IWA Interior Meet Plans Union Drive By MYRTLE HAWKEY A Negotiations Conference was held by members and waterior delegates of the {international Woodworkers of America in the Masonic Hall in Kamloops on March 12, for the purpose of coordinating the work in the interior locals ata time when the [WA is prepared to go all out for 25c an hour increase in wages, 40-hour week, and union security. In a recent district-wide sur- vey, the TWA strike vote amount- €d to approximately 93 percent in the affirmative, and excellent reports are coming in on the question of the Fighting Fund. Recommendations were sub- mitted and adopted at the con- ference that the six TWA locals in the interior immediately es- tablish a representative action committee, that similar action committees be established in every operation, and that to the greatest extent possible, interior locals coordinate all work and maintain closest contact with the District Office in Vancouver. Delegates from the six locals made reports on union activities in various areas in the District. “Our Cranbrook local is in the best shape it has ever been in,” reported Al Parkin, Business Agent for IWA Local 1-405. “The sentiment of thé boys is reflect- ed in our 98 percent strike vote, and our first fighting fund has come in from one of the 23 sub- locals, 100 percent. In recent weeks we have been Signing: up an average of two new members per day.” f Bert Melsness, Secretary of IWA District Council No. 1, de scribed how the CMA represen- tatives included Mr. Rudock, and Walter Owens, famous anti-labor barrister, and in recent negotia- tions had approached himself and Brother Al Parkin of Cranbrook with an out-dated agreement, stating that if they would agree to sign it, they would guarantee to have every operator in the Southern Interior signed up with- in two weeks. “If we had signed the agree- ment,” Brother Melsness said, “there would have been a great wave of enthusiasm, but that en- thusiasm would not have lasted two months, because when the Wage increases came’ into effect for the rest of the industry, would our woodworkers have been satisfied with their agree- ment? We cannot isolate our- selves from the rest of CGana- dian and WU-S. labor today.” The CCF attitude of negation stood out like a sore thumb when cne delegate pleaded that the operators could not afford a 25c increase in wages, and that la- bor’s 1946 program was “too | drastic.” -Hjalmar Bergren, Vice-Presi- dent, District Council No. & re- plied, “It is no use compromis- ing. How can we sit here and talk about compromising when all the CIO, CCL, and AFL, have endorsed the program that came out of our convention? Bil Langmead, International Representative, Local 1-425, add- ed that the finances of the oper- ators are no concern of ours at this time, and that if an opera- tor can’t afford to pay decent Wages, he sShouldn’t be in the business. HASTINGS AUDITORIUM 828 East Hastings ~ ADMISSION BY MEMBERSHIP CARD ONLY LPP Membership Meeting FRIDAY, APRIL STH — 8 P.M. AAA TE “Well, Vet, Price: 5 Gents --. What Now?” by LESLIE HUNT A challenging pamphlet on the new battle for jobs and decent wages, which should be placed in the hands of every veteran. THE PEOPLE'S CO-OP BOOKSTORE 337 West Pender Reduced Rates for Club Build Up Your Own Progressive Library JOIN THE BOOK UNION NOW Apply People’s Co-op Bookstore PACIFIC TRIBUNE — PAGE § A Spar ee a ae =A ee ee es ae be Ook os es Oe oe Stalin present, there is one party which rules the country — the Labor Party. The rest of the parties are barred from the government of the country. This is called by Churchill a true democracy; Meanwhile Poland, Romania, Yu- goslavia, Bulgaria and Hungary are governed by several parties —from four to six parties. And besides the opposition, if it is loyal, is guaranteed the right to Participate in the government. This Churchill calls totalitarian and the government of police. “On what grounds? Do you ex- pect an answer from Churchill? Does he not understand the rid- iculous situation he is putting himself in by such speeches on the basis of totalitarianism and police rule? Churchill would have liked Poland te be ruled by Staknovkovski and Anders; Yugoslavia by Mikhailovitch and Pavelitch; Romania by Prince Stirbe and MRadescu, Hungary and Austria by some king from the House of Hapsburg, and so on. “Churchill wants to assure us that these gentlemen who came from the fascist circles will es- tablish and guarantee complete democracy. Such is the democ- racy of Churchill. Churchill is twisting the truth when he is speaking of the growth of Com- smunist influence in western Hiu- trope. One must point out that he is not quite correct. “The Communist Party inféu- ence had risen not only in west- ern Europe, but in nearly all countries of Europe before fas- cism was supreme, that is, in Germany, Italy, Hungary, Bul- garia, Romania, Finland and in those countries occupied by Ger- man, Italian and Hungarian forces — France, Belgium, Hol- land, Norway, Denmark, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, Greece, Soviet Union and so on. Not Accidental “The growth of Communist in- fluence one cannot call accident- al. The Communist influence is due to the fact that during the difficult years of the fascist rule in Europe the Communists prov- ed