Page 4 — Saturday, February 3, 1945

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PACIFIC

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PEOPLE’S VOICE FOR PROGRESS

Published eyery Saturday by The People Publishing Com-
pany, Room-104, Shelly Building, 119 West Pender Street,
Vancouver, British Columbia and printed at East End
Printers. 2303 East Hastings Street, Vancouver, British
Columbia. Subscription Rates: One year $2, six months $1.

Editor
Cc. A. SAUNDERS

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Associate Editor
MYER SHARZER

Labor Conference:
‘cE FE decision of the Regional War Labor Board handed

“down in the rehearing of the Streetrailway men’s dispute,

followed by a refusal to review the case can only be regarded
: : 5 =, . .

as a very clumsy and provocative handling of the situation.

Although it-is apparent from the evidence that there was
no outright promise, nevertheless the fact remains that there
“was a decided impression left @’ith the men and in the minds
of the general public that the men would receive the six cents
they were demanding. In view of this the men can only
regard the reversion to the four and a half cent award, already
Once rejected by them, as a doublecross.

The situation is one that calls for some clear thinking
aud, although the provocation is great, the men must beware
of being stampeded into furthe? sttike action by those who
have an axe to gtind against the government, or by a few

hotheads.

A. strike at this time, tying up transportation when the
most decisive days of the war are here and when a further
concerted effort will bring victory, with all it means in saving
of life, must not be contemplated.

The demands of the union are just and must be met.
The general public and the whole of organized labor. are
solidly behind the men, what is needed is that this opinion
must be mobilized to bring pressure upon the company to
disgorge some of the profits wrung from the general public
at the expense of its employees.

The Sireetrailwaymen’s union should immediately rally
support by initiating a conference of all organized labor on the
lower mainiand to bring pressure on the company so that the
just demands of the men shall be met.

Circulation

Our subscription list is really beginning to grow and there
is a gratifying response from the efforts of our Five by Fivers.

There is no doubt that with the prospect of an election in
the very near future and the necessity of getting our program
before the people in order to elect our Own candidates and to
see that Canada faces the postwar years with a progressive

gevernment of democratig coalition, our press must become
the most widely read labor paper in the province.

Some clubs have already started on the plan of one new
sub per member per month. If we could carry this plan into
every club, under the supervision of club press directors it
would result in an enormous increase in the circulation of our
paper.

Another question which needs close and prompt attention
is the following up of renewals. There are many subscriptions
waiting to be picked up if a personal call or contact is made.
This kind of work, if organized hefore hand, could be co-ordi-
nated with election canvassing with beneficial results for both.

Meanwhile we expect to help on this end with a continued
improvement in our work We are expecting to return to
sixteen jpages within the next two weeks and we are pleased
to announce the return to our staff of Cynthia Carter who
will contribute a weekly column. Readers of the ‘People’
who are familiar with the bright column of pithy comment
she contributed regularly, will be glad to know of her return.
Her column will appear next week and regularly from then on.

So now-.the battle is on. The Red Army is marching to

Berlin. The combined Allied offensive spells defeat for
Fascism.

To ensure the winning of the peace we must send LPP
candidates to Ottawa. :

: The P.A. has played its part in winning the war. It has
-an equally important part to play in Winning the peace. Let's
build its influence by building the circulation.

Hitlerites.”

S I write this column the Red Army is 40
miles from Berlin. Already the flashes from
the famous artillery of the Soviet Union warns
the so-called “master race” that their dream is

ended, the day of vretribu-
tion is at hand and every
day, indeed every hour, the
victims of their most out-
rageous crimes are drawing
within striking distance. It
is no wonder that the roads
are full of panic stricken |
refugees striving to get=—
away. The ghosts of millions
of victims of Nazi terror
and tyranny are haunting
the fear stricken hearts of
the “supermen” today. Yes,
2 “spectre is haunting the

The final crackip may
come anytime now, but the ;
desperation of terror will keep them fighting:
to the bitter end. ‘There is no peace short of
unconditional surrender, and that can only mean
that the present rulers of Nazi Germany will be
made to answer for their crimes.

These criminals are already preparing their
line of retreat: through the “neutral” countries
like Spain, they have transferred funds to the
Argentine where they hope to find refuge from
vengeance and a base for future operations.

