Books cenedd People l_Kay Gregory— peo™ the newspapers of Hur- ope, the United Nations In- formation Office has collected a number of odd items about hooks in occupied lands and the busy black market even in this field where, as a Brussels paper protests, the French translation of Gone With the Wind, usually about $1.70, is now sold for $40 and up. Alice in Wonderland, the per- ennial favorite of all children and their parents, has been blackdisted in Europe, because the author the Nazis said, was “unacquainted with the element- ary principles of child psychol- ogy.” The Pied Piper, another favor- ite, was banned because it con-= tained the suggestion that a Ger- man town could be overrun by rats. A fable by Andersen, Little Green Soldier, was removed from bookstore shelves because if waS considered suggestive. The story is of a green louse that destroyed rose leaves and, un- able to understand that it was destructive, wondered why no one loved it. e HE big contribution that folk tales and ballads make to a country’s history has only been appreciated properly on this con- tinent in the tast few years, largely through the efforts of writers and artists in the Federal Writers Projects to have record- ed long forgotten tall tales, folk customs and regional history. Stephen Vincent Benet, whose story, The Devil and Daniel Web- stér, is one of the most popular American folk tales, declared that “legends and yarns and folk tales are as much a part of the real history of a country as proclamations and provisos and constitutional amendments. The legends and yarns get down to the roots of the people.’ One American folklore hero in the class of Paul Bunyan, the mighty logger, is Davy Crockett of Tennessee—‘the frontiersman on his hind legs,’ as Benet des- eribed him. Arising mainly as a result of political mudslinging campaign, the legend of Davy Crockett’s prowess srew through the whole United States until it attained such heights as that indicated by an item in the newspapers in 1832 when Halley's comet was ap- proaching the earth: “Davy Crockett of Tennessee to stand on Allengheny Moun- ¢fains and catch the comet on its approach to the earth, and wring off its tail to keep it from burn- ings up the world.” The legendary Life of Davy Crockett, written by Irwin Sha- piro, under the title Yankee Thunder, nas just been published end listed automatically, as all such folklore tales seem to be, under juvenile books. But un- doubtedly adults will get just as much fun, as we do from Paul Bunyan’s exploits, from reading of Davy’s pet buffalo, Mississip, which sang bass to Davy’s tenor, his tame bear, Death Hug, which smoked a pipe and went ice skat- ing, and of how Davy outdis- fanced a tornado by riding on a streak of lightning to the South Seas. Housing Campaign Backed “Slum Shaeks’ reed Disease Describing Wancouver’s crowded areas as “cities of shacks,” responsible for a high percentage of juvenile de- -lingueney, Vancouver Council of Social Agencies decided at its 14th annual meeting here last weekend to investigate “emergency measures tto meet the prospect of further influx of population.” (Several days before the conference, Miss Kathleen Gorrie, Couneil official, stated that she herself, along with most officers of the council, believed the erection of new homes for this citys homeless te be essen- tial, and publicly reiterated her support of the 5000 Homes Now Committee, of which she is a member.) The conference also crackea down on wartime child fabor Standards, after investigation re- vealed that boys nine years old were working 42 hours a week in addition to attending school. Some of the conditions un- covered were definitely in econ- iravention of existing ~ regula- tions: Wnder present conditions the need for broader legislation is evident,” reported the council. Concern was expressed at the 83 percent increase in reported cases of syphilis over a one-year period, and the executive has forwarded a request to the pro- vinecial government asking that legislation already on the statute hooks providing for compulsory pre-marital blood tests be en- forced. During the coming year recrea- tion needs will be aided by a short training course for sroup workers which, it is hoped, can be arranged in the summer wit UBC assistance. <% An interesting sidelight was brought out in the report on applications to the council’s fam- ily welfare bureau, when it was shown that although the number seeking aid because of inade- quate income had decreased, all applications for help and coun- sel had increased by 80 to 90 percent. Once again, blame was Jaid- to poor housing, lack of recreational facilities and lack of care for the children of working mothers. Miss Nora Mea, assistant di- rector of Canadian Welfare Council, Ottawa, told members of the Vancouver group that they were “going ahead so rapidly it takes my breath