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Wovember 24, 1939

THE ADVOCATE

Page Five

Big Business Reveals Plans

Blaylock Desires To Place
Wear Burden On Workers :

By FERGUS McKEAN

“Maintenance of the nation’s cash reserves is the most important economic duty facing
Canada in war time,’ declared S. G. Blaylock, president of Consolidated Mining and Smelting

Company, addressing the annual ban

Friday. ;
This pronouncement is of the

utmost significance to BC labor.©

It is more than the mere expression of an individual opinion.
Ti is a statement of the policy which Canadian monopoly
Capital is to adopt in its relations with labor in the coming
months of war time indusirial production.

S. G. Blaylock is well qualified to outline the policy of big

business. President of Western

Canada’s largest monopoly, the

Consolidated Mining and Smelting company of Trail and Kim-
berley, which alone pockets 70 percent of the profits made from
BC mines, Blaylock is also directly connected with the upper-
most circles of Canadian finance capital.

CM&S is probably the best

example of trustification of in-

dustry in the west. It owns its own ore mines at Kimberley,

its own coal mines at Coleman,
Alta, and controls practically all
the hydro-electric power in BC’s
interior through its subsidiary, the
West Kootenay Light and Power
company. But this is not all.
CMES itself, is, in turn, a subsid-
jiary of the CPR, all of whose di-
reetors are also directors of the
Bank of Montreal which again is
closely linked through the system
of interlocking directorates with
another financial giant, the Royal
Trust company.

But Blaylock has other qualifica-
ons for the honor of acting as
the chief spokesman and author-
ity in the West of monopoly capi-
tal and its relations with labor. He
is the father of company unionism
in Canada, founded on the notor-
ious cooperative workmen’s com-
mittee system at Trail, brought
into being after the miners’ union
had been smashed and its leader,
Ginger Goodwin, shot on Vancou-
ver island.

WHAT BLAYLOCK MEANT.

To understand what Blaylock
meant by his statement, ‘Main-
tenance of the nation’s cash re-
Serves is the most important ecc-
momic duty facing Canada in war
time,” it is necessary to analyze
his speech further.

Consider this brutally frank ex-
planation: “While I may be ac-
@used of ulterior motives, wages
Should not be increased, if other
costs can be controlled, because
the last war proved above all other
things that general wase advances
were followed by higher living
costs, resulting in higher costs of
production, less turnover and con-
sequent unemployment with little,
if any, improvement in the condi-
tions of those still employed.”

But this distorted explanation
of the economic relation of wages
to living costs, this pseudo-solici-—
tude for “improvement in the con-
ditions of those still employed” is

>vocated that “wages should not be
increased.”

Says Blaylock: “While it might
appear that business carried on
2S usual only on a higher basis, we
must not lose sight of the fact
that the cash reserves of the na-
tien are impaired in proportion.
TI believe that this is the most im-
portant fact we have to face in
this conflict, keeping in mind that
our enemies can and do demand
uch greater value for their na-
tional expenditure.”

Here then is the answer to the
question, why wages should not
be increased; “the cash reserves of
the nation are impaired.” From
the viewpoint of Canada’s mono
poly capitalists the profits made
by the owners of industry consti-
tute “‘cash reserves of the nation,”
but if a portion of these profits
were to be paid out to the workers
employed in these industries to
compensate for soaring living costs
and thus avoid poverty and mainu-
trition for workers’ children then
this money no longer constitutes
“cash reserves of the nation,” but
on the contrary, “the cash reserves
of the nation are impaired.”

The fact the money is still in the
mands of Canadian citizens does
mot interfere with Blaylock’s il
logical deductions.

DISTORTING ECONOMICS.

Here is an example of how the
capitalist class, in order to justi-
iy its greed for profits through the
greater exploitation of labor, dis-
torts the laws of economics in 2
ludicrous attempt to prove such an
action is really a patriotic act to
prevent the “cash reserves of the
nation” being impaired.

What Blaylock is actually de-
manding is that cost of con
ducting the war be borne by the
working class even though the
workers be forced into ever

mot the real reason why he ad-

deeper poverty.

ADVOCATE CLASSIFIED

These merchants and professional men offer you their
services at competitive prices.
columns they support your paper. By patronizing them
you ensure continuance of their support. Make it a point
to deal with Advocate advertisers wherever possible.

