‘Page Six

PEOGOPLE’S

ADVOCATE

May 28, 1937

The Peoples Advocate
Published Weekly by the
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Vancouver, B.C., Friday, May 28, 1937

Unionism Threatened

HE mining magnates who own and ex-
ploit gold producing: properties in
B.C. have announced their determination
to follow the example of the Shipping Fed-
eration and prevent their employees from
organizing into trade unions of their own
choosing.

Mouthing the chauvinistic phrases of
Miteh Hepburn of Ontario, they inveigh
against “foreign organizers” and talk about
how happy and contented the miners are—
if only they were not agitated and organ-
ized.

But what about the absentee owners of
the mines, those leeches who sit in the
counting houses of Montreal, Toronto, New
York and London? Bent on getting the
utmost profit out of the sweat and blood
of the miners, they work to outlaw union
organization unless it is the damnable com-
pany union set up by themselves and which
is little more than a vicious espionage and
stool-pigeon system.

The bosses state they are not opposed to
collective bargaining with their employees,
but the workers, of course, myst not be
connected organizationally with workers in
other districts and their representatives
must not be of their own choosing. Very
nice for the profit takers!

The workers of B.C. have had much ex-
perience in trying to preserve genuine
unionism. Lhe new wave of desire for or-
ganization sweeping over the country has
alarmed the bosses, aud they are preparing
to stifle it. But they will not succeed
where General Motors and the giant U.S.
Steel Corporation failed, even if they bring
Pattullo’s provincial police to their as-
sistance as the Shipping Federation did in
the longshore strike.

The questions of the democratic right to
organize, the right to strike and picket and
bargain collectively, are vital ones. These
rights are being challenged; im some in-
stances they have been taken away- The
financial interests are preparing to push
exploitation to the limit. The workers’
greatest protection is their unions, and
these are being attacked.

This makes the coming provincial elec-
tion all the more important, and the people
who are suffering from exploitation should
bestir themselves and see to it that the
largest possible number of progressive can-
didates are elected, men and women who
will defend the interests of the victims
of capitalist greed, and enact legislation
which will establish collective bargaining
and the existence of trade unions that the
workers, and not the employers, want, and
will penalize those bosses who seek to deny
this inalienable right.

ar >)

Vote For Baker
& MONG the many progressive candi-
dates who are appealing to the elector-
ate none stands out as more worthy of sup-
port than Edwin Baker, who is contesting
New Westminster.

He was the CCE candidate in the same
riding in the last Federal election and
came close to being elected. Im this elec-
tion he is running on the Communist party
ticket. His showing in the Federal elec-
tion made him the logical progressive can-
didate. Added to that is his ability, bis de-
votion to the cause of the poor and the
underprivileged, and his fearlessness.

Tt is of no service to progress and the
defeat of reactionary candidates for the
CCE to place a candidate in the field
against him when the CCE candidate
hasn’t a ghost’s chance of election. Nor is
it an inspiring sight when the most prom-
inent CCF speakers are devoting so much
¢ime and energy to bring about the defeat
of Baker while practically neglecting their
candidate in the adjoining constituency.

The people of New Westminster know
Baker—and they know the candidates who
are opposing him. They know the practical,
realistic program of the party which
Baker represents. They know that im
Baker they have a man who will fight their
battles for them at Victoria. And knowing
these things they will roll up a vote for him
on June 1 that will send the Liberal agent
of the big imterests into the political
shadows and along with him the splitters
of the progressive vote.

a a)

Debt and Destitution
66 CAH OULD the electors return a OCH

government, the province at once
would be the subject of ridicule and con-
sternation from one end of Canada to the
other-. So stated Pattullo in a radio ad-
dress a few days ago-

Ridicule and consternation from whom ?
From the finance capitalists who are bleed-
ing the province white while the most of
the people are on the verge of starvation
or actually starving.

