6 —<— Opinions contained in these columns Gre strictly those of the writers. We welcome correspondence, but ask that letters be held to 300 words. TUNTUNTETTTT CCF Resolution P. Walsh, Jaffray, writes: The following resolution was passed at a GCF Federal Coun- cil meeting at Jaffray on Satur- day, September 4: Whereas: the lessons of history and the experience of the work- ing class movement in Europe clearly demonstrates that with- out unity the struggle for social- ism is doomed to failure. Therefore: be it resolved that the East Kootenay Federal Coun- cil of the CCF requests both the national and provincial execu- tives to explore every possibility for unity between the Labor-Pro- gressive Party and the CCF. Echo of Gerry George Unwin, Vancouver, writes: So now even our bombless revolutionaries of the CCF are aghast at the thought that the Labor-Progressive Party gets its orders, not to mention its gold, direct from Uncle Joe’s private retreat within the Kremlin. “A pranch of the Russian For- eign Office,” says Grant McNeill. Well. of course, he ought to know, for didn’t the CCF "get this information straight from Gerry MecGeer during a torrid election campaign a few years back when the CCF itself pretended to be redder than the rose? Indeed, they did! That was the time the lovable Liberal monetary reformer pre- dicted the bells would ring in Moscow if the CCF candidate were elected. Gerry is dead now (politically, not physically. unfortunately), but the red herring lives on, now apparently under the patronage of certain CCF revolutionaries. Tf Winch and McNeill don’t feel inclined to seek unity with the Labor-Progressives perhaps they could become a Canadian off- shoot of the Dies Committee. To judge from recent statements credited to them in the daily press, they could qualify. Speaking oi the daily press, it is noticeable that such gentry as Winch and McNeill are no longer eonsidered beyond the pale by the editors of the Daily Province and Sun. Now they are damned only with faint praise by the edi- torial hacks. Soon, as they manage to estab- lish their position in the front line of red-baiters, they will un- doubtedly be accepted into the select. ff only they’d give up the hor- rid idea of nationalizing the banks, like the Bolsheviks gave up nationalizing the Russian women. They did give that up, didn't they? THE PEOPLE Published every Friday by The People Publishing Co., Rm. 104, Shelly Bldg., 119 West Pender St, Vancouver, B.C. Tele. MAr. 6929. Heal Griffin SSS Al Parkin G. Greenwood Editor Managing Editor Business Mgr. —_ Six Months: $1.00 One Year: $2.00 Printed at Broadway Printers, Ltd., 151 East 8th Ave., Vancouver, B.C Conference C.L.W., Vancouver, writes: At the splendid conference of Vancouver citizens held last week te discuss problems of education snd recreation for employed per- sons, delegates were privileged to compare notes with PO A. D. Morris, RAAF, of Kurri Kurri, New South Wales, and to learn a little of the way similar prob- lems are handled in Australia. It was interesting to note that while the pilot officer agreed with all progressive resolutions passed by the convention, he seemed to be astonished at times by the attitude at many of the delegates. When, time and again, the conference panel groups dis- cussed methods of financing iheir excellent program sugges- tions, some delegates seemed to view with considerable alarm the idea of demanding action from proyincial and federal govern- ments to implement a sound ed- ucational and recreational pro- gram. “shouldn't we move carefully?” asked several delegates from women’s clubs. “Are we an offi- cial body? Cen we appeal to the government for funds?” : “Tf this group has no authority, who on earth has?” commented Morris. “We have here represen- tatives of both Trade Union Councils, of the Housewives League, of Council of Social Agencies, Parent-reacher Associ- ations, Teachers Federation, and youth groups. As a matter of fact. who else would be capable of formulating a program along ihese lines?” “J think this conference should proceed on the assumption that our word carries some weight,” pointed out a delegate. “After all, we are the people concerned— and we put the government there to look after our best interests.” Labor Unity John Wigdor, writes: The trade union movement to- day represents a vital force in the life of B.C. It has never been as strong numerically and as well led. For the first time, miners in company towns, such as Brit- annia Beach, have an organiza- tion like the Mine, Mill and Smelterworkers Union to look after their interests. Loggers from Vancouver Island, the Queen Charlottes and sawmill workers from Fraser Mills at New West- minster are organized into a mili- tant union whieh continues to make headway in spite of the em- ployers’ bitter opposition. Trade union unity exists in the shipyards through the Joint Shop Stewards movement and the Shipyard Conference. Facts like these demonstrate that labor is in a position to exercise its influence in govern- ment. The trade union movement and the left wing political par- fies must jointly map out a pro- gram which will see to it that their representatives are in city councils, in the provincial legis- lature and parliament. If we do this now, the better are our chances of working steadily after the war and eating three square meals a day. Vancouver, Significant A. C., Victoria, writes: In the furor over Drew Pear- son’s charges against Secretary