By advertising in these

ADVERTISING RATES
Glassified, 3 lines 45c. Monthly con
tract rates on application.

CAFES
THE ONLY FISH — ALL KINDS
of Fresh Sea Food. Union House.
26 East Hastings St.

CHIRGPRACTORS
WAL BRAIDWOOD, D-C., NERVE
Specialist. 510 West Hastings St
SEymour 2677. Evenings, High-
land 2240.

DANCES
EMBASSY BALLROOM, DAVIE
at Burrard. Old Time Dancing
Tues., Thurs., and Sat. Ambassa-
dors Orch. Whist. $25.00 cash
prizes. Admission to dance and
whist, 25c.

DENTISTS
DR. A. J. SIPES, DENTIST
Plate Specialist. Towest Prices.
680 Robson St. TRinity 5716.

FUEL

HONEST VALUE FPUELS—FATR.
0469. Edsings Wo. i, $3.25 per cord.
Slabs, Heavy Fir, $3.75 per cord.

FRESH WATER Wo. i Fir Slabs,
i%% cords, $4.75; cord, $3.75; Edg-
ings, 1%% cords, $3.75. DEx. 1304.

JEWELLERS
PUT THAT XMAS GIFT ASIDE
now. Beautiful watch and jewel-
ry lines; special favors to soldiers. _
Easy terms. EH Inglis, Jewelry
and Fiorolocial, 708 Ww. Pender.

MONUMENTAL

PERSONAL

BIRTH CONTROL BUREAU OF
B.C., Dept. PA, 441 Seymour
Street, Vancouver, B.C. Informa-
tion FREE. Write for Literature.

CONSULT THE BUDDHIST BiIB-

lical Astrology; Signs of the
times. 2438 Dundas St.. Vancou-
ver.

ROOMS FOR RENT

RICE BLOCK, 800 East Hastings.
Bi gh. 0029. Furnished Suites and
Rooms. Moderate rates.

SAWDUST BURNERS
GENUEINE “LEADER” BURNERS.

323 Alexander St. at Ray’s.
TRinity 0390.
STATIONERY

Ir YOU NEED STATIONERY
for school, home or office use,
get it at the New Age Bookshop.
Anything in the line of stationery
at moderate prices. Call at 50-
East Hastings Street.

TYPEWRICERS AND SUPPLIES

GEO. DONOVAN Typewriters,
Adding Machines, Cash Repisters.
SEymour 9393, 508 W. Pender St.

TAILORS

M DONG, TATLORS, formerly
Horseshoe Tailors now at 8 West
Cordova St. TRinity 6024

MAIN MONUMEN T S—SAVE
money here. Estimates for ceme-
tery lettering. 1920 Main Street.

NATUROPATHIC PHYSICIAN

SEE DR. DOWNIE FOR REEU-
matism, Sciatica, Lumbazo. Room
7 — 163 West Hastings St.

PERSONAL
DENTAL PLATES REPATRED,
Si and up. Rebuilt $5 and up.
Wew Method Dental Lab., 163 W.

WATCH REPATRING

WATCH, CLOCK AND JEWEL
ry repairs. Blackburn’s Market

SEymour 5592.

BICYCLES AND REPATES

BICYCLES, NEW AND USED —
Baby Garriages, Sulkies, Doll Car
riages, Joycycles. Repairing of all
kinds. Saws filed, keys cut, ete.
W. M Ritchie, 1569 Commercial

Hastings St. SHymour 6612.

Drive. Highland 4123.

quet of the BC division, Canadian Institute of Mining, last

He further points out that fascist
Germany has already achieved the
objective of forcing the German
working class to bear the cost of
imperialist expansion by means
of terrorism when he says: “Our
enemies can and do demand much
sreater value for their national ex—
penditure.”

In order to throw dust in the
eyes of the gullible, Blaylock calm-
ly reverses the entire relationship
of wages to living costs in his
statement that ‘the last war proved
above all other things that general
wage advances were followed by
higher living costs.”

The exact opposite is the case.
All history has proven that when
a general increase in the price of
commodities occurs the last, as a
general rule, to be affected is the
commodity, labor power.