Pattullo has a hard time of it under the
attacks upon the enormous increase of the
provineial debt during his administration.
He thinks he is making a strong argument
when he talks about the cost of public serv-
ices and the inescapability of capital ex-
penditures.

The common people of B.C. are taxed to
the breaking point, so Pattullo does not say

that he will pile more taxes on—although
it is well known that his government has
long contemplated another sales tax.
Neither does he say that he will tax the
millionaires who are reaping +remendous
profits out of the labor of the workers and
by means of monopoly prices. The reason
he does not say it is because, like the
Tories, he has no intention of imposing
heavier taxes on them.

Hence. his attempted justification of in-
ereasing debt which means greater burdens
on the poorer taxpayers. The public debt
is but another method of milking the people
of the slender resources which stands be-
tween them and penury-

The reason for the huge debt is the
failure of either old party to crack down on
the profits of the big shots by vastly im-
creased taxes on their huge incomes. A
progressive government would not add to
the debt burden upon the people but would
place that burden where it properly belongs
~on the shoulders of the rich who are
becoming richer as the people are becom-
ine poorer.

a e3)

No Tories Wanted

HE reactionary Tory party is making

a strenuous attempt at a eome-back.

With a facelift and dyed hair the old hag

is appealing and once more wheedling for

votes. The ultra-reactionaries who eontrol

the party and mould its policies haye even.

dug up some young men and placed them

in the field in the hope of luring the youth

who have been treated so shamefully by the
Pattullo government.

They become exceedingly flustered when
reference is made to the notorious Tolmie
administration, and declare that it is not
an issue in this election. Maybe it is not,
but the party of Tolmie, Maitland, Pat-
terson and Bennett IS an issue and a
menace to the people of the province as
well.

The change needed in B.C., and the one
that should be effected, is in the direction
of more progressive candidates being
elected. The antidote to Pattullo is not
another Tory government, less responsive
to the demands of the people than even the
Pattullo government. The progressive
step taken by the people of B.C. in 1938
when they booted the Tolmieites out of
Victoria should not be retarded by a turn
to Toryism.

TS) -

Slandering the Dead

WN the News-Herald newspaper of last

Wednesday there appeared an editorial
which should warn the people on how an-
tagonistic the ruling class and its press
have grown toward democracy-

The editorial referred to deals with the
death of Canadians in Spain, and instead
of words of eulogy for those men from
Ganada who gave their lives to preserve
democracy against the murderous attack
of international fascist reaction, the edi-
torial condemns them and declares that
they were no eredit to Canada.

The “reason” given is that they were
fichting under an alien flag, and had no
business there. This is the old line of the
capitalist press, that the conflict in Spain
is a “family affair’ im which people of
other countries should take no part.

Tt will be remembered that in the world
war men were conscripted to fight on
foreign soil under the slogan of the Defence
of Democracy. But the war of 1914-1918
was not a war in defence of democracy ; it
was what Lenin said it was, a predatory,
imperialist war between rival groups of im-
perialist powers for a redistribution of the
world; for the right to exploit colonial and
semi-colonial peoples; for markets, sources
of raw material and investment of surplus
capital.

The war in Spain is a real war in de
fence of democracy. Spain is the battle-
eround upon which the forces of democracy
are making an heroic stand against fascist
imvasion and traitorous Spaniards. The
men from Canada who are assisting in
hurling back the forces of Franco, Hitler
and Mussolini are fighting not only for the
preservation of the Spanish democratic re-
public, but for the preservation of democ-
racy in Canada.

The scurrilous editorial in the News-
Herald is an insult to those brave Ganadi-
ans whose sacrifice in behalf of world de-
mocracy against fascist reaction will be
eratetully remembered long after the pro-
fascists responsible for the vile screed are
forgotten.