Grey North--A Symbol By i Shar;

] REMEMBER seeing a very telling cartoon in

the Seattle “New World” recently which car-
ried a point for us in Canada. The cartoon shows
a man, labelled the “American people,” who had
been about to sit down and relax in a chair
labelled “complacency” after the November elec-
tion victory over reaction. There is a tack in
the chair, however, which shocks him out of his
complacency; and the tack is labelled “the new
Dies committee.” The “point” being of course
that you can’t relax where reaction is concerned.

What is happening in Canada today bears
this out in many ways. Leslie Morris warned us
of this not so long ago in the Canadian Tribune
and events have more than cofirmed his fore-
sight.

The Tories did suffer 4 defeat at the special
session of parliament. They were unable either

to fore a general election on the false “con-
Scription issue” or achieve a coalition With the

reactionary elements in the Liberal Party. And
although the CCF leaders had dangerously veered
toward supporting the Tory drive, the pressure
of the people and particularly. erganized labor
brought them up short, and they were foreed to
Support the government after that little face-
saving amendment.

Along comes the Grey North by-election. The
Tory drive gets into high gear again. And this
time the desperatio nof reaction brings with it
even uglier manifestations than before.

The personal smear campaign against Gen-
eral McNaughton is not the worst example of
the rescent to infamy which has overtaken the
once-proud party of Sir John A. Macdonald and
“British tradition.” In an effort to make “con-
scription” the issue of the coming general elec-
tion, for which it is trying to make Grey North
the opening round, this party of reaction attempts
to strike fear into the hearts of Canadians at
home and on the battlefronts, by the outright lie
that our boys overseas will not be able to get
enough reinforcements.

This is not true. The figures given out by.
McNaughton are the convincing answer to this
calumny. One need not be a partisan of the
present government to accept this.

So what remains? A deliberate, irrespon-
sible attempt to endanger morale for the sake
of partisan polities. The term “quisling” is not

By C. A. Saunders

_ where.

\

This brings home even Sharper wij :
minent defeat of Germany, that the ww,
fascism will not be completely won
influence is driven from every count

world. :

These criminals must not find re
One of the tasks of the Unite |
must be to demand and insist that th
be surrendered for trial wherever they.

One assurance that the world v
again be plunged into such a holocausi*
and destruction must be that nowhere ‘
be a haven for these scoundrels. z

The atrocities, murder, rapine an
destruction must be charged against ti
must pay and pay dearly. ij

Yes, there is joy and fear in Europ
joy in the hearts of the people in the |
countries, terror in the hearts of the Vib
ageressor, and the people of liberate:
are not, in spite of all Colin Gameron 1
and he did say it Sunday night in j)
“wondering ‘whether it is worth whil
the fascists out.” : 7

The dawn of a new world is ady:
the wake of the Allied offensive, new
ments are taking over in Europe, goy
of democratic alliance. The power anc
bility of the world’s first socialist sta
tablished for all time. The day of the 3
is coming to a close and the peoples h
tured in blood, sweat and tears the brigk
of the future.

too harsh to be applied to such wrecki |
berate industrial sabotage could wreak n.
harm. : :

And in relation to the Signifieane
coming general election, there is anof
to this counterfeit coin. It should nos
be repeated that this election will de
composition of our government for the
transition period. The issues to be dec |
those which are of wtmost importance
Canadian—jobs, security, homes, healt
and international cooperation.

The Tory campaign is a criminal Ey
our war effort and on our aim of win
peace.

T= GCF role in this cannot be disrecar

‘it is a despicable one. We have beer |
Say, correctly, in the past that the tactic
CCF leadership. have objectively aided -
by posing the issue ‘o£ “Socialism ver:
enterprize,” by attempting to upset natio}
with the slogan “socialism now,” by att
to foment strikes.

But it is no longer a question of |
tively,” of indirectness. Openly the G ¥
Tory attack on McNaughton. Openly =
tempt to stir up the issue of “conse? 3
Openly they help make a by-election, in wi
McNaughton policy on reinforcements is as
into question, a preliminary round for thi
battle te come. ;

This is every bit as criminal as the ‘
This is dyed even a deeper black by pret 4
to be a party of the workers. |

Knowing they cannot win the next eF
they maneuver towards their already #
aim of forcing a Tory-dominated coalii :
reaction.

Such ruthless cynicism, such crimir§)
portunism must be rejected by the Gad
people. It must be rejected by those ma
people who have supported the CCF becaui bh
Saw in it an avenue to achieve their own ¢
desires for a secure and decent life.

Otherwise we all go down to despa
frustration. And being a member or SUI fi,
of the CCF will he small consolation i :
the hungry mouths of children. Opposition}
decide policies. = i