This was also true of the last
war when wages were only in-
ereased as the result of agitation
and collective action after con-
sumption commodities had al-
ready been raised in price. Only
in isolated instances in localities
suffering © from an acute labor
shortage did wage advances pre-

cede increased living costs and
then usually because the -“cost
plus” system for government con-

tracts guaranteed juicy profits re-
gardiess of wages paid.

Brom the viewpoint of those
Blaylock represents it is patri-
otic and ‘loyal’ fof labor to accept
lower living standards in order
that profits may be left unimpair-
ed. After pointing out how YWin-
ston Churchill had expressed his
appreciation “of the part labor
Was playing in England,” Blaylock
proceeded to express the same
pious hope by stating: “I am sure
that labor will be just as loyal in
Canada and that they will follow
the lead of their companions and
carry on.”

WOULD SUPPRESS UNIONS.

But then the disconcerting
thought that labor, particularly
the Trail smeltermen, might be-
come ‘disloyal, organize into 2
trade union and ask for a wage
increase to compensate for increas-
ed living costs, crossed Blaylock’s
mind. The possibility so agitated
him that just for a2 moment he
permitted the iron fist of repres-
sion to show itself without the
Silken glove, in his remark:

“Undoubtedly we will have more
and more attention from agitation
from outside sources (to the warp-
ed minds of capitalists trade union
erganizers are always considered
agitators from outside sources’)
unless the government makes it
quite plain that they will not stand
any outside interference and close
our borders to those who, masquer-
ading as friends of the masses, are
in reality only too often enemies
of democracy.”

Here is expressed a demand
¥rom Canadian monopoly that
the government take action to
curb the further development of
international trade unions in
Canada, no doubt referring par-
ticularly to the basic industries.

Brom this point Blaylock pro-
ceeded to dwell on the patriotism
and loyalty of his company. He
explained that “Empire producers
were contacted and were asked to
produce and supply these metals
at prices which, though somewhat
above the actual cost of produc-
tion, are in most cases, much be-
low the average price for iten,
twenty, thirty, or forty years.” This
action he then referred to as “vyir-
tual conscription of their proper-
ties.”

Here indeed is ‘loyalty’ personi-
fied. The big metal producers have
agreed to sell their entire output
for the duration of the war to the
Sovernment at a price less than
the average of ten or even forty
years ago was.

PROETTEERS’ LOYALTY.

But No mention is made of tech-
nological advances in the process-
ing of metals and exiraction of
by-products, formerly wasted,
which has enormously cheapened
production costs over those preyail-—
ing ten years ago, let alone forty
years back. Any Trail smelterman
will tell you of the tens of thous-
ands of dollars saved through the
eperation of the ‘smoke treaters’
and the entire new plant for pro-
cessing by-products at Warfield,
All developed within the past ten
years.

Furthermore, the fact the entire
output is contracted for in ad-
vance considerably lessens the
overhead necessary to maintain a
sales staff abroad.

These “minor details’ are conven-—
iently overlooked and the purchase
of the entire output is termed “vir-
tual conscription of their proper-
ties.” Lhe fact that, according to
the government, not a single Cana-
dian manufacturer would agree -to
accept war contracts at a profit
rate of 5 percent shows the type of
patriotism monopoly capital be-
lieyves in. To it patriotism and war
profits are synonymous terms.

<

Loggers
To Discuss
Liberties

Threat To Rights
Will Be Issue At
Nanaimo Meeting

NANAIMO, BC.—The threat
to civil liberties which, despite
Prime Minister King’s assur-
ance at beginning of the war
that they would not be inter-
fered with, and now being re-
stricted, will be one of the
main topics of discussion when

delesates from International
Woodworkers of Amrecia
locals hold their district council
meeting in the union hall here
this Sunday at 10:30 a.m.

Delegates, according to WNigel
Morgan, BC board member, will
also lay plans to carry out the
program of the recent convention
zor increased wages throughout
the industry under the slogan:
“Boost our pay a dollar a day.”
Te facilitate this campaign BC dis-
trict forces will be reorganized.

Recently a start was made at
Dake Logging where 325 employ-
ees, how covered by an agreement
recognizing the loggers committee,
are receiving the highest wage
Standard in BC. Signing of ths
pact has been followed by a sim1:-
lar agreement covering loggers
employed by Crofton Export.