All honor to those Canadians who are
offering their liyes to preserve what free-
dom exists while vicious pro-Franco seribes
traduce them.

cC7vo

Canada and Empire Wars

STUTE diplomats of the British rul-

ine class are endeavoring to line up
the Dominions behind their war plans.
Mackenzie King finds it difficult to commit
Canada fully to these war plans which, with
characteristic hypocrisy are called “de-
fence” plans.

Kine knows that in Canada there is a
large number of French-Canadians who
are opposed to fighting in foreign wars for
the British ruling class. They showed their
opposition in the last great war. Added to
this is the great body of anti-war opimion
which has developed. And above all, there
is the great peace movement of the youth
without whom participation in war is im-

at the Imperial
hitching of the Canadian people to the im-
perialist war chariot.

Loyalist Aerial Supremacy

Two organizations haye played
a decisive part in checking the
advance of the rebels in the Span-
ish war: one is the International
Brigade; the other, the Spanish
People’s air force. In November
Madrid experienced a two-fold sal-
yation: by land, when the first
columns of the brigade resisted
the rebel attack; and by air,
when the republican airplanes
first brought down some of the
airplanes which day after day
had bombed the centre of Madrid
with impunity.

In the early stages of the war,
the air force had a large Propor-
tion of foreign volunteer pilots;
today, just as the role of the In-
ternational Brigade is being
changed because the Spanish
People’s Army grows larger, bet-
ter trained and accustomed to
the conditions of war, So there
is an increasing number of train-
Spanish pilots.

In fact, the transformation of
the air force is more spectacular
even than that of the army, since
only a limited number of pilots
is required and therefore the for-
eign volunteer pilots have most-
ly been sent home.

At the moment, 90 per cent of
the pilots in the government air
force are Spanish. In all its ac-
tivities, the air force has the
pride of anonymity; the name of
its leader, Cisneros, is hardly
ever mentioned in the Spanish
press; however brave an action,
no pilot is ever singled out for
special praise; one reads in the
Spanish papers of “our heroic
aviation,’ but never of heroes.

The clue to the extraordinary
achievement of the government
in training pilots so rapidly and
pbuilding up an air force lies
largely in the character of Gen-
eral Hidalgo Cisneros, who is one
of the most remarkable Spaniards
JT have met. Although he has
graying hair, he is young look-
ing, lean and athletic, with an
angular face of great seriousness
and honesty.

Whenever I met Cisneros he
was dressed in 2 mechanie’s blue
dungarees, with only the two
metal stripes pinned on to show
his rank. I have rarely felt so
much at ease with a man of ac-
tion, for there is nothing affect-
ed or even preoccupied about his
eamaraderic, whether he is talk-
ing with his fellow-pilots about
flying or with me about the
poetry of his friend, Rafael
Alberti.

But we did not talk only about
Spanish poetry. He told me that
the government air force is al-
ready more efficient than the
Ttalo-German rebel air force
against svhich he is fighting-

“The amazing Success of
the government air force
is not @ propogandist story
... enemy bombers would
come over, - . then sud-
denly the government chas-
ers would appear; and al-
ways these planes are so
fast ... that they make
circles round the bombers.
... Nothing has done more
to encourage the morale of
the government side than
the victories of the air
force.

This is what Stephen
Spender, outstanding Brit-
ish writer and poet who re-
cently joined the Commu-
nist party, says um telling
the story of Loyalist su-
premacy in the avr and of
its leader, General Hidalgo
Cisneros.

Indeed, except that it is limited
in numbers, it is one of the most
efficient air forces in Europe;
and the rest of Hurope has to
reckon with the fact that when
the government has gained the
war, the Spanish republic with a
nationalized armaments industry
and airplane factories in Barce-
lona, will be one of the great air
powers of the world, a powerful
ally of democracy.

*

The amazing success of the
gevernment air force is not a
propagandist story. When ag
went through the trenches at
Morata soldiers of the Interna-

tional Brigade told me again and

again the same story; the enemy
bombers would come over their
lines and they would experience
the most terrifying sensations
which even modern war can pro-
yvide—an air raid on men lying in
an open place with no kind of
defense.

