Coal imports from U.

hit

BLAIRMORE, Alta.

oe

The crisis confronting the coal industry in Canada was discussed by miners, businessmen, coal operators; MLAs and..other interested parties at a meeting held here March 14. The parley was sponsored by sub-district 5, United Mine Workers of America.

Mayor William Gray of Blairmore chaired the meeting, and speak- ers were Sim Weaver, secretary-treasurer of Michel local; Ed Boyd, secretary- treasurer of district 18; and Sam English, president of Michel

local. :

Weaver reported on the UMW delegation to Ottawa last Decem- ber and declared that “larger dele- gations should be sent this year.” He spoke strongly against imports of U.S. coal while Canadian miners are idle. — ‘

“In 1939 there were 1,750 min- ers employed on Vancouver Is- land and today there are less than 300,” said Ed Boyd. A simi- lar situation prevails in northern Alberta, where mines have been shut down and miners forced to abandon their homes and com- munities to seek jobs elsewhere.

__. “Coal miners’ problems are not

separate and apart from the prob- lems of tens of thousands of Can- adian workers who are suffering because of U.S. interests,” declar-

xz Tribute to Taras Shevchenko, Bord of the Ukraine

GRAND CONCERT

@ Folk Dancing @ Mixed Choir @ String Orchestra

@ Vocal Solos - Duets - Quartets

@ 200 Performers

_ HASTINGS -ODEON THEATRE

SUNDAY MARCH 21

8 p.m. Admission by | invitation only obtainable at PEOPLE’S CO-OP BOOKSTORE _ ’ 337 West Pender UKRAINIAN HALL 805, East Pender . Auspices of Association of United Ukrainian Canadians

ed Sam English. He spoke of areas in Canada where huge deposits of iron and coal were in close prox- imity and where smelters and steel mills could be located.

The meeting adopted a motion Protesting to the Canadian gov- ernment against imports of U.S. coal to this country and declar- ing that the interests of the Can- adian people should come before those of Wall Street.

It was also decided to set up.a committee of local union represen- tatives, coal operators, businessmen and others in the Crows Nest Pass to draw up a program for presen- tation to the federal government and. the B.C. and Alberta provin- cial government, in an effort to

improve the situation in the coal

mining industry. First meeting of the committee is scheduled for March 20.

Manitoba LPP calls for trade

WINNIPEG

“There is a growing awareness among the farmers of the need to change the trade policies of the Canadian government,” W. C. Ross, Manitoba Labor-Progressive party leader, told delegates to the ‘tenth annual provincial convention of the LPP in his keynote address.

Soviet offer to buy a whole list of Canadian products “including wheat and butter,” Ross said, “has aroused keen interest in western Canada. It has made it difficult for Trade Minister C. D. Howe and the Canadian cabinet to ignore the growing demand for trade relations with our northern neighbor.”

The report denounced the Mani- toba government for its “gross dis- regard of the plight of the farm- érs in this province.”

| LABOR

BRIEFS

During 1953 there were strikes in British Columbia involv- ing 113 employers, 8207 workers and a loss of 260,335 man working

36

days. There were 16 strikes by AFL unions, 17 by CCL unions and two by independent unions.

* x *

Following strong trade union protests, Vancouver City Council this week denounced Ottawa’s ac- tion in slashing the price of grain moved through eastern ports and called on the provincial cabinet and Vancouver Board of Trade to join in petitioning for a return to form- er price levels. :

Rejecting Trade Minister C. D. Howe’s argument that the action Was necessary “in order to obtain a normal movement of wheat with- in Canada,” Ald. Anna Sprott point-

ed out that “the prosperity of Van-|,

couver as a port is at stake.”

‘ * * * Zero Tide in The Fisherman quotes a New York Times dis- Patch telling how a skunk raised a stink when he crossed-a picket line. Rewards of $700 have been offered for information on , the person who threw a live skunk through a window of the strike- troubled Appomettox Garment “Company. The skunk wandered” through the plant in fury after -being tossed through the window and spread his scent over $300,- 000 worth of textile stocks. Even ‘a skunk. ... * * aes More than 200 representatives from Lower Mainland trade unions will gather in Victoria as soon as the Socred «government tables forthcoming labor legislation, it was announced this week by R. K. Gervin, secretary of the Vancouver Trades and Labor Council (AFL- TLC). The joint delegation will study the labor bills and then lobby the cabinet on proposed changes.

x x *

Some 70 workers at/A. P. Madsen Furniture Ltd., 1122 Southwest Marine, walked off the job Wednes- day this week over the dismissal of 12 upholsterers who were de-

|manding a pay increase.

National rights

upheld in brief

MONTREAL

A fully documented impeachment of the Duplessis government as the chief instrument of the U.S. trusts in Quebec was presented on March 12 by the Quebee LPP in a 100,000-word brief to the Tremblay Royal Commission on Constitutional Problems.

In addition to its indictment of Duplessis it provided a _ serious critique of nationalism in French Canada and a broad program of unity and action directed to the national and social redemption of French Canada. :

The brief traces in detail the growing hold of the U.S. trusts on the natural resources and indus- tries of Quebec and shows how the Duplessis government has assum- ed the role of spokesman and de- fender of U.S. capital.

