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EDITORIAL BOARD Nigel Morgan Maurice Rush Minerva Cooper Al Parkin

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Franco-War Criminal

HEN Dr. Lange, the Polish delegate to the UN brought the issue of Franco Spain before the Seeur- ity Council! and urged immediate and unconditional sever- ance of diplomatic or other relations with this cesspool of fascist conspiracy and aggression, the common people of the democratic world were justified in thinking that the tequest would be acted upon without argument or cavil. The contrary happened. The “atomic” imperialists of Britain and the USA demanded “proot’ that the existence of Branco Spain is a menace to world peacer The spokesmen for Bevin and Byrens argued that such a move would “strengthen” Franco. The fascist Lord Halifax and his late umbrella-packing colleague Chamberlain never did a better attempt at appeasement and evasion in their palmuiest days. Six years of the bloodiest war in history, with the Chinese, Spanish, Ethiopian, Czech and other peoples feel- ing its searing brand years before “our” six: with the Nazi incendiaries utilizing the Republic of Spain as the first victim of the torch; all this apparently meant noth- ing to the Byrens and Bevins and their pressured colleagues injthe UN] hey found a “compromises | | “a committee of investigation” . . . to see whether or not the Franco regime is a menace to world peace! Their kept press saw in the demand of the Polish delegate the “hand of Mos- cow, rather than the untold thousands of dead and tor- tured Franco victims. They saw in the Franco inquisition regime a “bulwark against communism” just as their Munich predecessors arguéd a decade ago. The Soviet rep- resentative branded the “committee of investigation” as a “useless and unnecessary delay”. and refrained from partici- pating in this shameful Munichite manoeuver. u The World Federation of Trade Unions and scores of its great affiliated unions in many countries have demand- ed the ousting of the Franco regime, and the restoration of the democratically elected government of Republican Spain. Organizations of people everywhere have demanded the severance of relations with the Nazi puppet Franco and

his murder Phalange. Our war dead ... and the six hundred Canadians

who died in Spain fighting Franco, demand that the indig- nant mass voice of the people be heard; demand that such a wave of protest arise that will sweep the Franco regime out, and place Franco where he belongs . . . among the top war criminals on trial.

“Political Arm” -. Bypassed

Dek se the last two weeks the Vancouver and New Westminster District Trades and Labor Council and the Vancouver Labor Council have endorsed the work of the government-labor committee, both in respect to the splen- did lobby it organized, and also in its work as a committee in securing a statutory 44-hour week, holidays with pay, compensation amendments, etc. Aside from these bodies, the Vancouver Island Labor Conference held a week ago, and other basic unions throughout the province have expressed approval with the work of the committee. Thus the ma- jority of labor throughout the province regard the new labor legislation as definite progress. Any criticism ad- vanced has been constructive and can be heeded.

In a numberof unions opposition to the tactical work of the labor government committee has been raised, most- ly emanating from trotskyite-CCF inspired sources.

What worries the CCF moguls of social-democracy is that the unions of both Congresses have not accepted the CCF as “the political arm of labor” but have organized their own Political Action: machinery to secure legislative concessions to labor. The results of course are evidence of

the correctness of this policy, to all but:the “political arm” _

which the trade unions have by-passed on the road to pro- gress. Hence the windy fulminations in the CCF convention and the use of such language as “betrayal,” etc.

There is a great deal the CCF-MLA’s can do in the legislature in the interests of organized labor, but se long as the CCF holds the concept that it alone has a monopoly on labor representation in Parliament -. and all the evi- dence of the recent CCF convention indicates that the lusion is still prevalent, the CCF is destined to find itself at odds with the trade union movement of B.C. Moreover, the threats and windy fulminations of David Lewis and other CCF chiefs against the I,PP, and the charge of “I, PP- dominated unions” will not provide the answer to the CCF dilemma. A real “political arm” presupposes the widest labor unity. The concept of a “go-it-alone political mon- opoly” results in the political paralysis which dominates the CCF.

PACIFIC TRIBUNE — PAGE 4

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Bigger Profits

Halt The Price Control

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Saboteur

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— 22

For Monopolists;

Harder Times For lhe Farmers

by Nelson Clarke, LPP Leader for Saskatchewan

REGINA, Sask., April 29—The 12 1/2 percent €1y, Coming on the heels of the two cent increase by the government of

marks a further surrender business.

The great machinery panies have made countless mil- lions of dollars out of western agriculture. The years between 1928 and 1938 were years of grim poverty to the farmers of the West, yet in every one of those years the International Harvest- er Company made an average profit of $14,000,000. Other com- panies did almost as well. The War years saw the profits of

com-

the machinery companies still further inflated. Now, when every patriotic Canadian real-

izes that the farmers must re- ceive every possible assistance in their efforts to feed the star- ving peoples of the world, the Machine companies demand and receive still fatter dividends at the expense of agricultural pro- auction.

The farmers will not be bought off by vague promises about higher wheat prices. Their demand is for a definite perma- nent policy which will suaran- tee at all times a parity be- tween the price the farmer re- ceives for what he grows, and the price he must pay for what he buys. Nor will the farmers be satisfied with a policy which fives them higher prices at the expense of the worker in the city striving to make‘’ends meet with still frozen wages. Such policies lead directly to the im- poverishment .of the wage earn- er and destruction of the home market for agricultural pro- ducts.

The Dominion government Should immediately rescind its decision in respect to the in- crease in farm machinery prices. If the machine monopolies con- tinue their sit down strike for higher profits, their plants should be seized by the govern- ment and operated in the inter-

increase in the price of farm machin- in the price of gasoline on the prairies, this country to the pressure of big:

“tion of

ests of the farmers of this coun- try. If increases in the prices of agricultural products are re- quired, they must be covered

by government subsidy, so that the load of such increases will be equitably borne by the nation 2S a whole.

LPP Calls For Mass

First the Labor-Progressive Party

Campaign To Halt The — Drive Towards Inflation

in a series of community meetings sponsored “by.

in the current “Fight Infla-

tion” drive was held in Harmony Hall Sunday night with Minerva Cooper as the speaker.

Describing as “legalized rob- bery” recent government action releasing price controls, Mrs. Cooper announced the opening of an LPP-sponsored petition cam- paign and called for the forma- community pressure roups which could win support from wide sections of the people. “If the people of Canada bom- bard Ottawa hard enough and

fast enough with letters, tele- rams and other forms of pro- test we can halt this suicidal

drive toward

inflation,’ she de- clared. :

Minerva Cooper was particu- larly sharp in her condemnation ef government action permitting inereases in the prices of furni- ture and bedding. “This is equiva- lent to a 25’ percent cut in’ vet- erans’ gratuities. The one hun- dred veterans who will be re- turned to civil life in the com- ing year and thousands of others who have been Saving gratuities to furnish homes as soon as sup- plies are available now find that price increases are timed to co incide with the reappearance of such goods on the market.”

She urged that the fight for restoration of price controls be organized as a great supporting movement for the wage Struggles now in prcegress in the labor movement. “Present price levels are the proof that wage increases must be won to prevent real in- come from being driven down still further with disastrous ef- fects on the health of the peo- ple.” She estimated that the ~in- crease in butter prices alone would cost the Canadian people an additional 12 million dollars per year.

Minerva Cooper pointed out’ that women shoppers could do a Sreat deal to win the support of Small business men for current wage struggles and the drive against inflation. Small merchants were being victimized along with the wage earners. While manu- facturers and wholesalers stood te profit by increased prices, the small merchant could find the volume of his business and his net income cut down with every reduction in the purchasing pow- er of the people.

ERIDAY, MAY 8, 1946