PORTRAIT OF A LEADER

By ARTHUR CLEGG

; cons : is at present in the “high
tide of a socialist revolution,”
Chairman Mao Tse-tung has told

a meeting of China’s Supreme
State conference.

Since last summer socialist
transformation has unfolded on
an extremely broad scale, Mao
-said. In the main, it could be
completed on a national -scale
within three more years.

» Mao was speaking on a draft
program for agricultural devel-

re opment over the next two years
— Ss under discussion by the con-
ference.

He stressed two points in his
speech. The socialist revolution
in China could now be conducted
peacefully. And the changeover
from individual ownership in
agriculture and handicrafts to
collective ownership, and from
private to socialist ownership in
industry and trade,- would lead
to an ever-greater release of pro-
ductive forces.

This created the social con-
_ ditions for a great development
of both industrial and ragaunet
tural production.

Dealing with the peaceful

nature of the revolution, Mao

- said that many had~ been con-

cerned abott this in the past.

< : But with the recent upsurge of

_ the co-operative movement in the

- countryside and the upsurge of

socialist transformation in the

hy _ Cities, these doubts had largely
been dispelled.

Under conditions in China, it
- was not only possible to change
_ individual and handicraft owner-
_ ship to collective ownership
: peacefully, but it was also pos-
sible to change capitalist owner-

China on ‘high Hele of

socialist revolution’

mAvU TSE-TUNG
ship of trade and industry to
socialist ownership peacefully.

The political situation in China
had now undergone a funda-
mental change, as a result of

which many matters formerly

considered impracticable had

become practicable.

For example, it was now pos-
sible to fulfil China’s first five-
year plan ahead of schedule.

~ The agricultural program for
1956-57 was based on this high
tide of socialist transformation
and construction and it was neces-
sary for sectors of the economy
other than agriculture to catch
up quickly in order to meet the
new situation.

Mao asked that planning cover

that China’s backwardness in all

fields could be eliminated.

, trial unions, and does not at all
a period of several decades. so

WILLIAM KASHTAN’S LABOR COMMENT

Issues confronting Unity Congress are

far wider than call would imply

Now that the call to the Unity
Congress is out, union locals
will undoubtedly busy them-
selves discussing resolutions
and electing delegates to that

' historic event. The call creates

the impression that the only
questions to be considered are
the election of officers and
adoption- of the draft constitu-
tion. :

Obviously many more matters
will have to»be given consider-
ation. At the very last the
Unity Congress should clearly
set forward a rounded ‘out
economic, social and legislative
program through which the
trade union movement can ad-
vance. Moreover, if the congress
is to live up to expectations it
will need to outline a compre-
hensive program directed to-
wards organizing the unorgan-
ized with the objective of doubl-
ing trade union membership.

And to top it all, it should
come to grips with the task
of strengthening labor political
activity to make possible real
advances in?labor representa-
tion at all levels of govern-

ment.
* * *

Clearly the Unity Congress
has its tasks set out for it.
Whether it will accomplish
everything the workers expect
of it depends in large measure
on the rank and file and those
forward-looking leaders in the
trade union movement who look
upon the merger as a challenge
and an opportunity, not as a
means of gaining cushy jobs for
themselves.

It should be made clear from
the outset that the merger by
itself gives no guarantees that
labor will now automatically
move forward with seven league
boots. It merely creates more
favorable conditions for that
advance and these need to be
seized upon.

Some of these problems wili
be dealt with from now on un-
til the coming Unity Congress.
In the meantime, close atten-

‘tion ought to be given to the
strengthening of the democratic

character of the congress and
its constitution.

It is not without interest that
widespread approval exists on
the need for improving represen-
tation to conventions, holding
them annually and _ opening
the door of the new congress to
all unions in this country. In-
volved therein is a strong feel-
ing that the present proposals
of the Unity Committee are in-
adequate and are a threat to
industrial unions.

oe reike e

Take the issue of representa-

tion. The Unity Committee

proposed that the basis of rep-'

resentation to conventions be
one delegate for every 1,000
members or major fraction
thereof. The argument may be
made that it is. physically im-
possible to continue the old basis
or representation of approxi-
mately four delegates per 1, ,000
members. :

I cannot fully agree with such
arguments because the greater
rank and file representation
there is at conventions the bet-
ter. However, things being as
they are it is highly unlikely
that such an amhendment would
carry. Nevertheless one dele-
gate per 1,000 -is completely
unsatisfactory.

In the first place, it cuts down
representation from the indus-

correspond to the role these
unions play in the Capadias

Pied

and organized city,

Take, for ae Windsor,
which is a highly industrialized
and has
about 25,000 members in indus-
trial unions, mainly in the
United Auto Workers. On the
proposed basis it could elect
TLC affiliates in that city with
an approximate membership of
7,000 in 29 locals could send 29

‘delegates.

