co.

Chunk buckers.
Tieesine men, helpers, chunking-out
mien and pick and shovel men are
all paid $3.20 for an eight-hour day.
The powder monkey, caterpillar
ariver and the speed-up man, or
sane boss, are paid $4.00 for the
same time.

Of the 20 men employed, four-
teen are relief recipients hired out
to the company by Relief Officer
Adams. 17 are between the ages of

fallers, filers,

45 and 60, the other three are con-
sidered young men-

When work started a short time
ago, no provision was made for
transporting the workers to and

from the job until the workers in-
sisted, then an open truck was
mlaced in service, Four men, one of
~vhom is 60 year old, have to travel
as best they can to get to the
trick, which leayes Duncan at 7:30
am. These men have been running
their face for gas for an old car.
The job is 19 miles from here and
9 miles from Duncan.

The speed-up man sets the pace
and the men of fifty and sixty years,
swho have been existing on $12.60
per month relief are expected .to
“hit the ball’ like himself, or he
eanned. This would also cut them
off relief, on the pretext that they
did not want work.

A first aid man or kit cannot be
found on the job within sight or
easy reach of any of the workmen.

It is reported that the Taylor
Gonstruction Co. contracted to do
the work for a price said to be in
the neighborhood of $30,000. When
the new road has been completed,
there siill remains about nine miles
sunfinished, ana injured loggers
~wvill have to be taken out by
train as this stretch of road will
be too rough for an ambulance to
travel over.

Demands are being made upon the
company to cover the truck now
that the bad weather is setting in,
and for rubber boots to be supplied
where the men are working in
water, and unable to buy their own.

OPEN FORUM
South Hill ¢.C.F. Open Forum at
47th and Fraser, Sunday, Sept. 27
at 3 p.m. Speaker, W. Breffit; sub-
ject, “Poison gas and war.” Every-
body welcome.

Hastings Steam Baths
Always Qpen
Expert Masseurs in Attendance

Ligh. 240 764 E. Hastings

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Vancouver, B.C.

JOHN

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Passenger Agent for Scandinavian

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The Norwegian Lines
The C.P.R., Cunard and
other lines.
5 5215-R

Doug.

Despite Her Years is a
Human Dynamo of

Energy
By ANNIE STEWART
Accepting the invitation of the
Seattle progressive women to 2

banquet on Saturday, September
19 to greet Mother Bloor, the heroic
veteran of the American dJabor
movement, twenty women left Van-
couver, many progressive organiza-
tions being represented, including
members of the Communist Party,
C.C_F. clubs, Women Labor Leagues,
Infideso Club, League Against War
and Trasecism, etc.

The progressive women of Seattle

had a very broad representative
gathering, numbering about 150-
Greetings were extended by

Washineton Commonwealth Pedera-

tion, Educational Society, Parent-
Teachers, Chureh of the People,
i Improvement Club, Technocrats,

Washington Women’s Forum,
American League Against War and
Fascism, Communist Party
Women’s Commission.

Beckie Ewen spoke on behalf of
jhe Canadian women, and gave
greetings in the name of the Com-
munist Party of Canada, of the
women present from the C.C. FE. and

others. At this point the Canadian
delezation were given a rousing
reception. Comrade wen told of

the united front achievements in
Canada, the part the women were
faking in them, and the urgent
necessity of winning the majority

of the

Mother Bloor Greeted By ©
Local Women In Seattle

women for the

movement.
Mors:

woman

introduced

progressive
Padgham, one of our oldest
fighters in the west °was
by Beckie Ewen, who
said that “‘these women like Mother
Bloor and others though old in
years were young in spirit, and the
path they follow is the path all pro-
eressive-minded women must follow
in the fight against war and fas-
cism.””
Mother
ereetings in an
that deeply
present,

Bloor replied to all the
inspiring address
moved all the women
she painted a graphic pic-
Sure of the great assembly of women
that gathered together some time
azo in the Women’s World Congress
Against War and Fascism in Paris.
Here, she pointed out, was the
united front in action—women of all
shades workine together for the
common objective. \

With a humor and wit that is
peculiarly her own, her kindly eyes
surveying all the eager faces,
watenine her, this wonderful woman,
old in years, but young in spirit, a
courageous veteran of hundreds of
labor battles, gripped her audience
with a magnetism and power almost
indescribable, as she appealed to
them to join ranks for greater unity
in the struggles against war and
fascism.

