8

Continued
SS

Housing

conference to work out a mass
low cost housing program.

So glaring is the deficiency in
the government program that all
five women members of the

House have risen to demand ac-
tion.

“The Provincial Housing au-
thority should’ be at work right
now,” said Mrs. Steeves.

: “A low rental, large-scale hous-
img pregram under the auspices
of this government ought to be
considered public works project
mumber one,’ declared - Mrs.
Grace Mactnnis (CCE, Burrard.)

Mrs. Laura Jamieson (CGF,
Vancouver Center), agreed, and
On the Coalition side of the
House, Mrs. Nancy Hodges
(Coalition Liberal, Victoria), and
Mrs. Tillie Rolston (Coalition
Conservative, Vancouver-Point
Grey), demanded housing pro-
grams which women could help
shape and which would make it
possible to bring up children in
Gecent conditions.

This week, Vancouver City
Council was forced again to turn
its attention to the problem whieh
has come up for discussion in
both Vancouver Labor Council
and Vancouver ‘Trades Council,
as well as in local unions and
other progressive sroups—the
necessity for a more stringent
control of “real estate racke-
teers.”

Discussing demands ot citizens
for a house sale ceiling plan,
aldermen declared that such rul-
ingS were “under consideration”
by a sub-committee formed for
that purpose.

But requests for quick action
from weary citizens who have
searched in vain for accommoda-
tion when homes have been sold
over their heads, brought little
active response from Non-Parti-
San aldermen.

“After all,” declared Ald.
erman George Buscombe, “we
are a democracy, and there is
nothing illegal in selling a
house.” :

At the same time, members of
the Vaneouver Consumer’s Coun-
cil who had sought an audience
with city council members in
order to explain the plight of
war workers and families of
servicemen—the two groups most
severely affected by the housing
shortage—found their efforts to
enlighten aldermen met with
little cooperation.

Arriving at the City Hall, the
Consumers Council delegates
found that they would only be
allowed to talk to Corporation

Counsel McTaggart and several
members of the Licences Com-
mittee. E <

“Just another run-around,

commented Consumers Council

chairman John McPeake.

MacLeod Raps
Board Ruling

“Maintaining that employees of
Canadian John Woods (Vancou-
ver) Limited work with metals
that are sometimes as heavy as
those used in the shipyards and
also do sub-contract work for
the yards, Malcolm Macleod,
business agent of the Boilermak-
ers Union, disagrees with the
action of the National War lLa-
ber Board, which this week turn-
ed down an appeal of the Boil-
ermakers Union against a_Brit-
ish Columbia War Labor Board
decision on wage rates effecting
that company. -

The company Said it was en-
gaged in sheet metal work and
should not be compared with the
shipyards. The Boilermakers
union contends that rates paid
by the Woods Company were the
lowest in the Vancouver area and
officials intimate that further ac-
tion will be taken.

A Chinese machine gunner, American trained, sprays
bullets on invading Japanese at Changteh as two com-
rades rush forward to help. A terrific 40-day hattle for
this key city of China’s rice bowl area ended in humiliat-
ing defeat for the Japanese. :

Ontario Meet
Adopts Platform

TORONTO, Ont. — The first Ontario convention of the
Labor-Progressive Party this week adopted a 20-point pro-

vincial platform at the head of which is a call for

“full prose-

cution of the war, all-out and uninterrupted production, the

complete mobilization

of human and material resources” of

the nation, “the reorganization ofthe world on the basis of
the Teheran declaration,” and “cooperation with the Dominion

in order _to found Canada’s
policies solidly upon these
principles.”

Main planks in the platform
cail for:

“The full industrial develop-
ment of Ontario, on the basis
of the full peacetime utilization

of the - technical attain-
ed in the war.

“A bold and democratic pro-
vineial agricultural policy to
eheck the growth of landlordism
and tenancy in Ontario agricul-
ture and the decline of the sown
acreage,” with “a floor under
farm prices to the grower and

progress

legislation to prevent higher
prices to the consumer.”
A system of reconstruction

councils in each community, in-
cluding representatives of gov-
ernment and all public. bodies
“for the planning of recon-
struction measures and the
smoothest demobilization of the
armed forces, city and town
planning.”

A comprehensive program,
with federal-provincial co-opera-
tion, to assure demobilized serv-
ice men and women “jobs,
adequate musteringout pay,
training for employment at full
army maintenance rates” and
all other measures required for
the proper rehabilitation of
members of the armed forces.

An eight-hour day and five-
day week, with a minimum
wage of $25 a week.

“Adoption of the ‘Tisdale-
Willard standard for all relief
payments plus a 10 percent cost
of living bonus. The province to
take over the payment of all re-
lief costs.”

