I Winnipeg General Sympathetic Strike MAY-JUNE, I919
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4. %iVlNGTHE WORLD FROM DEMOCRACY" THE i Winnipeg General Sympathetic Strike MAY-JUNE, i919 TRIAL BY JURY DESTROYED BY STAMPEDE FORTY- FIVE MINUTE LEGISLATION-WORKERS ARRESTED AND RUSHED TO PENITENTIARY TO SMASH STRIKE -LEADING LAWYERS, MEMBERS OF EMPLOYERS’ COMMITTEE OF 10 0 O-ENGAGED BY FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO PROSECUTE WORKERS. / ‘ Strike-Arrests-Trials-Penitentiary Prcparcd by the Defense Committee, 220 Bannatyne Ave., composed of Delegates from the various Labor Organizations in _ Winnipeg, ,Manitoba PRICE FIFTY CENTS // Wallingford Press. 288 Kennedy St. "SAVINGTHE WORLD FROM DEMOCRACY" THE Winnipeg General Sympathetic Strike - MAY-JUNE, 1919 TRIAL BY JURY DESTROYED BY STAMPEDE FORTY- FIVE MINUTE LEGISLATION-WORKERS ARRESTBD AND RUSHED TO PENITENTIARY TO SMASH STRIKE -LEADING LAWYERS, MEMBERS OF EMPLOYERS’ COMMITTEE OF 10 0 O-ENGAGED BY FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.TO PROSECUTE WORKERS. \. Strike-Arrests-Trials-Penitentiary Prepared by the Defense Committee, 220 Bannatyne Ave., composed of Delegates from the various Labor Organizations in Winnipeg, 3Ianitoba PRICE: FIFTY CENTS HISTORY WINNIPEG GEOiERAL STRIKE e 1919 SYNOPSIS OF EVENTS Leading up to the Walker Theatre meeting, the Calgary * Convention, the Formation of the 0. B. U., the Win- __ nipeg General Strike-May and June, 1919- and the prosecutions ariiing out of the same. Eight men, Russell, Johns, Pritchard, Armstrong, Heaps, Queen, Bray, and Ivens, are now be’fore the Assize Court of Manitoba, charged by the Government with seditious conspiracy to overthrow the state, etc. These men were arrested, together with five non-English s eaking men, on June 17th, last, when the general strike Ygas at its height. The real purpose of the arrests was to smash the strike then in existence. ‘The Crown alleges that they were arrested because they were seditiously planning a revolution and that the strike was an attempt to establish a soviet form of government. The Crown is attempting to’prove.that meetings held in Winnipeg in December, 1918, to protest against orders in council, to demand the withdrawal of troops from Russia, and the release of political prisoners ; the various meetings _ of the Labor Church in Winnipeg; a meeting planned by the Socialist Party of Canada-but prevented by rioting soldiers ; a convention of representatives from the Trades Unions of Western Canada, held in Calgary in March, 1919; the Winnipeg general sympathetic strike of May and June, 1919, and the formation of an industrial organization in place of the craft organizations, under the name of the One Big Union, are all connected parts of one big conspiracy. The facts are that the Labor Church was formed by the Rev. W. Iv&s, M.A., B.D., when he was denied, or driven 4 HISTOKY OF WINNIPEG STRIKE, 1919 from the pulpit of the Methodist Church, because of his pacifist views. The Walker Theatre meeting was planned because the workers realized that the Trades Congress officers were impotent in the matter of securing from the Government redress of the grievances complained of, and were determined that the voice of protest should be heard. The Majestic Theatre meeting was one of a series planned by the Socialist Party to propagate their views. The West- ern Convention, held in Calgary, March, 1919, was arranged to form some plan of organization that would free Western Canada from the control of a Trades Congress machine which the Western workers claimed defeated their every plan and proposal. The plan of industrial organization was launched at that convention and was accelerated by the active and persistent opposition of international officers to the Winnipeg strike. The strike itself grew spontaneously out of the refusal of the “‘iron masters”--owners of the contract metal shops-to recognize the unions or the Metal Trades Council, and the refusal of the Builders’ Exchange to recognize the Building,Trades Council or to pay the men engaged in all branches of the building industry a living wage. The idea of a conspiracy is preposterous. The contention of the Crown that these activities were part of an attempt to set up a soviet and to bring about a revolution, is a pre- text by which they hope to railroad active leaders of the working class to jail, and an excuse for them to carry on an active propaganda against “Reds,” “Revolutionists,” “Left Wingers, “’ “Radicals,” “Progressives,” or whatever they may be called. “Bolshevists” is, of course, the most telling expression from their standpoint. If they are successful in this endeavor it is quite clear that the Government will pass legislation, or, more orders- in-council, suppressing every organization, and imprisoning everv person who in any way seeks to better the general cond%ion of the workers. That this is no mere