CIVIC VOTING HARRY RANKIN, prominent labor lawyer and HARRY RANKIN Mr, Rankin, until the last few polls were heard from, it looked like you were going to be elected. To wat do you attribute © your narrow miss? A There are two factors, I think, Firstly, NPA domina- tion in this city is so complete it even extends into the daily press, Thus, we had the spec- tacle of the newspapers predict- ing and lamenting prematurely the “low turnout of voters” while the NPA machine boys were diligently working to turn out the West End, pro-NPA vote, That brings us to the second factor, which is simply this: The only force capable of negating the NPA’s influence and bringing out a heavy vote in the East End is the labor movement, This year, the labor movement endorsed a pro-labor slate of candidates, But, apart from this formal endorsation, very little was done to turn out the East End vote which, I repeat, is the key to defeating the representa- tives of big business. near-alderman in 1965, answers questions put to him by the PT about Vancouver civic elections — this year and next. Does this mean, then, in your opinion, that Vancouver is irrevocably split into East and West, with Cambie St, the divid- ing line and voting patterns frozen in both “zones”? A Absolutely not, So far, Ihave not had a chance to fully examine all the returns, poll by poll, However, this much is al- ready evident: Support for my program has been extending steadily westward, including areas west of Cambie, After all, the citizens of Van- couver are. proud of their city— regardless of where they live. More and more of themarecom- ing to realize that in order to have progress, the NPA must be defeated, Support for or opposition to my policies isn’t a matter of geog- raphy, It’s a question of whose interests are being served by the present City Council — and whose interests are being neglected, In . a broad sense, you might sayit’s a question of civic democracy, Speaking of democracy. Is ~ it true that proxy voting is allowed in civic elections? If so, what is your feeling on this matter? Yes, it’s true that proxy voting is allowed. I’m told there have been instances where one man, acting as agent for a group of corporations, has cast as many as 100 ballots or more in an election, Obviously, this is a complete negation of democ- racy. We’ll have to fight for the same thing that sections of Africa are attempting to obtain: the prin- ciple of One Man—One Vote, Q Mr, Rankin, you might con- ~ sider this next question pre- mature, but do you intend to run for Council again next year? A Yes, Definitely, I’m not at all afraid of being labelled “always a bridesmaid but never a bride.” The political wedding bells will ring eventually, if you fight for policies which are sound, In the final analysis, that is the determining factor. Vancouver's City Hall where, given a high degree of unity, sweeping changes be brought about next year. , ‘| cratic expression in this city a good number of years, What, in your opinion, will have to be done between now and the civic elections in 1966 to ensure your election? . pie tuco tblame tho cama who vote for the NPA, Tha their right and their privilé But I certainly do blame who say they are opposed to machine, then don’t bother tot out the vote in working areas of the city—the only ¥ to defeat it. I’m confident we can 0 come these weaknesses and m# a real breakthrough next y@ given the backing ofall the de” cratic forces in Vancouver. . Ed. Note: With five aldermé be elected Harry Rankin ran in a field of 14, missing electi 1,077 votes. His vote was 25, A All the anti-NPA elements will have to get behind — fully behind — a slate of candi- dates pledged to fight for the welfare of Vancouver's citizens. This means the labor movement, ratepayers, the NDP and any and all elements who want to see pro- gressive changes in City Hall, Because it isn’t so much a question of electing this, that or the other person, It’s rather a question of breaking the NPA stranglehold on this city, As long as it dominates Council, the people of Vancouver will never get a square deal, Are YOU receiving a weekly bundle — of Tribs? Because of a well-organized and well-financed apparatus, and a system of voting which works in favor of maintaining the status quo, a hard core of NPA votes has been able to frustrate demo- Order onenew! ITU head demands labor changes in U.S The