Tt was an inspiring two days that
will live long in the memories of
the Vancouver and Seattle women.
Many new friendships and pledges
for better work in the great labor
movement were made at the close of
the guathernng.

UNEMPLOYED

(Continued from page 1)

where the family can rustle some
wood-

off heat when and where the fam-
ily can rustle some wood.

Just prior to the family being ar-
rested on the charge of ‘obstruct-
ins,’ a police sergeant, in reply to
my question stated he did not know
what was to be done with them. “It
is quite a problem, and they are
only one in hundreds.”

Two weeks ago the family was on
the streets, and Collected $26.27
which has been used to keep the
family in food. At that time the
Puyda’s stated that they would be
back on the streets when their
funds had run out unless, they
were reinstated on relief and given
the same treatment that other citi-
zens are accorded.

The relief officials have dropped
them from the relief rolls in order
to send the family back to Mani-
toba where they hailed from over
two vears ago, Mr. Puyda having
lost his farm through repeated
crop failures. The bread winner has
peen working on section gangs in
this province and was jJaid off to
make room for the relief camp
workers early this year, since then
he has not had any work.

SOCIALISTS ARE
RETURNED IN
RIKSTAG VOTE

Left - Wing Gains Ma-
jority in Swedish

and Communist

Elections
STOCKHOLM, Sweden, Sept. 23:
——Sweden today has a clear Socialist
majority in the

Rikstae for the first time in history.
In last week's voting final tabula-
tion of which was announced today,
the Social Democratic Party had in-
creased its seats from 104 to 112 in
the 230-seat lower chamber.

The Communist Party elected fiye
members, bringing the total held by
the two parties to 117. Statements
by Communist Party Jeaders prior
to the voting indicate that support
will be given the Socialist govern-
ment.

Several
Hansson,
signed with his

months ago Per Albin
the Socialist premier, re-
cabinet when the
Conservative and Agrarian parties
united to defeat the Social Demo-
eratic Party’s bill to increase pen-
sions and boost benefits in other
social legislation.

During the election campaign the
Communist Party was barred from

the radio but “Ny Dag,” the Com-
munist Party paper, reports large
eains in membership during the

eampaign.

In the 1928 elections the Socialists
polled a total vote of $73,931 to win
90 seats. In the 1932 the number
of seats had increased to 104 with a
Sain of almost 200,000 in votes.

The
fained six seats.

so-called Kilbom Socialists

The present Aerarian £overnment
which took office when Hansson
resigned will tender its resignation
to Kine Gustav within a few days.

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West Cordoya St.

THEO. ANGELL
Prop.

BAKERY STRIKE

(Continued from page 1)

increase which came about in yiew
of the impending strike.
Shipper’s Long Hours

Prior to the Minimum Wage Act
becoming Jaw, a shipper was paid
$16-00 per week, and during the
week when the act was enforced his
time card showed a total of 72 hours
worked for which he was paid $19.40.
The second week showed 66 hours
worked, since then he was made
manager of himself, given a straight
wage of $20 a week and no time
ecard to punch, but the hours of
work remained the same.

In a statement issued by the
union, Robertson’s Bakery is ‘re-
ported to have been compelled by
the Minimum Wage Board to refund
to eleven employees the sum of
$400 back pay, when the board's
offical found that they were under-
paid. Two of the employees re-
turned their checks through intimi-
dation.

