Greetings To Legion Convention Rehabilitation And A Happy Canada - By TOM BARNARD Das Provincial President, Canadian Legion One of the great probiems confronting us is full em- ployment with adequate pay to provide a decent Canadian standard of living for all. We have vivid recollections of what happened after the previous war, particularly in what is known as the hungry thirties. None of us want a similar ex- perience after this war and it behooves us to see this does not happen, but it will take some- thing. more than wishful think- ing. In any successful plan of re- habilitation, men and women who served in the armed forces can- not be segregated from the rest of the people. To throw one worker out of employment to give employment to an ex-ser- vice person does not solve the problem. Owing largely to war destruc- tion there is desperate need in those countries for consumer goods, particularly food, clothes and shelter. In Canada, the most urgent need is working- class houses. In this connection we have the raw material and competent man-power available. Housing is now a national emerg— eney, and responsibility should be assumed by the Federal Gov- ernment. This is one problem organized veterans and organ- ized labor should unite upon and cooperatively press their demands upon the Dominion Government. The rush for export markets is on and we predict that in less than two years these markets will become saturated. The fol- lowing illustration by two coun- tries will suffice. Prime Minster Attlee of Great Britain said a few days ago that country must ex- port at least 75. percent more than they did in pre-war days. The USA has the greatest mass producing capacity in human history and according to their own economists must export at least 50 percent of their produc- tion. Our best market should be right here in Ganada with our Own people, but unemployment or low paid workers do not pro- vide good markets. Owing to urgent needs the cry during the war years was for more speed, for more produc- Or ? tion. Science was applied in in- dustry through technological im- provements to facilitate produc- tion. Now the war is over we cannot turn the clock hands back So we must accommodate our- selves and meet the question of increased production per man hour by. shortening working hours, adequate holidays with pay, increase the lower pay brackets to provide adequate purchasing power, retirement at earlier ages, reduce the age for old age pensioners with ade- quate pensions without the means test. The foregoing are some of the things that are mutual to organ- ized Veterans, organized Labor and old age pensioners. It should of course be understood neces- sary treatment and adequate disability pensions should be provided for ex-members of the armed forces. The foregoing elementary de- mands will not be granted with- out a struggle, but they can be obtained by intelligent cooper- ative action by the groups men- tioned above, and any others of course that care to support us. We shall be told, “It cannot be done, industry will be ruined, the money cannot be found,” but it was always thus. I heard a Similar story in Britain when we agitated for a reduction of the twelve-hour day, but we got it and Britain is still a going concern. Organized veterans are cosmo- politan in their membership and Some will oppose the foregoing suggestions, but the vast ma- jority are of the working class and have an identity of interest with most trade unionists. Attempts will be made to keep us apart. There are isolationists, who go it alone amongst us, but individuals and nations cannot solve their problems alone, even the USA has learned this lesson. American soldiers visiting the graves of their buddies who fell in the battle of Italy. Vets do not want a repetition of this. PACIFIC ‘TRIBUNE — PAGE 2 Legion President Lauds Growth Of ’ Provincial Command Of Legio By JACK HENDERSON, President B.C. Command, Canadian Legion IN important phase of the forthcommg legion convention will be that of dealing the resolutions which come before it. activities. The membership has increased tremendously since the last con- vention was held, and in all probability the number of dele- gates in attendance at this con- vention will be double that of any previous one. Probably half of those present will be yet- erans of World War II. Before another year passes the veterans of this war wall be in the majority and the vyeter- ans of previous wars will un- doubtedly have to hand over the reins of office to them. It is JACK HENDERSON always interesting ‘to. speculate about the future and this ap- plies to the Legion activities and its future, just as it does to all human affairs when a new generation gets into the saddle. Since the resolutions passed at the convention will determine Le- gion policy I believe that this is a most important phase of the convention, and that it will in- dicate in some measure what the young veterans are thinking about and what they are desir- eus of bringing into accomplish- ment. If the membership in- ereases during this year as it did in 1945 the numerical strength of the Legion will be such as it will be able to wield great influence. Hense the policies it accepts will have un- usupl significance in ‘the wf- fairs of our country. Resolutions dealing with jobs and homes will probably be in the ascendancy. The “new world order’ which was held out to the boys of World War II just hasn’t happened up to date, and they are clamoring for it quite vociferously. It is interesting to observe that the standard of education among the young veterans is generally higher than that of the veterans of previous wars. They are much more articulate and better able to express them- selves than the old veterans. There is no doubt whatever that There will be some hundreds of these presi | ed to the Resolutions Committee and they will cover every branch of the Legic | eee will Jet themselves go on the convention floor. After all when a young man is called upon to fight for his country he can- not be considered unreasonable to expect a place in the eco- nomic life of the country, which shall inelude a job and a home, with a modicum of social se- curity. One other phase of equal im- portance will be the election of officers. For upon their shoul- ders will rest the responsibility of endeavoring to seek the im- plemention of the resolutions which are adopted by the con- vention. Seldom is enough thought or consideration given to this im- portant matter =m any of our organizations, which haye to deal with the security and 54 being: of our people and our oe try. Today, as never before leaders ought to be endowed © <7? the gift of a just and bala: | appraisal, which unfortuns is not nearly as prevalent 3 1) desirable in these trying ti 1g For my part, I hope ~ judgment of the young . Ve. decisions they make, and © they will get the type of 1] ers they so deservedly are titled to. These are, to my view at a : the two most important ph which the delegates atten’ the Legion convention next ¥ | will be called upon to exe: ¥ their wisdom and their de | eratie right. : Make The ‘Trib’ Your Paper IVAN BIRCHARD says: ree Events of the past week have provided another st ing reason for the building of a strong labor press. Wins. Churchill, in two speeches at Fulton, Missouri and Richme § Virginia, added new viciousness to the anti-Soviet campa begun by Canada’s spy scare. Churchill the war leader be- _|eame Churchill the tool of fas- cist reaction. And the arch- reactionary Premier George Drew of Ontario, pre-war friend of Hitler and all-time enemy of organized labor, is quick to fol- low Churchill’s line and call for an immediate war on the USSR. Afraid of the people’s de mand for that “brawe new world” that was promised, the press and radio have played up every reactionary speech and ac- tion in recent weeks to the ut- most of sensation, using every trick to plunge Canada into an- other war to protect the profits of monopoly. All of which proves again the importance of the Pacific Trib- une’s Spring sustaining fund drive for $10,000 and 5,000 new readers, which begins April 15 and ends May 381. Many clubs are already dis- cussing their quotas. Victoria, the Albernis and Salmon Arm have agreed on theirs ,and p- are under way for a big ¢ paign. : Vancouver will of course 3 the greater part of the me | and the clubs here are hoj| 2 press drive conference © March 22 in the Boilerma. Hall. Victoria, Nanaimo and er Island points will also — t conferences, and the Vice f people have already se Warning that they intend te { tain the trophy they won ir : last drive. Which now puts the que: up to our readers and to e §! press drive committee in the fri vince—what are YOU goin } do? Remember, the Tri { drive for $10,000 and 5,000 | readers is integrally boune fF with the fight to keep and * the peace. Make your plans ~ as many clubs have done. 1.) you have made your camp 4 plans, let us know and then i: tr into the fight to make the Pa 2 Tribune the powerful voice | ‘progress that it must beco ##@ PACIFIC TRIBUNE 104 Shelly Bldg. 119 Pender St. W. Vancouver, B.C. [|] One Year’s Subscription [-] Six Months’ Subscription SS SS SS SS SS Clip here and return — “92225 @ Enclosed please find marked: