CANADIAN UNEMPLOYED

Evening Star, Issue 21170, 2 August 1932, Page 9

CANADIAN UNEMPLOYED

MARCH OH OTTAWA DEMANDS TO BE PRESENTED TO MR BENNETT Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. OTTAWA, August 1. (Received August 2, at 10 a.m.) Travelling by automobile, freight car, and on foot a band of unemployed estimated at between 200 and 300 arrived at Ottawa over the week-end to attend the Workers’ Economic Conference, scheduled to begin on Monday. Before tho week is out the leaders of the movecapital. A march on Parliament is planned for Tuesday, when an attempt will be made to see Mr Bennett and present demands. These are said to include non-contribu-tory unemployment insurance for civilians, aud one dollar ten cents per day cash for unemployed war veterans. Seven hundred delegates to the National Conference of Unemployment Councils met in an abandoned garage on Monday, and passed resolutions urging non-contributory unemployment insurance, shorter working days, cessation of police terrorism, and the exemption of all poor farmers from taxes of debt and rent payments. There were scores of women in the crowd. The ex-soldier division included former officers of, tho Canadian Corps, one of whom won the Distinguished Flying Cross. At least one lawyer arid two former preachers Avere there. COMMUNISTIC SPIRIT POSSIBILITY OF A CLASH. (Received August 2, at 11 a.m.) Those attending the so-called Workers’ Economic Conference are members of- the Workers’ Ex-servicemen’s League and the National Unemployed Council. Both are regarded as being Communistic bodies; therefore illegal. The campers are being meagrely fed by the Workers’ International Relief organisation.

Mr Bennett has agreed to receive seven delegates to-morrow, provided that they are not Communists. Their demands include a dole of lOdol weekly, the release of the imprisoned Labour agitators, the removal of Canada’s embargo on Russian goods, a seven-hour day and a five-day week, the stoppage of the shipment of food and Avar materials to Japan, and the repeal of tariffs and taxes that keep up the price of necessities. There is every likelihood of a clash Avith the authorities tomorroAV. The police are prepared for emergencies. The leaders threaten to summon large reinforcements in tho event of their demands not being conceded.