Charges Unfounded

The charges raised by Mr. Boyd
in the quarter page ads., that the
union or the employees had made
no daemands or requests for in-
creased pay until 5 p.m. last Friday
are without foundation. As early as
last July an agreement was pre-
sented to the manager to sign and
recoenize.

The union- press release also
states that Mr. Boyd was written
to and asked for a decision by
September 18, and on the morning
of the strike in the presence of
police officers, he was again in-
formed that he could settle the dis-
pute peaceably, but all overtures
were ignored.

Strike pay was issued to the men
on ‘Nuesday at Labor Headquarters
immediately after adjournment of
their meeting.

CONVENTION

(Continued from page 4)

one delegate from each District
Council, and two delegates from
each industrial group in areas

where no district council has been
set up.
The convention echoed the new

spirit of the rank and file of the
AE. of L., to transform the ALT.
of I. into a mighty united force

through the building up of indus-
trial organizations within its frame-
work. It went on record as opposed
So altering connections with the
existing intermmational and brother-
hood, but unanimously endorsed
the Committee for Industrial Or-
ganization (C.1-0.) and pledged toa
support the C.L.O: in all ways.

Support Dockers
Rumblings of the tense situation
in the maritime industry of the
coast was met by pledges of sup-

CORBIN MINERS

(Continued from Page i)

of this crowded room?

They had not seen the landlord.
They would see him after lunch.
Reliefers Barred
After luneh their unfortunate
position was brought yividly home
to them. The mother’s plans for the
new home, the feeling of joy that
the children would be able to get
outdoors; that the infants in arms
could get care, were turned to des-
pair on the realization that after
tio years of vicious persecution,

there was to be no Jet up.

The landlord told them that he
Was sorry but he could not rent
the property to relief recipients.
Why? Because, when the next
month’s rent day rolled around the
provincial authorities would dole
them out the usual six or seven
dollars, and the landlord would be
put to the usual task of forcing
eviction.

But the government had promised
them that they would be looked
after. They would see the official in
the relief office and have him phone
the landlord to the effect that the
government had undertaken to
care for these unfortunates until
they were able to find employ-
ment.

“Oh, no!’ They found that the
government who had cajoled them
into leaving Corbin with handsome
gestures and ample promises is the
same government who sent police
into the coal fields in the unsuccess-
ful attempt to club the miners into
submission. It is the same goverm-
ment that on April 17, 1935, sent a
steam tractor headlong through a
wall of defenceéless women and chil-
dren, while provincial and special
police, riding on the sides and front
of the tractor, broke the heads of |
the panic-stricken wives and chil-
dren of the strikers. It is the same
government who, for two years re-
fused relief to these miners, and
finally, only on the agreement of
the miners that they would leave
Corbin, arranged to ship them away.

More Evictions

The relief official told them that
the administration allowed a stated
sum according to the size of the
family. There could be no exception
in the case of the miners. They
would establish the families into
homes, pay the first month's rent,
and then—well—evictions ‘would
take up the vicious circle again.

What is behind the government's
plan to get the striking Corbin
miners out of the way?

The Corbin coal field is known
as probably the richest field on the
continent. Not the usual mine with
the usual two or three foot seam
of coal, but a virtual solid coal
mountain with a short drift through
the surface layer into unlimited
coal.

During the last few years when
the. company decided to abandon
this particular “hole” they literally
robbed the suts out of the mine,
with no preparations to further de-
velop the property. The mine be-
came unsafe. The miners’ houses
were allowed to fall into disrepair.
Roofs leaked, doors fell off their
hinges, boards fell from the sides of
the “shacks.” The water supply
failed, and the miners were com-
pelled to carry water from unsani-
tary creeks.

The Strike

Such conditions forced the miners
to rebel. In January of 1935, they
struck. The mine owners sent in
their thugs; the provincial sent im
their specials. Pickets were arrested
and jailed. Every weapon that
could be used to break the spirit of
the miners; drive them back to
work, or out of the country, was
used.