suspicion on our part is proven by the fact that, while the strike was in progress, ‘the Immi-’ gration Act was re-introduced into the Federal Parliament. It had already been amended and signed by the Governor- General, not more than a couple of days previously. When re-introduced it was re-amended purposely to destroy the right of trial by jury for all British born citizens, and also make it possible to deport the strike leaders, without legal trial. This act was re-introduced into the Ottawa Parlia- HISTOKY OF WINNIPEG STRIKE, 1910 5 ment, and amended within the short space of time of twenty minutes. It was next rushed through the Senate, then to the Governor-General for signature. From first to last the time taken for the whole process was less than 45 minutes. There is not a parallel for this stampede legislation in the whole British history. Shortly after this amendment was passed the accused were arrested, rushed to the penitentiary, and, on the third day, brought before the Board of Enquiry, so that they might have a secret hearing and then be deported. That’ this plan was not carried out was due, we believe, wholly to the storm of protest raised in all parts of Canada against the outrage. The fact that they were unable under the re-amended Immigration Act, at that time, to accomplish their designs, halted them for the moment, but it also accentuated their determination to crush the whole progressive working class movement. This means that a publicity campaign such as that secur- ed by these long drawn out trials, where their side of the case is published in the daily press down to the slightest detail, while we have no such means of setting forth our side of the case, will, they hope, create an atmosphere where not only the conditions of the Immigration Act- which are still intact-may be enforced, but also such additional legislation as shall accomplish their designs. Because of these facts it is necessary that at this time we should present to the entire Labor Movement a cem- plete statement of the various events mentioned in the charges, and the causes leading up to the same, so that it will be able to form an intelligent, complete and accurate opinion of the whole matter, assist us in protecting labor’s right to organize, and work out its own emancipation. We therefore set forth in order the progress of events as follows :- 1. The reason for calling the Walker Theatre meeting and a report of the same. 2. The Majestice Theatre meeting as planned. 3. The formation and aims of the ‘Labor Church. 4. The calling of, and report of, the Calgary Convention. 6. The calling of, reasons for, and progress of, the Gen- eral Strike. 6. The Arrests, etc. 7. The prosecutions and progress of the Trial. 6 HISTORY OF WINNIPEG STRIKE, 1919 Section I. ..H THE WALKER THEATRE MEETING SUNDAY, DECEMBER 22nd, 1918 The Walker Theatre meeting was called, by the Winni- peg Trades and Labor Council, in conjunction with the ‘, Socialist Party of Canada, for the purpose of passing three resolutions. 1 These were as follows:- ’ 1. Protest against Orders-in-Council. 2. Withdrawal of Troops from Russia. 3. Release of Political Prisoners. 1. Orders-in-Council had been passed and enforced by the Government, and resented strongly by the workers. Here are a few samples of this protest, as printed in the Western Labor News, the official organ of the Trades and Labor Council. Oct. 4th, 1918, issue, reports raids on homes in North End of city for banned literature. Oct. 18th issue, Trades Council discusses general strike against rder-in-Council forbidding the right to strike. The s% me issue prints in full the Order-in-Council ban- ning many organizations, and foreign papers. Editorially, the paper severely condemns at length the whole policy of Orders-in-Council. Oct. 25th issue prints the result of the strike ballot against the “No-strike” order, and shows a vote of 92 per . cent. in favor of the strike. Nov. 8th, protest against arrest of Bainbridge, of Toronto, for having banned literature in his possession. In the same issue there was a protest against seven men ‘at Sault Ste Marie being fined $16,‘700.00 for belonging to the Social Democratic Party, which had been made illegal by Order-in-Council. Nov. 22nd the paper contains strong articles condemning the censorship, and further arrests for sedition, and for possessing prohibited literature. Nov. 29th the Government’s Russian ‘policy was con- demned and further protests against Orders-in-Council voiced. Dec. 6th thefe appears a Toronto protest, which says in part :- Resolved. That we, the delegates of the International Association of Machinists, representing the Province of t Ontario, in convention assembled, do hereby protest 3 HISTORY OF WINNIPEG STRIKE, 1919 7 * against Government by “Orders-in-Council” as being pre- judicial to the best interest of organized Labor and a sub- version of political democracy and civil liberty.