away.” Speaking of the future, she de- ciared that she believed “ a new industrial setup, which provides increased jobs, will likely cut the length of the average work- ing day and increase the lensth of the leisure hours. Community centers, group planning and working will be necessary to fill the newly created need for re- ereation and education.” Second speaker at the confer- ence was Dr. W. E. Biatz, Tor- onto child psychologist, whose _ advanced methods of education for younger children have arounsed great interest across Canada. Blatz advocated play schools for children of two years up to seven, with emphasis on health care. “We could stamp out tubercu- losis in five years,’ he said. Blatz lauded the nursery school as “the invention of the century,” and looked ferward to the day when every uni- versity would feel incomplete if it did not possess a child- study laboratory. Pay Boost | Withdrawn Regretting the action of the National War Labor Board in re- scinding its decision of allowing six cents inerease an hour to moulders and foundrymen, the joint executive committees of the Moulders and Foundry Workers’ Union, Local No. 1 (CCL), and the International Moulders and Foundry Workers’ Union of North America, Local 281 (AFL), have decided to stay immediate action but state that “a final decision will rest in the hands of the membership.” Sixteen months ago the unions presented a brief to the regional War labor board: asking for 15 cents an hour increase in wages for mechanics in the foundry in- dustry which would have breught the foundrymen’s wage levels to that of other metal trades work ers. When application was made to the regional war labor board the appeal was denied. The unions applied to the national war labor board and in Septem- ber, 1943, were granted six cents an hour increase for foundry me- chanics. Even under threat of prosecu- tion the Canadian Manufacturers’ Association (Metal Trades Sec- tion) ignored the ruling of the board and did not pay the in- ereases. This month the national war labor board rescinded its de- eision rather than take action to foree the foundry owners to pay the awards. Continued _ Housing cent Fleming, Housing Regis- try office manager, reports that the registry “can prom- ise not one of them hope of finding decent living accomo- dation.” : “The only district where there is any hope of obtain- ing accommodation for fami- lies with children is the old Japanese section,” she said. “Tn other words, families are gradually being forced to move into Vancouver’s worst slum area.” Union House J. Mirras, Mer. REX CAFE Meet Your Friends at the Where All Union People Eat Home of Tasty Meals 6 EAST HASTINGS STREET BALKAN CAFE _ 779 E. Hastings Tasty Meals for War Workers J) Continued Charge This is the second time within a month that delegates to Vancouver Trades and Labor Council have de- claimed against company unions. The letter received from Labor Minister Pearson was in reply to a resolution sent from a former meeting asking the provincial sovern- ment to desist from issuing charters to groups under the Societies Act for the purpose of collective bargaining. John E. Mecredy GENERAL INSURANCE Fire e Automobile © Accident 556 Howe St., Vancouver, B.C. Phones: \ President R. J. Thomas, United oes Auto Workers (| and Wendell Hardie (right), World War Il. veteran -the Nazi swastika presented as a token of contem UAW vets to Rep. John E. Rankin (Dem., Miss.) led the fight against the soldiers note bill in thi Editor to Sp: VICTORIA, B.C. —. Campbell, associate 1 The People, will addre lie meeting here at the’ Mall, 1415 Broad Street Gay, April 23, at 8 p.m, Subject of Campbell’ will be “Trade Unions Labor Press.” TOO LATE TO CL: Musical entertainment showing will be held Hall, 875 East Hastings day, April 23, 8 p-m. § lection in aid of Th Press Drive. HOME of UNION M. CLOTHIN and FRIENDLY SER‘ \ Established Over 4€ PAc. 5235 — Res.: PAc. 4335 S y) 45 East Hastings —V — & 5 C2 Union Label Offices = Broadway Printers 451 Eighth Ave. E. FAir. 0203 "Campbell & Smith Ltd. 820 Richards St. PAc. 3053 Dunsmuir Printing Go. 437 Dunsmuir St. East End Printers Journal of Gommerce 618 Homer St. Keystone Press Lid. 860 Kingsway FAir. 839 Cambie St. MAr. S367 Mitchell-Foley Lid. 522 Hastings: St.. W. These Firms Carry the ALLIED PRINTING TRADE | PAc. 5836 2303 £. Hastings HAst. 0096 General Printers 650 Cambie St. (rear) PAc. 2926 PAc. 9274 4288 Lumberman Printing Go. Ltd. PAc. 7234 PATRONIZE THEM LABEL toe Label off ER News-Herald Ltef 426 Homer St. Pe Nicholson Ltd. 2092 W. 2nd) Ave. Bi North Shore Pre:3 411 W. Esplanade, N. Van. @& Pacific Printers 500 Beatty St. ‘ mf Seymour Press 7 S66 Homer St. i 600 Beatty St. iH Ward & Phillip: 3i8 Homer St. Ne Willson Stationery Cc 830 W. Pender St. : Fi Wrigley Printing CoF 676 Seymour St. f Inserted by Printing Pressmen’s Union, No. 69);