The brutality of the Spokane,
Wash., owners of the Corbin prop-
erty, and the collaboration of the
B.C. government with the’ owners,
marks one of the blackest pages in
the industrial history of Canada.

Different attempts to open the
property with scabs was blocked by
the miners. Now a new ruse is being
tried-

A Ruse

Some time ago the government
announced that the Corbin mine
was closed for good. The ‘‘gut rob-
bing” mining methods of the profit-
mad owners lefi the mine unsafe.
“But,’ say the miners, “Corbin coal
fields are unlimited, and it is a
eertainty that the owners plan to
open a new mine. They want us
out of there so they can bring in
new miners. As lon= as we were
there and on the picket line, they
could not get scabs.”

Since the mine closed down near-
ly two years ago, the government
refused the miners relief. Two
weeks ago they were told that they
would be placed on relief, if they
agreed to leave Corbin. At first the

port, moral, financial and physical,
to the maritime workers, in case of
dispute with the shipping magnates.

The Roosevelt candidacy was en-
dorsed unanimously, as was a Treso-
lution protesting the frame-up of
Barl Kine and . H. Ramsay, and
demanding their immediate release.

Greetings were sent to Tom
Mooney, and to the heroic Spanish
Sovernment forces.

Decision against piece-work and
apprenticeship in any form were
recorded. —
| International representative Abe

Muir, invited the body to send dele-
gates to the International Board
m ine. now in-session at Indian-

apolis, but the proposal was turned
down. The locals, however, will send
represer to the International
Convention to be held in Lakeland,
Florida, in December.
Trade Union Hospitality

The B.C. dele are enthusi-
astic in their praise of the organ-
ability and hospitality of the
American workers. The Portland
Labor Temple; home of the con-
vention, with its club rooms, recrea-
tion centres, auditorium, and sev-
eral smaller convention halls, re-
eeived much favorable comment.
They term it the largest and best
appointed Labor Temple in the
west.

Harold Pritchett of

izea

BG. aras

Gonyention chairman.

By REDFIELD

HITLER CREATES
NAVAL BASE ON
CANARY ISLAND

Arms, Munitions Landed
France’s Colonies
Menaced

By F. YON BRIBGEL.
(SGisapano Press Service)

BARCELONA, Catalonia, Sept- 23.
—(Snecial to the Associated Labor
Press) — German Fascism, for a
period of several years. has been
eradually creating naval bases on
islands belonging to Spain and Por-
tuzal in the Atlantic along the
Wrest coast of Africa. German Pasc-
ism is now paying generously for
these bases—with munitions.

This information, kept secret
for scme time, is now in my hands
here.

Three years ago, these interest-
ing details reveal, several cases of
arms were discovered in the big-
fest port of the Canary Islands,
Munitions were sent from Hambure
vin the German-Werman Steamship
Company. On the insistence of the
French consul at Las Palmas, the
local authorities investigated. The
eases contained 825 Mauser revoly-
ers sent to the Spanish Fascists.

Much more recently, between the

23rd and the 27th of April, 1936,
new shipments of arms were un-—
loaded on Teneriffe Island. of the
Canary Group. These were trans-
ported by the German eruisers
‘Nurenbere and Cologne, which hap-
pened to be there “aecidentally”’ on
a “training cruise.”
In addition to these cargoes of
munitions, both cruisers delivered
torpedoes of a new model. These
new tnodel torpedoes, while smill im
size, contain highly destructive ex-
plosives. Several thousands of these
torpedoes were shipped to Fuerte-
ventur Island, the most }barren of
the Canary Islands, where an ar-
senal has been formed under the
care of Spanish Fascists.

The strategic importance of the
Canary Islands is well Inown-
They lie on the crossing of the
sea routes from HBurope to South
America and South Africa.

From these islands an effective
control can be extended over the
communication lines between France
and Dakar and other centers of the
West Ffrican French colonies from
where native reinforcements for the
Trench army have been sent in the
event of war. The planting of Ger-
man torpedoes along the Atlantic
coast would menace France’s naval
communications with her colonies.

