oe
Big business gains in

| Sask. municipal elections

ests was assured.

Evening Post associa

In Saskatoon the reasons for
the defeat were plain to be seen.
Despite the fact that outstandine
progressive candidates were al_
ready in the field as indépeng-

ents, the local CCE organization

insisted: on entering a full slate.
Furthermore, prominent CCr
members in the trade unions were
able to prevent the labor move.
ment from taking political ac
tion in the civic elections. With
labor immobilized, and the pro-
gressive vote split by the CCE
thé election of the candidates fay.
ered by the large business inter-
Particularly to
be re@retted was the defeat of
Gollegiate Trustee Josephine Gehl
who will be missed from the board
next year especially by the teach-
ers and maintenance -men for
whom she had fought many a
hard battle.

In Regina, the story was dif-
ferent, Here the trade wnions

did enter the civic election with
a united labor slate representa-
five not only of the TLC and
eee but including prominent
mibers of bo

ee th the CCF and
But this good development was
achieved only a few Short weeks
ago, too late to build an organ-
ization to counteract the strong
machine ef the Civic Voters’ As-
Sociation with its fleet of hired
Cars which were able to bring
Cut the vote on the bitterly cold
day. But although they lost the
election, the labor candidates piled
up nearly 5,000 solid labor votes,
2s against 7000 to 8000 for the
Civie Voters’ candidates. Now all

Sections of the labor movement
agree that the newly formed
Civic Labor Committee must

Carry on leading an active fight
around all civic issues and’ build-
ing its organization for a labor
victory next year.

Rose Defence Committee exposes
real purpose of Duplessis raids

MONTREAL—Following Premier Maurice Duplessis’ raids on the Montreal offices of

the Labor-Progressive Party two weeks a

sis’ police that they had nipped in the bud ‘a communist plot’

Rose Defense Committee issued the following

Alex Guald and Secretary-Treasurer Alderman Michael Buhay:

“The Montreal Fred Rose De-
fense Commities announces that
if is the author and publisher of
the bulletin ‘Defeng Fred Rose”

“During the past two weeks
the people of Quebec have Joud-
ly expressed their abhorrence of
the savage persecution by the
provincial government of a re-

_ligious minority and of a num-

ber cf prominent trade wunion-

ists.

“In a hurried attempt to dis-
tract the public from its hatred
of his despotic actions, Mr. Du-
plessis has presumably ordered
the persecution of the Fred Rose
Defensg Committee, ;

We’ are not surprised that 2
politician who persecutes a4 man
for the charitable act of pro-
viding—bail for those who need
it—that such a politician would
also persecute those who stren-
uiously labor to clear the name
of the Cartier M.P.

Power sees facism in Duplessis’
attacks on religion, civil rights

MONTREAL.—Charge that “both Liberal Ottawa and constitutional Quebec have
forgotten the true meaning of Liberalism and constitutionalism” was made here last week
by Hon. C. C. Power in one of his infrequent political speeches since he resigned from

the King cabinet.
Addressing a rally called by the
Civil Liberties Union to protest

Premier Maurice Duplessis’ per-
secution of the Jehovah’s Wit-
nesses, Power warned that “fas-

cist inclinations” in Quebec and
“bureaucratic tendencies’ at Ot
tawea were undermining Canadian
democracy and limiting individual
liberty.

“Strangely enough,’ he said,
‘this country’s two warring au-
thorities, whose discordant views
have become almost a byword
... have apparently found com-
mon ground in the metheds and
procedures to be followed in the
prosecution of those considered
to be enemies of the state.
“Ottawa and Quebec, seeming

irreconcilable on any other sub-
ject, both have resorted to extra-
ordinary measures in the protec-
tion of what they believe to be
the public safety. In doing So,
both Liberal Ottawa and consti-
tutional “Quebec have forgotten
the true meaning of Liberalism
and constitutionalism.”

The rally did mot escape the
attentions of police, who last
week were arresting SCOFEs of
Jehovah’s Witnesses on city
streets and raiding LPP French,
English and Jewish headquart-
ers on the preposterous pretext
of forestalling 2 ‘communist
plot,” while gambling joints and
brothels in the city Tan wide
open.

Some 20 persons were |
ed by police from going into the
large and enthusiastic meeting
on the ground that the hall was
full,.. although. - newspapermen
agreed that the hall could have
accommodated still more: people.
Presence of police outside the
hall having failed to intimidate,
those attending the meeting, at-
tempts were made to. disrupt
it through individuals ‘planted’ in

audience. 5;
pecs too failed, and the audi-
ence applauded Power soe
Shen he callea for opposition to
Duplessis’ “fascist inclinations.

Se

‘Freedom of the press’

oe article by Saturday
DOR LO te editor Hid-

ill Japan Go
isn’t consid-

e prevent-

gar Snow entitled SW:

Socialist’ apparently |
ered fit for publication here by

American censors. The censors,
who have had the article over 4
month, haven't yet reached any
decision though early
azine articles are clear
jected in a few days-

PACIFIC TRIBUNE — PAGE 3

all mag-
ed or re-

F. E. Hanratty, leader of the Veterans’ Housing League, sentenced
to three months in jail or $200 for ‘taking over’ the Carlton

Barracks,

Ottawa as temporary homes for veterans and their

families. Hanratty is seen receiving thanks from veterans’ wives,
who later were active in collecting financial aid to defend their
ex-RCAF comrade. To them the King government and not Han-
ratty is the criminal in this case.

go, and the equally startling ‘revelation’ by Duples-

to take over Montreal, the Fred

Statement over the signature of Chairman

Our committee was establish-
‘ ed by friends, admirers and con-
stituents of Mr. Ered Ross. it
is cur 2im to prove his inno—
cence of the charge of espion-
age. It is our aim to obtain for
him, pending decision on his
appeal, the privilege that is the
Fight of all Canadians—the sim-
ple right of bail. It is our aim
to give widest possible publicity

FEED ROSE, MP.

to the true facts behind the
arrest of Ered Kose.