Hull and President Roosevelt's answer, we are apt to overlook a significant aspect. Can anyone visualize such a storm being raised by having an official called anti-Soviet three years ago? Com- ment would be aroused by charges of pro-Soviet feeling. NK ? Itt tUwKwGKtGwGtii mT: miTTriirrniisinnnTnNssniiNlEsiNiaAiininil WHAT DO YOU Th RL TT TTR LETTERS from OUR READERS ae cs) eS ~ <= For OMY “WE SAYS HE WANTS TO TRADE ih ad vecetidsad THEM FoR A WAR BOKD!” Books and People by Kay. Gregory SA i le IS always amazing to me that books written by com- munists or favorable to communism in any way are de- scribed by newspaper reviewers as “biased and unobjective”’ while others, implying by wishingful thinking that “com- munism is finished in the Soviet Union” and that the phil- osophy “has lost its following”, are hailed by critics as “com- pletely fair and objective.” In the former category are two books reviewed in last week's New York Times book section, The Problem of India, by R.- Palme Dutt, reviewed in this is- sue, and The Battle Hymn of China, Agnes Smedley’s latest book, published recently by Al- fred A. Knopf. Both these writ- ers are experts in their own field, and both have a first-hand knowledge of the struggles of the Indian and Chinese people for freedom. Yet Dutt is described in the New York Times as giving the im- pression of “deliberately closing his eyes to very real difficulties. _. , He expects his readers to believe that the Indian Com- munist party has been legalized because of its growing mass in- fluence and not because of the role played by Russian-British -agreement or the expectation that the communists would attack Gandhi . 2’ Nevertheless, the reviewer grudgingly admits that the book is “a veritable arsenal of arguments for India’s free- dom.” @ Vers SMEDLEY, according to the Times, has “faults of intolerance.” She “makes no pre- tense of being an objective ob- server ... she writes with much tender sympathy for the Reds and us much hostile feeling against those who are not Red. She spares no word to villify some high government officials who are opposed to communism in China.” The difference between Miss Smedley and many other writers on the Chinese scene is that she was a partisan fighter herself, a participant for 12 years in many of the battles and nurse to thousands cf wounded behind the lines of the old 8th and 4th route armies. But then these reviewers, who declare that such books have “faults of intolerance” overshad- owing their rich content, probab- ly feel like Clifton Fadiman, who wrote in the New Yorker recent- ly (and neyer more truthfully) that his ‘mind these days . - - is a messy ragbag of goblets of information and opinion .. -” @ BOOK which should have a wide market in this province, particularly in the mining cent- ers, is Copper Camp, compiled by workers of the Writers Pro- eram of the Work Projects Ad- ministration in the State of Mon- tana. This is the story of Butte, Mon- tana, of the richest hill of copper in the world, “the hellhole of cre- ation,’ and of the men who worked it. Written largely by Wil- liam A. Burke, a native son, the book is mostly about the life of the town, where “the afternoon sun was obscured by flving beer bottles”? and where miners de- clare the ghost of Matty Kiely, Paul Bunyan of the stopes, pauses beneath the statue of cop- per titan Mareus Daly to sing de- fiantly: “}ye been hired and fired tin thousand times; 1Tis Matty Kiely who dug their mines.” _jt only had to be widen J by OV Correction a w= all the other pr fi of life are solyed the still be “lots of oppt beef about editors, inter and newspaper (And maybe col ji had been chopped : the half with the point back in the melting pot metal not yet being m rubber, it could not be sc into the limited space. The story was meant fo age all eligible workers on the civie voters list if @ other reason than we nest ficient city council. Evider we do not have that : ci] at present was giver be too late now fo help s5 voters’ list but it may helj one to vote right on elécti § so here is the story at af the column this time. | The two blocks betwee ¥e ings and Powell were as as an alley. To accommo: traffic to one of the yard: necessary to widen the It was only two blocks k ii eal | it took longer to do the j it took to build the Alask way. No kidding! it : mo ‘Public Opini 7 Bee Brampton, Ont, ust 31, came the first - Public Opinion — “publ @. the interests of the Pre @ Conservative Party” B | f used to be the home of fine lacrosse team, but Qpinien is a poor pro comparison. oa The wisdom of the Pra Conservatives is exponde columnist under the app pen name of “By Gosh” umn is headed “Ottay ' Day.” Parliamentary stuff | alities, opinions and 4 gossip. mt Referring to the lifting’ | ban on the Communist Pe ” Gosh” writes, “Well, aft, of talk one afternoon isn’t unusual in Ottawa) like as if they migh' have spoken and now will have to remain an This was published 81, ten days after Progressive Party wa That is how up to date sressive Conservative Pé ‘ Horrors Of F TX these days, when the of war occupy the Ss; the horrors of peace ar forgotten. The publis ties of the. 48-day | paign list less than 25,00, wounded and missing. B or not, that 48 days tota —and such a war—is onl over two days’ casualtic dustry in the United St cording to an official of tional Nickel, “eleven | & workers in the Unite alone are killed and every day.” Measures stop this today would measures to defeat fasc ~~