Other planks in the program
ask:

Old-age pensions of $40 per
month commencing at 60 years
of age,

Provincial adoption “of the

plans being formulated by the
Dominion for a national social

“insurance system,”

Full compensation for all in-

jured workers “during the fuli
period of disability,”

Planning “of QOntario’s towns
and cities to create modern hy-
gienie cities and to remove the
blighted areas,”

Building of “a wide network of
urban and rural hospitals,

Adoption by the province of
the proposed federal health in-
surance scheme.

Amendment of the Ontario
Municipal Act,
Outlawing of racist propa-

ganda or discrimination,

Extension of the franchise to
all citizens reaching the age of
18,

Taking over by the province
of “a large share of education
costs, leaving the local school
authority intact.’

Reallocation of tax authority
by agreement between the Do-
minion and the province, to pro-

vide for the assumption by the -

federal government of the cost
of social insurance.

“AK program of new rural
schools, new and modern high-
Ways, communal centres, creches,
kindergartens and gymnasia, re-
creational centers’”” and other
public works.

Leslie Morris was unanimously
elected provincial leader. He was
nominated by A. A. Macleod,
MLA, in an eloquent address
which was climaxed by a stand-
ing ovation.

With similar unanimity dele-
gates acclaimed Alderman Harry
Hunter of Hamilton as provincial
chairman, J. F. White of Stout
vile as vice-chairman, and A.
A Macleod, provincial member
for Bellwoods riding, ILPP leader
in the legislature.

The convention also elected a
provincial committee of 45, re-
presenting all parts of the proy-
ince. Alderman Norman Freed
of Toronto is secretary of the
committee; Stewart Smith, di-
rector of education and pub-
licity; J. B. Salsberg, MLA, di-
rector of industrial work.

“the ietters

Island Labor Groups

Protest Wage Order —

VICTORIA, B.C.—Expressing determination that the
eral government's new wage control order P€ 9384 mu:
rescinded, the action committee of the Vancouver Island L
Conference in a meeting here last weekend again wirec

government on this question.

Growing support to the cam-
paign to remove this objectiona-
ble legislation which hamstrings
labor activity was reflected in
read to assembled
delegates from W. YT. Straith,
MLA, N. W. Whittaker, MLA, and
BK. V. Finland, MILA. : 5

Straith, in his communication
stated that “the order was un-
necessary as far as our coast
shipyards were concerned, as the
shipyards and all other war in-
dustries have cooperated most
completely in the war effort. The
shipyards have produced ships at
a lower cost than Britain and the
United States and the workers
have always met their quotas on
war bond drives. Labor has ac-
cepted the order as an insult to
them because they have been
deprived of liberties under its
terms. I believe the order-in-
council was not at ail necessary
and I ask that it be rescinded.”

Further reports given the con-
ference showed that the Victoria
Ministerial Association and the
Synod of the Diecese of Colum-
bia have both protested the wage
control order and had asked the
federal government to remove
same.

Strong support came from Vic-
toria City Ceuncil in a letter
from the city clerk The letter
stated that the council had writ-
ten to R. W. Mayhew, MP for
Victoria, requesting him to make
representations to the federal
government protesting the wage
erder.

Adding pressure to the cam-

'

paign for the repeal of the
the conference voted to is:
pamphiet outiining the issue
volved. This action will fe.
lowed by another radio ¢
where prominent speakers
deal with the wage control ¢
In support of resolution
ready sent from other poin
the provincial government, 4_
gation, composed of George
kinson, G. S. Culhane, GC. w.
shall, H. A. Allison, R. Nop!
C. Cosgrove, F. J. Bevis, G
vers, R. Kerr and H. Row
Was appointed by the confe
to meet the Coalition caucy
the provincial government 7
effort to enlist support for
campaign against the order, —
George Wilkinson and Ri
Kerr were elected to repor
the progress of the Victoria
paign against the order to
Provincial Conference on |
war Reconstruction which ~
convene in Vancouver
month. i
~ Turning their attention to
ployment questions, delegate
pressed alarm at the conti
layoffs in the Victoria distri
increased production of war
plies may be vital for the img
ing advance of the Allies —
Hitler Europe. A resolution —
testing against such layof,
war industries was forwarde —
the federal aovernment. a
The conference also regisi
support of the briefs subm
by the AFL and CCL union
the provincial sovernment ¢
ing amendments to the Indus
Conciliation and Arbitration

see

RAF guards at an emergency airfield in Britain examir

the damage which the

U.S. Flying Fortress “Hang Thy

33 : . . 5
Expense” sustained during a mission over France. Th

plane’s entire tail section was blown off by
brought the crippled Fort back

but the pilot

a direct hi
safely.