Then suddenly the government
chasers would appear; and al-
ways these planes are so fast
that they cannot only make
circles round the bombers, but
are much faster than even the
enemy Chasers.

An aerial battle of this kind is
so astonishing and exciting that
it is the ome occasion on which
both the entrenched sides wall
stop fighting in order to watch
the spectacle.

Wothing has done more to en-
courage the morale of the Zov-
ernment side than the victories
of their air force; when the
chasers have beaten off the en-

emy it is almost impossible to
prevent our men from jumping
out of the trenches with elation.

Before the war, Cisneros was
for some years military attache
in Rome. Smilingly, he showed
me photographs of himself watch-
ing military manoeuvres with
Mussolini. Like many other peo-
ple high in the Spanish army, or
in the government, he respects
the Germans as an enemy, but
has nothing but contempt for the
Italians.

The whole of Fascist Italy,
from Mussolini downwards, is
one enormous bluff, and the bat-
tle of Guadalajara was the first
occasion on which that bluff was
ealled.

Like many other Spaniards, he
pressed me very seriously to ex-
plain British policy, which truly
puzzles the Spanish government.
To Spaniards it seems obvious
that Hneland is in a better posi-
tion than any other power to call
Italy’s bluff. If she does not do
so, her position in the Mediter-
fanean is threatened.

I have written at some length
here of Cisneros, partly because
I am conyinced that after the
war he will have a considerable
role to play in Spanish history;
partly because, to everyone who
has come in contact with him, he
symbolizes the type of man who
is typical of what is best in the
new republican Spain.

For it is important to realize
that there has already taken
place a complete change in the
psychology of the Spaniards of
the younger ‘generation.

The Germans and Italians
seem to imagine that they have
fo deal with a country of pictur-
esque but surly peasants, and de-
cadent aristocrats, who are unit-
ed by a certain racial pride. They
were wrong.

The fact is that a fundamental
change has taken place in the
mentality of the Spanish people.
Wo one can talk with older peas-
ants and workers in Spain, and
the young, politically-minded.
people of the Republic, without
realizing that a gulf of centuries
divides the two generations liv-
ing in Spain at this moment.

Military defeats of the Spanish
people there may be, but a con-
quest of their minds is now im-
possible, and since that is so,
they will eventually win. As
Gisneros remarked to me while
we were looking at a large wall-
map of Spain: 2

“They will never defeat us.”
And tbe extraordinary achieve-
ments of the Spanish people’s air
force go far to show that Franco
will never win the war.

ELECTION ANALYSIS

By TIM BUCK

The votes cast by the electors
of British Columbia next Tues-
day will not only decide which
is to have power in this Proy-
ince for the next period but will
decide also, in a large measure,
whether or not the trend of
progress is to be maintained. It
becomes increasingly clear that
developing political alignments
in British Columbia are following
similar lines as in other prov-
inces.

Here, as in Ontario, a Liberal
government swept into power on
the wave of popular demand for
more progressive policies and re-
sistance to reactionary exploit-
ing interests.

Here, as in Ontario, top jeaders
of the Liberal government have
betrayed the trust that progres-
sive people placed in them and
have endeavored to make fney~
governmental policies satisfac:
tory to finance eapital. In the
process they have sacrificed the
interests of all the common peo:
ple.and eyen of the Liberal
party itself.

No CP Broadcast
Tuesday, June 1

Tuesday, June 1, being poll-
ing day, the regular Com-
munist party broadcast over
CJOR has been eancelled,
it is announced. On Tuesday,
June § at 7:30-7:45, over
CJOR the CP will return to
the air witn a special proad-
east dealing with Spain, with
particular reference to the
drive for funds for purchase
of an ambulance for the Ca-
nadian Mackenzie - Papineau
company now with Loyalist
armies in Spain.