It.shows that the Duplessis re- gime has pursued a policy basically inimical to the survival and deve- lopment of the French language and of French-Canadian culture in Canada and demonstrates that a radical change of policy is neces-

sary to create the conditions for a

flourishing French-Canadian na- tional life. ae 3

It shows the need for a positive and dynamic conception of prov- incial autonomy, and declares it is the policy of the provincial govern- ment which will decide, in the last resort, the future of the provincial State. Natd ros Ae

The LPP set forth the view that two nations inhabit Canada, en- dorsing the standpoint that Con-

‘federation was a pact between two

nations. It underlines the very ser- ious limitations which the British North America Act placed upon the rights of the French-Canadian na- tion. :

It proposes a new Canadian con- stitution, which recognizes the bi- national character of our country and grants the French-Canadian nation the right to national self- determination.

An entire chapter is devoted to the program of democratic liber- ties in Quebec. It shows how the

growing restrictions of democracy,

which stem from the padlock law, threaten the freedom and the wel- fare of all the citizens of Quebec.

The brief recommends adoption of a new labor code, repeal of the

padlock law, and the enactment of

a Declaration of the Rights of Citi- zens, as recommended by the Civil

yi

| ULL | th a | |

fe

‘Poisonous gas more profitable’

B.C. Electric must be compelled to install gas safety devices, Mrs. Effie Jones said this week in a letter sent to hundreds of city organ- izations urging pressure on Vancouver City Council to revise the

present bylaw.

The BCE should also be forced to produce a less poisonous gas,

and maintain adequate pressure to from going out, said Mrs. Jones.

prevent pilot lights and low flames

Deploring “the shocking number of deaths due to domestic gas

poisoning,” she called for “immedi- ate action.”

“The gas provided by the BCE is among the most poisonous types to be found anywhere in Canada,” said the letter. “The company started producing it in recent years because it is more profitable.

“Refusing to face up to their re- sponsibilities the city council and BCE have put the whole onus on roominghouse keepers and private users of gas> A bylaw has been passed compelling these people to install safety devices at consider-

able cost.

“This means that thousands of individual safety devices will be installed without adequate check. It also means that many working

Quebec press

tries to ignore brief of LPP

MONTREAL The dishonesty of the capitalist

press in Quebec is such that it in-|-

variably takes people by surprise, despite all previous experiences.

The arrest of a single member of the LPP on a charge of dis- tributing circulars invariably rates a good head and the story will contain a multitude of details. It will be prominently featured in the

Montreal and Quebec City dailies. |

However, the appearance of the Labor-Progressive party before the Royal Commission on Constitu- tional: Problems and the presenta- tion of its carefully documented brief, covering all aspects of Que- bee life, was &carcely noticed by those same dailies.

According to Montreal Matin, the event never even occurred. This paper named all the organizations which appeared before the Trem-

blay Commission on March 12, but}.

neglected to mention the LPP. As for. the Gazette, it was so shocked

to find in the 275 pages of the brief

a short quotation from J. V. Stalin on the definition of the nation that it could remember nothing else the brief contained. As for Le Devoir,

which has given lengthy summar-:

ies and extracts of almost all briefs presented to the Commission, it achieved a near-miracle of report- ing by condensing the 100,000 words of the brief into 35 words!

On this occasion, it was La Presse which gave the most honest report- ing, even if it required a magni-

fying glass to find the item. They].

declared: :

“The fullest brief:to be present- ed before the Royal Commission on Constitutional Problems was deliv- ered this afternoon by the Labor- Progressive (Communist) Party.

“The LPP: brief, a meticulously prepared document, comprised 275 pages on legal paper, that is, more than 100,000 words. :

“Drawing upon numerous state- ments made by people of the high- est authority, it dealt with the var-

ious fields of international affairs, | national affairs, sociology, finances, |

and economy, and devoted two chapters to the federal state and the provincial state.”

people and old age pensioners may be faced with higher rents. The B.C. Electric which produces this deadly poison, and which profits from it, is being allowed to get out — from under any responsibility what- soever.

“The Civic Reform Association, which has twice been before city council on this matter, asks your support for the following:

oa That representation be made to city council asking that : the bylaw be revised to com- pel the BCE to install all safety devices on gas installa- tions. The total cost would be a small fraction of the

' company’s annual profits.

That city council be urgéd to compel the company to pro- duce a less poisonous gas, and that adequate pressure be maintained to prevent ‘pilot lights and low flames from going out.”

(At one time BCE gas had a carbon monoxide content of only 6 to 8 percent, but today it is 25 percent or higher.)

RF Misi te ANO a LEMNOS Tein er al McCARTHYISM or 4 ‘ CANADIANISM ?

PUBLIC ADDRESS BY ROSCOE S. RODD, QC National Chairman

LEAGUE FOR DEMOCRATIC RIGHTS

STAN WILCOX

“prominent trade unionist and others will speak

PENDER AUDITORIUM SUNDAY, APRIL 4

d

4

8 p.m..

THE LIFEOF ~ EMILE ZOLA

@ A first-rate film produced in Hollywood before the advent of McCarthyism. Good entertain- z ment with a powerful message for those who cherish our demo-

cratic traditions and way of life.

\

Tobe shown. at reception for Roscoe S. Rodd, QC, in Lower Hall, Pender Aud- itorium, 339 West Pender, Saturday, April 3, 8 p.m. Silver collection.

AUSPICES, VANCOUVER — BRANCH, LEAGUE FOR — | DEMOCRATIC RIGHTS

- Ae |