Cs
=

7 Program.

has been some com-
th pro and con, in the
ss in Vancouver, about
vly-organized Federa-
)emocratic Youth, The
il Initiative Committee
jiederation has approved
jowing as an official
Kt of its purpose and
=, and has recommend-
mission to the press:
‘ag unsatisfied needs of
» youth demand the un-
| support of the Canadi-
fie and the immediate
> the Canadian govern-
ne FDY gives voice to
‘eds in its campaigns,
‘aple, for the eighteen-
; vote, for a National
kdministration, for the
| of the National Physi-
ess Act, and especially
eleetion, on June 11, of
‘nment which will sup-
- program. :
government, to quote
“tion leaflet, ‘“‘Youth’s
for 1945,” “must pro-
Canada of opportunity
h,” — the opportunity
«at good wages; for
‘essful rehabilitation of
en; for adequate prep-
| (education and voca-
“gining) for adult life;
/4 health and physical
‘or the exercise of the
= citizenship by voting

1 among races, classes,
ads for national unity
dd at peace.
iviex,as jouns--people,
government which can
‘ded upon to meet these
one pledged to carry
~eform programs of the
/ wernment on an even

4 of reform candidates
farmer, progressive,

“<which will actually

“ars and over; for co- -

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AT DO YOU THINK?>

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carry out \the programs adopt-
ed. Where we endorse a partic-
ular candidate, it is because he
measures up, in our opinion, to
this criterion. At the moment
we are discussing the endorsa-

tion of Vancouver candidates.

Regarding our ~much-dis-
cussed stand on the Progres-
sive-Conservatives, let us make
our position clear.’ As young
people we have found, through
long and bitter experience, that
the policies of Tory govern-
ments have ever been harmful
to us, and that the eloquent
pre-election promises of this
party to Canadian youth do not
bear fruit. Re the adjective

“Progressive” we note that a~

leopard may change his spots;
he remains a leopard. The
Federation supports those can-
didates who support its pro-
gram—by deed as well as by
word. The Federation deems it
imperative for the future wel-
fare of Canada that the Con-
servatives be defeated at the
polls on June -11. ;

All our present activities are

désigned to get-out the youth-

vote for the elections. We urge
all Canadian - youth, wherever
and whatever their station, to
exercise their vote and guaran-
tee their future. :
Sincerely yours,
R. A. LOWTHER,
Chairman
(Miss) W. WILLIAMS
; Secretary.
May 24, 1945.

Criticizes CCF

To the Editor:

During the past few months
I have watched with growing
interest the platforms of the
various political parties pre-
sented to the people as part of
their election campaigns. In
that period I have been struck
by the vicious attacks that are

scale —‘a government

 Witch’s Brew
PAGE 5 — PACIFIC ADVOCATE

A
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AUREUERAOORREDSSDRERCERTRTUSRC TORT ONECTSE TATTLE SATER ASTUTE ITEAE:

being levelled by the Tories on
the CCF. As an ex-serviceman
of over three years service, I
remember that while: in the
army I considered the CCF the
logical party to gain the sup-
port of the people. Since coming
out of the army I ‘have changed
my ideas considerably.

Although by no means a sup-
porter of the CCF, I must take

‘exception to the attacks being
levelled against the trade union

and progressive movement in
the guise of an attack on “so-
cialism.” It is recognized that
the CCF because of their pro-
gram have made it very easy
for the reactionaries to attack
them. By trying to, make out
that they were for ‘“‘Socialism
or nothing,’ that there had to
be socialism right away, they

have given the Tories the open-
ing that they were waiting for.

The CCF, by making the is-
sue “socialism now” have done
a disservice to the progressive
movement. They have given the
Tories a chance to hide behind
a smokescreen of preserving
Canadian democracy from “to-
talitarianism,” to feed us sugar
coated poison pills labelled
“save our Canadian way of
life.’ They’ve been so darned
busy pushing their narrow line
that they’ve laid the whole
trade union movement open to.
the dirtiest form of attack
possible. And the worst of it
is that there are a lot of people
who support the CCF who are
being blinded by the Tory at-
tack and being bulldozed by the

cc

. GCF fakers.

The CCF party cannot, and
will not, give the people social-
ism, and when the Tories say
so they are telling as big a lie
as the CCF. In the first place
the CCF will not be elected,
and in ‘the second place the CCF
even if they were elected
would try to foist off social
democracy at the very best on
the Canadian people.

I say that people had better
smarten up a little and not be
sucked in by either the Tories
or the CCF. The Tories are
pulling a cheesy trick by trying
to make us afraid of socialism,
and the CCF are suckers for
falling for the Tory tirck.

On election day I’m going to
vote Labor-Progressive, and it
will be a darned good thing for
the people of Canada if a lot of
others do too. It is only with a
government committed to co-
operation and full production
that we can get on with the
job of building the peace. And
that’s what I believe the LPP
stands for.