themselves reliable, brave fighters against the fascist re- Sime and for the freedom of the people. “Churchill sometimes refers to the ordinary people from small houses. He pats them on the back and pretends to be their friend but these people are not so sim- ple as it seems at first Chur- chill is trying to show. And the simple people possess their own views, their own politics and they know how to defend them- selves. These millions of Simple People voted out Churchill in ———'i ff For Progressive Bocks, Magazines and Papers People’s Co-operative Bookstore 337 West Pender St. Phone MArine 5836 Vancouver, B.C. Spirit of Canadian Democracy. Margaret Fairley Nation of Nations Louis Adamic $4.50 Culture and the People Maxim Gorky $2.00 © Roac To The Ocean Leonid Leoniv Raps Jurist Recent action of Judge Man- son in granting an injunction and urging local police to take action against picketters brought swift action from the Vancouver Labor Council. In a resolution which stated that, “Eever since his elevation te the bench, following his defeat in an election, Justice Manson’s judgments have been disting- uished for their bias, and for the intrusion of his own per- sonal predjudices and intol- | erance,” the resolution asks “for a complete investigation by the attorney general into the fitness of this man to ful- fill the high office into wich he has been sworn.” NO $1.49 Agents for The Book Union in British Columbia J Aw 3 England and gave their votes to the Labor Party. “These are the millions of sim-. ple people who in Europe iso- lated. the reactionaries, the col- laborators of fascism, and gave the preference tothe parties of the left. And these millions of Simple people who have seen and weighed the Communists during the war and the resistance of fascism decided that the Com- munists completely deserve’ the trust of the people. It was thus that the Communist influence grew in Hurope. Such is the pro- eress of the historic development. “Qf course, such a develop- ment does not appeal to Chur- chill, He is worried and he has developed fear. But he did not like the establishment of the So- viet regime in Russia, either, after the end of the first world war. Then, too, he rang the bell of warning and organized the military crusade of 14 countries against Russia with the aim of turning back history. But his- tery has proved to be Stronger than Churchill’s intervention and the Don Quixote plans of GChur- chill led to total defeat. “I do not know whether Chur- chill will manage with his friends to organize after the second world war a new military cru- Sade against Hastern Burope. But this is not likely because of the millions of Simple people who are standing guard for peace. One can make a statement with certainty that they (Churchill and his friends) will be defeated exactly in the same way as they were defeated in the past 20 years.” —— 0’ Discou nt To Returned Men Like most merchants, we are short of men’s clothing. However, the Army & Navy. discharged personnel a 10% civilian outfit as a goodwill gesture. PRIORITY PURCHASE CERTIFICATE to Army & Navy Dept. Stores and save an extra 10 PHR CENT .. . Like the ten million FREE CIGAR- ETTES we shipped overseas to service ‘men, we take this method of saying THANK YOU! Army & Navy Dept. Stores. Vancouver and New Westminster Ship Union : Sib skilled workers is enon around eleven percent. Agai| this the cost-of-living index, wh | is not by any means a true refl_ tion of price increases, went nineteen percent. _ “Thus our real wages and Standard of living have fal> far below the pre-war stand: while at the same time our ¢- put has increased. u “This situation must and 1) be corrected by our demand yl higher wages to meet the creased cost of living and to Es us 2 share in increased prod) tivity.” ; es In answer to the claim of j, shipyard operators that. they ; not in 2 position to raise wag || McLeod declared, “We are asi to believe that they are Ios: money on present contracts, 5” when we examine the. finance | reports in the Financial Post, » | find that their profits are 5 guaranteed by the Dominion pg ernment. Burrard Drydock staj” that the government pays 5 Sidies sufficient for interest 3) principle on bonds. That mes that the people of Canada 3 paying for the expanded and mc ernized shipyards that Claren Wallace and other shipyard o¥ | ers got out of this war. Shipyard workers were in {. forefront during the war yea in the race for allout war py’ duction. Management has on ny erous occasions expressed its 4 ! preciation for their cooperati in Labor-Management comm tees, etc. The observance of to ‘No-Strike’ pledge helped to k the ships rolling off the We Now the time for re-adjustment } the wage schedules which he | fallen out of line during # ! period presents the shipyard ¢ erators with an opportunity & express their sratitude in a ca j crete manner by acceding to ft legitimate demands of labor. However the shipyard unica are preparing for any eventual’ | and are ready to place the whi @ strength of their organization 1 | hind the workers’ demands. For Advanced Styles tn . . . ig LADIES’ DRESSES, COATS, SUITS § Shop at Vogue Ladies Appare 932 Granville St. ——- Vancouver, B.G COMODO OTODTOCORE NAG NeanOSDON REE: will continue to give DISCOUNT on their Bring your the FRIDAY, MARCH 29, 19')