Labor Personalities —]

i Ed Simpson

By Cynthia Carter — i Te

When Ed Sim
x Local

.
AN

After his school years, Ed started job-hunting, and
iy became a drugstore clerk in Victoria. But pre-
pions, cosmetics and sodas were pretty boring, and

@ ater he went to work on the CPR boats until 1925,
became in quick succession an able seaman, a
ker, a taxi driver and a steeplejack. Back in Van-
‘er he served a brief time as a hotel night clerk.
1 the wide-open spaces beckoned again. In a few
*s he was fishing for pilchards off the west coast of
souver Island.

ad then, suddenly, scare headlines began to appear
© newspapers. It was 1929.

he depression brought about two important turn-
points in Ed Simpson’s life, both of them closely
ected. He was unemployed for a long time and he
a to take an interest in the labor political move-

‘became a member of the CCF, but the consistent
Sal of party leaders to discuss unity with the
Munist party around the immediate issues of the_
lisillusioned him with the CCF. He joined the Com-
St party. That was in 1935. In August 1943 he was
2d chairman of the North Vancouver branch of the
Labor Progressive party.

jot long ago I toured Vancouver's largest shipyard
‘Ed Simpson. The whole business of shipbuilding
oretty impressive; but also impressive was the way
(a his capacity as business agent, handled the prob-
ee and women placed before him as he walked
ign.

body thought he was getting the wrong rate of
Somebody else wondered if he could be put on
tht afternoons so he could tend his victory garden.
idered how anybody could be expected to know all
Oswers. Later, I found out.

Tou must have been around a lot of unions,” I said,
‘Sat down with a group of passer boys for lunch.
Vell, he considered, “I was in the Federated Sea-
f union. I was a member of the Steel Workers. I
#2 the Industrial Seamens union, then I did a bit of
izing for the IWA on the Isiand. I was a member
‘Island Labor Council, and I was in the ACC of L.
I was Secretary of Nanaimo and District Workers
sean: 7?

ad then somebody_ came up and wanted the low-
/0On dirty money ...

Continued from Page One

Labor Demands Enactment Of

Sound Federal Labor Policy

policy, for an end to the obstructionist tactics of the de-
partment of labor, for labor representation on government Wartime boards in the inter-

for a new deal in federal labor

ests of greater production.

AS Was expected, Labor Minister Humphr
from the convention. And the temper of t

ment’s head was indicated early
in the first session when refer-

ence to his name brought a
rumble of disapproval from the
Gathering. The delegates’ atti-
tude was still further emphasized
When a telegram from Mitchell,
expressing regret at his “inabil-
ity” to be present was received
in expressive Silence, while an
address by V. GC. Phelan, Mit-
chell’s representative, in which
he referred to the labor minister
as a “union man,” brought a
chorus of boos and groans’ from
the delegates.

One of the first Tesolutions to
be introduced and unanimously
endorsed demanded the minist-
er’s immediate resignation. This
was also expected. The resolution
registered the “strongest protest”
at the “lack of ceoperation dis-
Played by the department of labor
uuder the present administra-
tion.”

It is unlikely that Such a de-
mand from the influential labor
body in Canada will go unheeded
by the King government, faced
as it is by a crisis arising from
repudiation of Liberal Candidates
in the Ontario provincial elections

-8S well as in several federal and

provincial byelections.

Acting President Percy Ben-
Sough’s report to the opening ses-
sion stressed the fact that the
Congress executive had operated
under extreme difficulties during
the past year. In-its effort to
achieve cooperation with the SOv-
ernment behind the war effort, it
had received one rebuff after an-
other.

As instances of how the govern-
ments policy was Marring the war
effort and promoting - discord
Bengough referred to the Boeing
plant in Vancouver and the three
aircraft plants in Montreal where
lockouts had followed the Yraising
of the workers’ demands.

“The Montreal lockout,” Ben-
gough declared, “was possibly the
biggest piece of sabotage of the
war.”

In the case af the National War
Labor Board, Bengough reyealed
that he had asked Prime Minister
Eing to make the reports of the
board’s public inquiry available
in time to receive the considera-
tion of the convention. But he had
not received the courtesy of a
reply from the prime minister,
and publication of the long-await-
ed reports was being still further
delayed.