As a result of Pattullo’s pol-
icies and his present campaign
efforts to satisfy reactionary biz
interests, the clear line of dif-
ferentiation between Liberal and
Conservative policies which char-
acterized the 1933 elections has
been blurred over. Patiullo
stands exposed aS a mere ma-

chine politician whose sole ambi-
tion is to retain power and the
people who sincerely looked for
progressive policies directed
against the big interests are dis-
illusioned.

Conditions have been created
which encourage the Comserva-
tives to attempt a comeback.
The striking contrast between
their utter demoralization and
virtual disintegration as a politi-
eal force in 1933 and their nom-
jnation of forty-three candidates
in the present campaign is one
of the most ominous signs of the
revival of reaction in this prov-
jnee and a serious warning to all
supporters of Prosress.

A great deal can yet he
achieved, however. The task of
the working people is to head off
reaction. Prevent the Conserva-
tive party coming back as a de-
cisive force in British Columbia.
Immediate, last minute efforts
must be made everywhere to
ensure the largest possible meas-
ure of unity at the polis. Elect
Baker in New Westminster, elect
CGE candidates.

(Continued From Page 1)

See ee ee

To support Glenday, Roberts and Smith
would be to support the ghadowy Fuiith
Column in Madrid, the Tr
who treachercusly assailed t
Front in the rear recently in Catalonia, to

support reaction itself.

Elect Bloc of

Progressives.

With reaction bidding for po
the Conservative party, prosre
throughout the province mus
their interests by returning as large a bloc
of progressives as possible t

Hepburn’s capitulation in Ontario to the
powertul mining and other interests has
shown that a Liberal government is no
barrier of the people agains

of democratic rights.

the Liberal party is represe
diverse elements among the people than
the Conservative party which has its roots
finance capital.
tf the Liberal party by tradition is suscept-
ible to pressure from the big i C
ing it to adopt reactionary measures against
the people, it is also more susceptible to
pressure from the Left forcing it to pass

in the topsoil of powertul

jegislation for the people.

This has been clearly demonstrated in
Washington where progres
ing mass support behind them, have suc-
ceeded in passing “must” bills in a Demo-
erat-controlled- legislature, despite strong
Republicans.
alth Federa-

opposition from reactionary

The Washington Commonwealth
tion, which includes the Communist party,

otskyist agents
he People’s

wer through
ssive voters
t safeguard

o Victoria.

+ curtailment
At the same time,
ntative of more

nterests forc-

sives, mobiliz-

ELECTIONS

has been able to mobilize this mass support

because it is a true federation encompassing
all progressive groups.

A Communist
At Victoria.
Election of Rev. Edwin Baker and a

strong bloc of progressives to Victoria can
prevent the reactionary aims of big busi-
ness, can improve conditions of the people of

imized.

on June 1.

groupings, ma
does not preclu

over Many mor

The huge Vv

never failed t

BC by mobilizing mass support for progres-
sive bills. But a Communist representative,
Communist party participation, are essen-
tial as a driving force. That individuals
within this progressive bloc, and different
y differ as to final objectives,
de agreement and united ac-
tion on the needs of the moment.

The Communist party, with its 15,000
members throughout Canada, its influence
e thousands, is today a force
the importance of which cannot be min-

ote cast for Tim Buck in To-
ronto, for James Litterick in Winnipeg; the
16 municipalities where Communists have
been elected and where, once elected, have
o secure return: the councils
of Melville, Sask., and Blairmore, Alta., en-
tirely Communist, are
party's strength. :

They point to the fact that the clarity

indicative of the

of the Communist party’s program, its
ability to mobilize mass opinion, render it
essential to united action. Ang the first step
to such united action is election of Rev.
Edwin Baker and a strong progressive bloc