Political leaders, MLP.’s, law-
yers, trade unionists, have in
every part of Canada loudly
condemned the methods of the
Royal Commission in the es-
pionage case.

‘The Ottawa “Citizen” advises:
“The Report of the Royal Com-
mission ought to be withdrawn
at once. Canadian citizens must
not continue to be pilloried in
the public mind as guilty of
grave offenses which they never
committed.”

Mr. Duplessis’ prosecutor, Os-
ear Gagnon, has charged that
the pamphlet is seditious and li-
bellous.

The bulk of the Defend Fred
Rose Bulletin is made up of
excerpts quoted verbatim from
the House of Commons Hansard.

“Tt would be hard to explain
why Mr. WDuplessis should take
it upon: himself te cénsor Han-
sard.

Finally,

Wwe quote from the
Montreal Herald, December 9:
« ,. .Mr. Duplessis’ actions are
awitully close in complexion to
some of the things perpetrated
by the late Mr A. Hitler.”

The numerous raids ordered
by the Duplessig government
will not in any way intimidate
the Fred Rose Defense Commit-
tee from its work in defending
Fred Rose.”

The following letters have been
received by Mrs. Fred Rose in
reply to a letter which she sent
to members of parliament on the
question of bail for her husband,

Fred Rose, M-.P.:

From T. J. Bentley, MP.,
Swift Current, Sask.-:

“I have written to the minister
of justice today presenting rea-

sons why I think he should
See that Fred Rose gets bail as
speedily as possible if it is in his
power to arrange it.

“For your sake and for your
husband’s I hope that our repre-
sentations will be acted upon
quickly so that he may have the
joy of home life again.”

From D. J. McCuaig, Eastend,
Sask.:

“T _ will be glaqg to do what I
can in connection with getting
your husband a free man again,
and hope to see him in parlia-
ment this coming session so that
have a democracy in

for

From Hon. James A. MacKin-
non, Minister of Trade and Com-

fmerce:

« “There is no doubt that this
matter will be carefully consid-
ered by the prime minister and
the cabinet,’ é

Wire from W. Irvine, MP. for
Cariboo, B.C:

“Not certain of! legal point in-
volved but hold view that justice
would not be strained were Jrail
granted—an appeal implies pos-
sibility of reversed judgment —
therefore to deny bail is to pre-
judice the appeal and is con-
trary to principle that every per-

son is innocent until proved
fuilty.” :
Wire from lL. St. G. Stubbs,

MPP, Winnipeg: ,

Denial of bail to Fred Rose
unjust, part and parcel of plan
of political persecution motivat-
ing spy prosecutions. Set-up,
powers and procedure of commis-
Sion modelled on Spanish Inqui-
sition, not British system. Evi-
dence improperly obtained and
inadmissible under English law.
Trial caricature and travesty of.
justice. ilustrates dictum of
French Jurist Montesquieu:
‘There is no more cruel tyranny
than that which is exercised
under cover of the law and with
the color of justice.” nae

Longshoremen to
get wage boost

The head office of the Great
Northern Railways (dock section)
has notified its Vancouver office
to give effect to wage increases
totalling 19c per hour, retroactive
to August 16, and payable before
Mmas to its employees of Local
501, International Longshoremen
and Warehousemen’s Union. This
information was received by Ed.
Winnerlowe, international repre-
sentative of the ILWU for West-
ern Canada. Some 60 men will
benefit by the wage boost, which
culminates lengthy negotiations
by the union.

Ottawa vets car

is the latest addition to the nationally publicized series of ‘occupations’ carried out

WA—‘Operation Rideau’ I
eee E ht adults with six children under three years of age, have occupied the former.

Four families, eig

by Ottawa veterans:

bar -
A single truck drove into the
yard of the barracks, a three-
storey house requistioned by the
federal government in 1943. After
a silent entry via a ground fioor
window the veterans quickly un-
Joaded their furniture and in-
formed the janitor that the build-
ing had been taken over by the
veterans’ Housing League.

The leader of the group an-

nouncéd quietly:
“we do not intend to walk

out of here. If the police order

racks of No. 4 PLDG on

By ROBERT _LAXER

the capitol’s well-known Rideau Street.

ry out ‘Operation Rideau’ —

us out well have to be carried |not have room ‘to put them in| Barracks was a last desperate
before we ‘will take our child- ;the places we were forced to | measure. : : :
snow.” rent. The building is being guarded

dren into the

One of the men had served five
years and another four years with
the RCAF, while a third had been
with the navy for two years.

Mrs Trudel, one of the four wo-
men, explained that her two and
a half-year old son Robert and
three month-old baby Barbara
Ann had been in the care of the
Ghildren’s Aid Society for the
past two months because “we did

“Mrs. Shepherd had lived in a
room 10 by 8 feet with her Six
month-old Shona and had turned
in vain to all official housing ag-
encies for help. Although, C. E.
Pickering, chairman of the Citi-
zens’ Housing Committee, visited
her place personally and admit-
ted it was an ‘emergency’, noth-
ing had been done for over two
‘weeks. Occupation of the Rideau

by two RCMP constables, and for
the time being the army is sup-

plying the heat, hot water and
janitor services.
Spokesman for the four fam-

ilies said that although they were
members of the Veterans’ Hous-
ing League they had undertaken
the occupation on their own in-
itiative, without the knowledge of
the leaders of that organization.

FRIDAY, DECEDIBER 20, 1946