Chapter 27 – 1936 -1937 – The League for Peace and Democracy/Calgary/Anna Louise Strong

In 1937, both the American and Canadian League Against War and Fascism groups changed the name to the League for Peace and Democracy. Dad’s explanation: “We decided that was too negative a name.  It’s easy to be against something but it’s more positive to be for something. So we changed the name to the League for Peace and Democracy.”

One of the events taking place in Calgary on April 9, 1937 was a lecture by American journalist Anna Louise Strong who had recently returned from Spain. The meeting was held in the Central United Church with proceeds going to Dr. Norman Bethune and the Canadian medical unit.  The meeting was chaired by Joseph H. Ross and although neither the newspaper article nor advertisement mentions who hosted the meeting although I’m fairly sure it would have been The League for Peace and Democracy.

 Thanks to the website http://www.peace.ca/, I discovered a long list of peace/protest groups that have been under RCMP surveillance over the years. Because many of the old files have been transferred to the National Archives of Canada, I discovered I was able to request specific items through Access to Information, and for a $5.00 fee, received documentation concerning the “Calgary League for Peace and Democracy and Aliases – Calgary, Alberta (Communist Activities Within)” The pages date from June 1935 to September 1938 and again, prove to be interesting reading.

One memo notes that on August 16, 1937, "a meeting was held in the Labour Temple with delegates from different progressive organizations”. It names “some of those present” as Fred White (labour), A. Roberton, and Corry Campbell." Quoting item # 2 from the same page:

“The discussion centered on building of a strong Spanish Democracy Committee, but it was decided to let this rest for awhile as the MacKenzie Papinue [sic] Committee can carry on till fall, till such time as the harvest is over and all members of the progressive organizations are back in Calgary, as at present so many of them are away at the harvest. The matter will then be brought up later on for discussions and plans.”