A few hundred kilometers to the
south, on the coast of Portuguese
Guiana, lies the small archipelago
comprising several practically um
inhabited islands. One of these,
Bissagos, has been leased to the
German Fascists for a period of 99
years- There the Germans have
built a submarine base, and a port
from which foreign ships are pro-
hibited. They have also built an oil
depository and a dock for submarine

repairs, aviation workshops, Wware-
houses for shells, bombs and tor-
pedoes.

From this base the German sub-
marines can reach Dakar, 180 miles

from the Bissagos archipelago, in
15 hours. Airplanes, one of Ger-
many’s strong points, can reach

Dakar in two hours.

took the case and finally the sov-
ernment agreed to pay their trans-
portation, and gave them $3.00 each.
The families were given transporta-
tion, their furniture and effects is
to be sent to the coast, and the
families maintained here until they
established themselves in homes.

When the miners agreed to the

above conditions, then and only
then, were they placed on tempor-
ary relief, two weeks ago.

What Next?
Has the government been again

ecoopted to aid the seab-herding,
union-smashinge activities of the
-mine owners?

What benefit to the government

to go to the added expense to set
the miners out of the country? Was
jt not less expensive to keep them
on relief in the homes they have
lived in for so many years?

The miners have no illusion.
They are confident the American
mine owners plan to reopen the
property.

The miners are members of the
U.M.wW.A., District 18. For a long
fime the union funds supported
them: then the funds ran out. Now
they are herded in Vancouver. Their
furniture has not yet arrived,

Disillusioned, and with aching
hearts, the miners and their wemen
folk, comfortin= aS best they can
the puzzled tots, ask: “What Next?”

single men were ignored, and told
i they could get out “‘as best they
could.” MSTe-AS

Tom WUWphill, labor

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SATURDAY, SEPT. 26th, 9:30 to 12

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“Isn’t ‘Wilford wonderful — he threw a 250-pound long-
shoreman off the job yesterday!”

Wear...

EARL BROWDER

Gen. Sec’y G.P. of U.S.A.
TUNE IN ON KOMO

FRIDAY, OCT. 2, at 6:45 PM.

‘ADVANCE’ Concert

@n Friday, October 2, a concert
will be held at the Labor Temple,
805 Hast Pender Street. An excel-
lent program is being arranged and
is due to commence at 8 pm. A
silver collection will be taken and
the proceeds will go to “Advance,”
a new youth publication.

A new play will be presented by
the Progressive Arts Club. The
Croatian string orchestra will offer
several selections. Miss Stevi Sem-
kowich, Mr. Dimitri Nikiforuk, and
many other prominent young en-
tertainers are donating their sery-
ices.

U.L.F.T.A. REDUCES

LABOR TEMPLE DEBT
Qutstanding debts on the
Ukrainian Labor Temple have been
eonsiderably reduced in the three
months’ campaign conducted for
that purpose by the Ukrainian
Labor-rarmer Temple Association,
and which has just concluded.

An indoor carnival wound up
the drive in good style. Ten acres
of land were given away to Tony
Guzin, Baltimore Gafe, winner of
the first prize, his ticket number
being J352. A. Soini, 656 Hast Pen-
der Street, took the second prize
with ticket number G497.

Wo statement was given out on
how much of the $6,000 debt was
raised during the three months’
campaign.

THE NUMBER OF THIS ISSUE IS

Wf the number on your Address Label is below it,
then your subscription has expired. Renew it now!

Typewriter Wanted

The Unemployed and Part Time
Workers’ Association, with head-
quarters at 339 West Pender St.,
are badly in need of a typewriter.
Being an unemployed organization
they find it difficult to meet the
many tasks that come or crop up
and in which a typewriter can be
used. Your assistance will be ap-
preciated.

IT PAYS

. .. to relax with a book.
fiction and used magazines can
be had in the following districts
ates Se:

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SOUTH MAIN
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