EX-SERVICEMAN.

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Short Jabs by Ol’ Bill

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' Money!

OOKING back through the Short Jabs column in The People, the
L Advocate and the B.C. Workers’ News, I was surprised to find how
much of the yardage of that column was taken up with appeals to our
readers for finances to carry on) our work. There were press drives,
election funds, appeals on behalf.of comrades who had done yeoman
service in our movement here and in other countries, and so forth.

I must say, also, that the response to these appeals shows that _
they are not resented ini any way, that the readers of our press know —
the reasons why they are made and that they consider it is their duty
to respond willingly, even enthusiastically, to them, just as I consider
it is my duty to make them.

A few days ago a fairly large box, almost as large as the cases
in which 48 pounds of salmon is packed, was ‘delivered at the office
where I have been working for the past couple of weeks. It was ad-
dressed to OP Bill. On opening it, it proved to be full of flowers which
prompted one of the girls present to remark, “Hello, Bill, they’re send-
ing you wreaths now.” : :

But it was no wreath any more than the bouquet presented to the
prima donna on the opening night at the Metropoitan, is a wreath.

It was sent by some comrades in! Alberni as a mark of appreciation
for the good showing our column made in the recent press drive. This
was indicated by a card which accompanied it, that said some very nice
things about myself personally—and a cash donation of $15.00.

I used to pride myself on being possessed of a mind that was:
impervious to emotion, that could only be influenced by cold scientific
reasoning. I have been compelled to recast that estimate. I believe I
am just as sentimental as the next guy, or more so, and I cannot put
into words how I felt when I got that recognition that somehing of
what I am doing is appreciated.

The closest I can come to it, is to say that I felt much as I did back,
in 1937 on reading a letter from Spain. That was at the time when the
mountains around Madrid were the setting for the first opening pass-
ages of the armed conflict between democracy and fascism.

In the ranks of the International Brigade was one of the best
friends I ever had, Yorky Burton. The letter was from Yorky and ip
it he told me how he had been reading Short Jabs, how his company
had just got hold of a new machine gun and had christemed it “Ol Bill”
and it was now killing fascists. As a writer, Yorkie was no Charles
Dickens but that letter of his gave me greater pleasure than a whole
library of books like Dickens.

It is ineidents like these two, which show that we are not alone,
that keep plugs like me from becoming pessimistic.

And More Money!!

AN? now to get back in the beam and maintain the “appealing” char-
acter of our column. No election campaign was ever entered with-
out money or the prospects of getting it. When talk of a federal elec-
tion became something more than just idle rumor, the Labor Progressive
Party set itself the task of gathering together the sinews of war as the
poetic scribblers like to refer to the stuff that pays the printer, the
advertising agents, the broadcasting stations amd other incidentals
without which no election campaign can be carried through.

At the time I write this we have quite a lot of leeway to make up
if we are to succeed im raising the $50,000 we set as our objective for
British Columbia. That was quite a goal even with wartime prosperity
but if we had a few Harry Assons instead of just one it would be a
great deal easier.

In every press drive his name gets in among the top scorers for
selling subscriptions and getting donations. His face gets in there too;
you must have seen his picture im the honors lists. Not a handsome
or glamorous face maybe, but a weather-beaten one full of determina-
tion and character.-

At selling ‘books and pamphlets in the shipyard where he works
he has no equal. He is the star performer in that line also. He has
no enemies except the enemies of his class. :

Two years in an internment camp for that sort of activity did not
dampen his: enthusiasm.: He still carries on these everyday) Jimmy
Higgins duties which are as necessary to-our continued success as the
contributions of writers and. speakers, more so perhaps.

A few days ago Harry came into the Party headquarters to make
a personal donation to the election fund of $250.00, a further proof if
any were needed of the fire that burns in his heart for the accomplish-
ment of our party’s program.

Harry Asson is not a wealthy man. $250.00 means a lot to him. It
means sacrifice that no one will ever know but himself. It would be
only a flea bite to the people who are putting up the money to circulate
the anti-labor pamphlet, product of a twisted-cross mentality, being
mailed to every voter in Canada to confuse them in the coming election.

For Harry Asson it is am assurance to the limit of his means, of
faith in our victory. -

Without that spirit we cannot hope for suceess. Yorkie Burton
paid to the full. His bones were left te bleach on.a rocky mountain-
side in Spain, leaving us only the memory of the part he played in
our upward struggle. Harry Asson and these folks at Alberni
displayed it in another way. but they ars doing their part.

And what of the rest cf us? The last few days of this most
critical election in our country’s history must be of the whirlwind
variety. Money is still needéd. Debts will be incurred. If they are
not paid before election day they will have to be paid after.

Your donations will help! Give them -to the Party workers. Send.
them to the Party headquarters. Send them to Ol’ Bill at the P-A..
office. But SEND THEM! ! !

SATURDAY, JUNE 2, 1945;