By
OL’ BILL

Westminster has

Baker For che opportunity
Victoria. af carrying on

the tradition of
BC in being the forefront of
labor and political progress. In
this election the people of West-
minster can maintain British
Columbia’s long and honorable
record by electing the Rey. E.
Baker and keeping alongside of
Manitoba in the march of prog-
ress.No candidate in the field to-
day will so well serve the inter-
ests of the people of British Co-
lumbia,

In 1900 the first labor members
were elected to the federal par-
liament, one from Manitoba and
one from BC. Today, 37 years
afterwards, Manitoba has its first
Communist member in the legis-
jJature. BG mus: keep its place
jin the line and all the progres-
sives in the province are look-
ing to Westminster to send the
first Communist to Victeria ana
keep alive the tradition that BC
labor is always in front.

*

: Byvery election
Tory Election has its little
Humor. joke. And this

time it is a
big joke and it is in Vancouver
Hast. I am not referring to Bilt
Pritchard or Jack Price, whose
appearance in that constituency
is tragic, not comic. Here is the
pig laugh: there are two Tory
candidates; the telephone poles,
hoardings and store windows are
plastered with their publicity ma-
terial, one piece of which is &
card with a photo of the two as-
pirants and in bold letters, “THE
WORKINGMAN’S CANDI-
DATHS,”’ with the added appeal
to the people of East Vancouver
to ‘Vote Conservative.’ And
this is almost half-way through
the 20th century.

If this is a good sample of the,
political understanding of the
Tory demagogues who represent
the reactionary forces in Canada
today, Holt and his “50 Big
Shots”) will have to find others
less politically bankrupt if they
desire to make their reactionary
policies stick, for even the most
backward cannot be deluded any
more by Tory wolves parading
in the garb of labor sheep, ever
though one of them is a Car-
penter.

*

ie There are stilb
Clean Politics some who ima-
In Japan. gine that all
that is neces-
sary to correct the evils oz capi-
talist society is to roll up the
votes on June 1 and elect a so-
Cialist government. If we had no
previous experiences to warn US,
what has happened in Japan,
during and since, the recent elec-
tion campaign ought to disabuse
them of such innocent ideas.

Japanese political life is ever
more corrupt than the same line
of endeavor under the control of
our old friend Tammany. In the
Tokyo municipal elections pre-
ceding, arrests for corrupt prac-
tises and violation of the election
laws were So numerous, 648 per-
sons were in jail at one time
with more to come, that the
Japan Times stated that for the

s elections to the House of Repre-

sentatives it might be necessary
to build more prisons for election
law violators.

In this situation the Hayashf
government plastered the coun-
try with instructions, posters,
pamphlets and phonograph rec-
ords urging the voters to cast
their votes honestly and con-
scientiously. Vote purchasing,
bribery and other jrresularities
were condemned and “clean”
politics advocated.

The appeals were entirely to
the voters; no undertakings were
made that the government forces
would make any change for the
better, but such a campaign goes
a long way with the unwary
democrat who believes in being
“fair” under all circumstances.

Now the sequel! All the forces
opposed to the military-Fascist
Hayashi government allied them-
selves in a united front to ac-
complish its defeat. The two
leading old jine bourgeois parties,
the groups representing small
business, the workers and the
peasantry, made it their common
purpose to oust the sang of mur-
derers and they succeeded as far
as yoting was concerned.

But in spite of all the posters,
pamphiets, phonograph records
and “clean” government propa~
ganda the defeated military-Fas-
cist Hayashi clique refused to re-
sien and have declared their in-
tention of carrying on the admin-
istration of the country “without
parliament,” just as their model
Hitler has been doing for four
years.

The moral is that it is good to
win the parliamentary victory.
only if the organization to eD~
force the dictum of the electors
is at the same time built firmly
and solidly on the outside—a
powerful trade union movement
and a militant political party.

Were is the result of giving
everybody a fair hearing in poli-
tics: Italy, Germany, Spain,
Japan. ;

pl Aahinis and ddenat es pe
Ete ET