Labor Statesman, organ of the B.C. Federation of Labor and Van- couver Labor. Council, a short time ago published a stinging denunciation of AFL-CIO president George Meany. The Labor Statesman editorial, in fact, demanded Meany’s resignation and stirred up a deep going discussion. In the same vein, the People’s World, progressive labor paper on the U.S. West Coast, recently published a call for action by Elmer Brown, president of the International Typographical Union. We reprint the story as it ap- peared in the PW in the sincere hope it will add'to the growing debate within the labor movement. demand for- “new blood” and a new look has been addressed to delegates to the AFL-CIO national convention, which opened in San Francisco on December 9, by President Elmer Brown of the Internation- al Typographical Union. Brown called for admission into the AFL-CIO of the Team- sters Union, the Intl, Longshore- men’s & Warehousemen’s Union, the Mine, Mill & Smelter Work- ers and other independent organi- zations of “militant rank and file unionism,” Brown set forth his views in the ITU Journal (November), He castigated the *29 old men” who make up the AFL-CIO Executive Council, Brown began with a reference to labor’s defeat when Congress failed to repeal “right to work” section 14b of the Taft-Hartley Law. «Now that the Democratic party and several United States Sena- tors have faltered in honoring their pledges to repeal section 14b of the infamous Taft-Hartley Act, it is time to ask, ‘What happened?’’’ said Brown, “Some of the graybeards in unions shake their heads and complain we are never able to obtain repeal of anti-labor laws, ‘Look what, happened to 14b’ they moan, “And they are right, So long as the American labor movement ties its kite to political groups and politicians who make pro- labor talks before elections, we cannot expect anything else, “Really we cannot blame them too greatly for double-crossing the labor movement, The Ameri- can labor movement’s leadership, in its collective dotage, has re- fused to submerge petty grudges and bring into the AFL-CIO the teamsters, the longshoremen and warehousemen, the mine workers © and other unions which represent militant rank and file unionism in this country, “Union membership is declin- ing in face of working men and women; influence of the AFL- CIO is at an all-time low (as witness the inability of labor to pass a Single piece of legisla- tion at this session of a ‘friend- ly’ Congress); and the Demo- cratic party has a first mortgage on the top AFL-CIO leadership, paid for by letting them get into the limelight occasionally as ad- visers to the State Department or to share membership in some government advisory board, “Criticism of the AFL-CIO heirarchy is forbidden and any critique stimulates the wrath of the majority of the 29 old men on its executive council, but it’s time for someone to suggest that the AFL-CIO turn its attention to the working people of the United States and Canada instead of getting sun tans at some posh resort, “My criticism is intended to be constructive and I hope that other union representatives and ELMER BROWN the coming convention of the AFL- men, building trades unions” other who helped us settle ! strike—in defiance of the At CIO president who directed thands off’ attitude, : officers will raise their voices at CIO in San Francisco when it convenes in December, “Tt is time for infusion of new vigorous blood in the leadershir of the AFL-CIO,” Together we were able to the rats and scabs out of t and only by working together ' we be able to build a st! Brown also noted the ITU’s labor movement.” own experience in a long San Francisco striké, He writes “it Brown concluded “We 8 was the teamsters, longshore- already waited too long.” SE FE OIE NOTE HOKE SOSA BI OSH YASH NIT OSH IES NOT YO HO SIR I POA OA FOI GLOBAL IMPORTS 2643 EAST HASTINGS STREET PHONE 253-8642 JUST ARRIVED! HOLIDAY GIFTS . . . From Many Lands! Bulgarian Pottery Czechoslovak Crystal Russian Perfume & Khokhlawma Ware Polish Confections & Fish ‘Ukrainian Embroidered Goods & Hand Carvings Soviet Toys & Dolls We also have available Soviet Records, Imported Sweaters, Linens and Ukrainian Books. Let us help you select something different for that L someone special on your list. 2 GLOBAL IMPORTS YOR TF, IR OS OSH NOR OTE OL OE OE OSE NT SE RISE OSE OSE IOS December 17, 1965—PACIFIC TRIBUNE—Pa?