This is a lopsided and un-
democratic arrangement. Should
delegates representing 7,000
have a greater voice in formu-
lating policy than those repre-
senting 25,000? Especially when
everything in that city revolves
around the auto industry ?

MINE-MILL PRECEDENT

~favoring CCL

It is not a question here of
versus TLC.
There are a number of indus-
trial unions in the TLC and
they would also suffer.

It seems to me therefore that
in the interests of democratic
representation an amendment
ought to be fought for at the
Unity Congress which would
call for the election of one dele-
gate for every 500 members.
While not entirely satisfactory.
it would nevertheless partialty
meet the situation. It would be
more democratic and strengthen
rank and file representation and
influence in the moulding of
trade union policy.

Ruling threatens right
to union auionomy

& you are a member of a union

in Canada affiliated with
an international headquarters in
the U.S. and you win a measure
of self-government or autonomy,
you're liable to be declared
“non-existent.”

This is the dangerous pre-
cedent placed before a hearing

of the Ontario tebe Relations
Board. :

A battery of 15 high-paid
lawyers fortified by a ruling of
the five-man board, argued

-strenously at this hearing on

January 18 that recent changes
in the Canadian constitution of
the International Union of Mine,
Mill and Smelter Workers pro-
viding for additional autonomy
had created a new- union. Use
of the word “Canada” in the

“name of the Canadian union

was the pretext for the original
action of the board. Now it is
probing in detail the union’‘s
constitution — in defiance of
board practice.

Mine-Mill approved. the rul-
ing, the case involving | certifi-
cation of workers at the Port
Colbourne General Hospital.
Should thé board’s decision, re-
served until a later date, up-
hold its original ruling, it would
automatically void applications
for certification which Mine,
Mill is now pressing, and open
Mine-Mill plants to raids by the
United Steelworkers and attacks
by the companies.

x x x

In a six-hour hearing, com-
pany lawyers and counsel of
United Steel Workers of Am-
etica took a united-front posi-
tion in declaring that inter-

_national Mine-Mill in Canada

did not exist. Board chairman
Jacob Finkelman departed
from his assumed air of impar-
tiality to lead a strong-biased
probe into what he called the
status of Mine-Mill in Canada-

Longtime observers of labor

board hearings were surprised
by the technicalities and court
of law type of examination and
cross-questioning pursued by
board members.

Instead of acting as chairman,
Prof. Finkelman carried the
argument against Mine-Mill
further than did representa-
tives appearing for the Steel
union or the companies.

_ Joseph Sedgwick, 26, who cited

Canadian and international con-

stitutions o

ee union to. erave

Mine-Mill was represented by

during the merg
the: ae

that Canadian members were
still affiliated, paid per capita
and obtained benefits from their
‘international connections. The
only change that had taken
place, he said, was that the
union had achieved a greater
degree of autonomy.

Steel union counsel John H.
Osler of the firm of Jolliffe,
Lewis and Osler, throughout the
hearing was, in effect, opposing
the winning of greater autonomy
by Canadian unions.

Mine-Mill counsel argued that
the Labor Relations Act was de-
signed to aid industrial peace.
It was the right of any worker
to join the union of his choice.
The board was required to give
force to this principle, and not
as in the present case, bypass

the fact that 30,000 Canadians >

had chosen Mince Mill as their
union.

“What business is it ef the
board to question this choice
by the workers ?” asked Sedg-
wick. “And much less what
business is it of any employer
to question the right of the
workers to establish their own
constitution or probe into it ?”

The only group or groups that
could question or deal with the

constitution were the members

themselves or a body of the
union, not outsiders. He charg-
ed that the “microscopic exam-
ination” of a union’s constitu-
tion was absolutely no concern

_of the employers organizations.

Sedgwick included
lawyer, John Osler,

Steel’s
in his

' scathing references to the un-

precedented and biased practice
of the board. If Osler wanted
to carry his argument to its
logical conclusion, he pointed
out, then a union should be in-
corporated,

“This is strange talk coming
‘from Mr. Osler. I would have
thought that he would have
been the last to make such a >
proposal,” he commented.

In sweeping manner Osler
asserted “he international union
does not in any real sence exist
in Canada.” This was followed by
such declarations as: “ I don't
say it is not a trade union, but
it is not a trade union in Can-
ada or Ontario...it ‘doesnt’
exist...the board. ean’t find.
them...you have locals that
are locals of nothing. ee

The case has added signifi -
cance in that both Canadian .
Congress of Labor and Trades
and Labor Congress of Canada
affiliates are warning their locals ©
locals that changes of names

r period | may qo