Referring to the circular letter
sent out by the department of
munitions and supply. instructing
all managements to refrain from
jeining with their employees in
applications to any war boards for
Wage or bonus increases, Ben-
gough declared the convention
“will have to show its resentment
by taking a stand on these things.”

Among the principal questions
placed before the convention by
Bengough were: see i

@ Federal labor legislation
guaranteeing the right of collec-
tive bargaining and outlawing of
company unions.

@ A national minimum wage of
$25 weekly and calling of wage
stabilization conferences across
the country.

@ Full cost of living bonus.

@ Equal pay for equal work.

@ A post-war scheme of vast
public works as a means of keep-
ing every Canadian on the job
and maintaining the present level
of the national income.

Favorable action taken on reso-

lutions placed before the conven-
tion on the above matters indi-
cated that delegates were fully
in accord with the reports of their
officers.

Prime Minister King, who was
in Quebee City when the con-
vention opened, failed to take ad-
vantage of the opportunity to
speak to delegates, returning to
Ottawa after having met only with
Percy Bengough. The delegates
did hear, hewever, from J. LL,
Cohen, KC, labor's representative
on the National War Labor Board,
Who last week refused to sit in
on further cases before the board
until the board’s report to the
€evernment had been made pub-
lie and its position clarified.

Declared Cohen: “Whatever may
be said in criticism of Wartime
strikes is mild as compared with
the criticism which can properly
be directed against any govern-
ment, against any management,
Or against any public agency
which waits until strife and tur-
moil and strikes create a crisis
before dealing adequately with
Problems of the industrial front.

“Every moment during which
the government delays institution
of an effective, a sound and just

ey Mitchell was conspicuous ~by his absence
he delegates towards the federal labor depart-
labor policy is a moment dedi--

cated to the enemy, a contribution
to defeat.”

That delegates were in agree-
ment with Cohen’s statements
was made clear later in the Ses-
sions when they endorsed a reso-
Jution calling for just such a fed-
eral labor code as outlined, and
the implementing by the govern-
ment of labor recommendations
Inade during the National War
Labor Board’s inquiry into labor
relations in Canada.

Other resolutions endorsed in-
cluded: | ;

@ Amendment of the Pension
Act to provide that members of
the armed forces with a year
or more of service be granted
disability pensions regardless of
service overseas or at home,

© Same allowance for depend-
ents of members’ of the reserve
army when in camp as for de-
pendents of those overseas.

© Implementation without de-
lay of 1942 parliamentary commit-
tee report recommending lifting
of the ban on certain political and
cultural organizations and restor-
ation of seized property to the
rightful owners,

An Editorial

laid in ruins.

pledged so little.

be fought.

Invasion Of Italy

Ts week, as the war enters its fifth year, the Red
army is Sweeping westward and the Nazis are with-
drawing from their shattered defences all along the
southern sector of the eastern front. The Nazi high com-
mand, its reserves of troops now too depleted-to ‘meet
the new demands of the eastern front and still garrison
occupied Hurope effectively,
dustrial centers, which might
abandoned by the armies on the eastern front, have been
This is the bright oppor

to the Allies and the invas
this week, following upon the Quebec Conference, bears
out the hope that the opportunity will be seized. The
invasion will inspire new confidence in the Majority of
Canadians who listened to what Prime Minister Churchill
had to say earlier this week and felt only disappoint-

ment because he held out the hope of so much and yet
p to dispel the doubts and
mischievous speculation which Prime Minister Church-
ill’s speech did little to allay.

Allied troops have landed on the mainland and the
front in southern Europe first opened in Sicily is being
expanded. But the measure of its importance will be
the extent to which it forces the Nazis to withdraw
troops from the decisive eastern front to meet the new
threat. If it succeeds through expansion into the Bal-
kans in drawing fifty or more Nazi divisions from the
eastern front, or if Allied troops invade Europe at other
points and force the Nazis t
the opportunity of victory will become the certainty,
even though the greatest battles of the war must still

tunity for victory held out
ion of the Italian mainland

It will hel

© divide their armies, then

Organized labor this Labor Day will send its message
to the troops at the front heartened by this new action
and that message will be: Everything for the fighting
fronts! Everything for victory!

faces a crisis, German in-
have replaced the materiel]

ee