WESTERN CANADIAN LUMBER WORKER Questions Answered IWA members are asking questions about plans for the New Party. They are entering upon a brand-new and vitally important experience. For the first time, Canadian trade unionists are the co-architects of a new political structure, which is changing the whole political scene. As the largest Union in Western Canada, the IWA is playing a leading role in this new development. The IWA Regional President was invited to keynote the seminar discussion on the shape and structure of the New Party in Calgary recently. This seminar, together with one held the previ- ous week in Montreal, was in- tended to lay a still better founda- tion for continuing membership discussion. Democratic member- ship discussion has been planned as the principal feature of the planning for the New Party. Some of the questions most frequently asked by individual members were directed to Presi- dent Morris. His answers are here summarized briefly. Question. What steps have been taken toward the foundation of the New Party? Answer (summarized): Two conventions of the Canadian La- bour Congress, and two national conventions of the CCF have ccmmitted these organizations to participation in a founding con- vention. Provincial conventions of both bodies have supported this decision. A national Committee, com- prised of ten members from each organization was formed to under take preliminary plans. Chairman of this Committee is Stanley Knowles, Executive Vice-Presi- dent of the Canadian Labour Con- gress. Joe Morris is a member of this National Committee for the New Party. Study papers, questionnaires, and material made available through various sources, particu- larly a series of nationally-spon- sored seminars, has been supplied to aid membership discussion. In British Columbia, study seminars have been held under the auspices of the B.C. Federa- tion of Labour, and a substantial supply of informative material has been distributed. Speakers will be made available early in the year. Draft copies of a constitution and policy statement will be circulated next March. Question. How will the founding convention be constituted? Answer (summarized): This has not yet been decided by the National Committee. All recom- mendations made on this point are receiving consideration. The founding convention will be held in the Ottawa Coliseum for one week commencing July 31, 1961. It is expected that rep- resentative committees will be formed to assist the convention in the aed task of choosing a name, drafting a constitution, formulating a policy, and planning & program of activity all within six days. Question. Will the natio- nal founding convention determine the structure of the New Party within the province? Answer (summarized): expected that a provincial found- ing convention will be held in British Columbia after the na- tional founding convention. The _ delegates attending this provincial - convention will have the powers to determine constitutional and ot ey matters that are of simply neial scope. A joint provin- cial committee has now com- enced ing for this event, will advise all local unions ‘done by means It is}. of trade unions? Answer: Trade unions will re- tain full independence to deal with wages and working condi- tions as at present. As the instru- ment for political expression will be a “parallel structure”, outside | / the Union, there will be no inter- ference with the primary func- tions of the union — protection for standards of wages and work- ing conditions. Those groups or individuals who differ with this political expression will not be subjected to any compulsion. Those who desire political ex- pression as determined by the majority will gain such expres- sion through a separate political organization in whose policy they have voice and influence accord- ing to their numerical support. Question: What will a trade union gain by affilia- tion with the New Party? Answer: If the British example is followed, a trade union decid- ing by majority membership vote to affiliate with the New Party will gain representation on all policy-making bodies, as deter- mined by the agreed-upon basis of representation. In _ practice, legislative policies directly affect- ing trade unions’ will be deter- mined by the trade unions. Question: What is meant by two classes of member- ship? Answer: This usually refers to the system which has. been in effect in Great Britain’ for sixty years. In that country each union affiliated with the British Labour Party votes at policy-making con- ferences through the delegates seated under the terms of affilia- tion. The members affiliated by their unions and given this repre- sentation are described as affili- ated members. To become dele- gates, candidates for public office, or office-holders, they must pledge support to the declared policies of the Party, and state that they are not members of any other political party. This is of individual membership in the constituency unit. Population Explosion The United Nations was asked to give leadership in developing world-wide pro- grams of birth control to pre- vent the prospect of a “dark age” of misery and famine in the world. A “statement of conviction about overpopulation” was ad- dressed to Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjold, signed by 29 Nobel Prize winners and 133 other prominent citizens of 19 countries, including Canada. The statement — signed by scientists, writers, health ex- perts, educationists and politi- cal leaders — was also sent to the heads of state of all mem- ber countries of the U.N. Canadian signers included: Dr. Brock Chisholm, Victoria, former head of the World ewan. Something to Remember One of the primary duties of a minister of the crown is to respect, and encourage others to respect, the law of the land, especially in those matters which concern his own department. The Globe and Mail, Toronto. Court refused to review the con- viction. Key witness in the trail was a disgruntled former TWUA mem- ber with a criminal record. Pay- ton was convicted on the basis of one phone call to him which— the prosecution claimed—showed Payton’s knowledge of the con- spiracy. At a news conference held just before the men surrendered, Wil- liam Pollock, TWUA president, stated that as long as the union has any money, “we're going to see that the families of all these men are not going to go hungry.” Earlier this year, the Supreme Union s Agents Jailec Eight union members, includ- ing Textile Workers Carolina’s Dir. Boyd Payton, started serv- ing prison sentences as the re- sult of convictions on charges of a conspiracy to destroy facilities at the Harriet-Henderson Cotton Mills, in North Carolina. Last hope of avoiding long jail terms vanished when Goy. Luther Hodges denied executive clem- ency in a telegram to the lawyers representing the TWUA mem- bers. Payton and two other staff- men drew six to 10 year sen- tences, while the other five union- ists received lighter sentences. From IUD Bulletin THOUGHT OF THE MONTH ... Trouble, like the hill ahead, straightens out when you ad- vance upon it. WATERFROA FROM AN 0 As Payton and his seven com- panions left tearful families to surrender to prison Officials at Henderson, N.C. TWUA mem- bers still on strike broke into the song, “Solidarity Forever.” PRINTED BY PARIS BOOTS ARE BEST! Ask Any of Three Generations of ' Foot-Happy Customers THE KEYSTONE PRESS LTD 860 KINGSWAY, VANCOUVER TELEPHONE TRINITY 9-1541 Pierre Paris & Sons Health Organization; Hugh “vty iio, Os haem designers and producers of . assistance; and Dr. Wilder fine printing & lithography 51 West Hastings St. Penfield, former head of the Montreal Neurological Insti- Vancouver 3, B.C.