Employees of Wood and Englisa,
Englewood, also benefitted fron
Wage increases after a visit of
union organizers. Chokermen’s
wages, which are generally taken
as a basis, were boosted from $4.25

tc $4.60 a day, while Similar in-
creases were gained in other
brackets.

To summarize, the policy of Can-
@adian big business toward labor

-during the war has now been out-

lined by its western Canadian
spokesman, S. G. Blaylock. It is:

| eS must be no wage in-
creases because this would
impair the nation’s cash re-
Serves.” (read profits of big bus-
imess).

—The threat of still greater ex-—
ploitation of labor because
“our enemies can and do demand
much greater value for their
national expenditure.” This can
be construed te mean it may be
necessary te adopt methods of
fascist suppression of labor simi-
lar to that imposed on German
labor.

—The method of paralyzing the
labor movement through col-
jaboration with the top leader-
ship, so successful in Britain,
should be followed here.

—Exert pressure on the gov-
ernment to curb international
unions on the grounds their or-
f@anizers are ‘outside agitators.’

WHAT LABOR MUST DO.

How is BC labor to combat this
program of Canadian big business?
By adopting a program of its own
designed to advance its interests
as against the interests of big bus-
ines. This program should in-
clude:

—Organize the unorganized.
Labor cannot effectively safe—
Guard its interests while the ma-
jority of industrial workers re—-
main unorganized. Labor unity
of already established unions
must be maintained and an or-
Ganizational drive launched in
all industries, but in particular
the basic industries of the proyv-
ince, lumbering, minng, fishing
and maritime.

—Launch an immediate planned
campaign in all unions to
raise wage levels sufficiently to
offset the inerease in living
costs already in effect since the
outbreak of war which some au-
thorities set as 17 percent.

—Take organized action to curb

profiteering in staple com-
modities used for public coan-

sumption. This will require co-
operation with all other inter-
ested organizations, widespread

research efforts and the greatest

publicity.

—Act to preserve civil liberties.

Unless organized labor takes
immediate action to preserve the
freedom of speech, freedom of
the press, right of organization
and strike action labor will find

itself so suppressed it will be im-

possible to institute collective

bargaining. <All of these rights
are already in process of being
des{royed-= Workers distribut
ing leaflets expressing an opin-
ion on the war have been arrest-
ed. The radio and meeting halls
are being denied to labor repre-
sentatives. Elected representa-
tives are being threatened. Clar-
te in Quebec and the Clarion in

Qntario have been suppressed by
the federal government. Pioneer

miners’ leaders haye been ar-

rested and fined for daring toa
take strike action.

The process of instituting fasc-
ism in Canada is already well ad-
vanced. Labor must awake, and
strengthen the bonds of labor sol-
idarity and act at once to preserve
Canadian living standards and
Canadian democracy.

SHORT
JABS

by OF Bill

One evening last week the Vancouver Sun pub-
Remember lished a story from Boston about a speech made
This Guy? by the Rev. Edmund A. Walsh, vice-principal of
Georgetown University. This gentleman is alleged to have “suggested
taat Russia might have been responsible for the sinking of the British
liner Athenia and the recent attempt on Adolf Hitler’s life.”

The educational standards at Georgetown University cannot be
very high because Father Walsh’s record is of long standing. He used
to be looked upon as one of America’s No. 1 bigots. He is a Jesuit
priest who placed evidence on Bolshevism before a Senate investigat—
ing committee in 1930. In that year Senator Hamilton Fish was eatin=
up the American taxpayers’ money just as the arch-reactionary Martin
Dies is doing today—spreading anti-workingclass propaganda in the
Suise of investigating the Soviets.

Here is an extract from International Press correspondence of Dec.
18, 1930, about Father Walsh: ““All America is gasping under a terrific
economic and financial crisis. What are the causes of this catas-
trophe? The holy man had discovered the cause and emplained it to
the commission.

““Do you want to know where the crisis came from? With God’s
help I have discovered this secret. I can give you an exact and un-—
erring reply.’ All was quiet in the commission. The excited ticking
of the gold watch in Mr. Fish’s pocket could be heard. The representa—
tive of the holy order of Jesuits was outwardly calm, but obviously
was excited himself. .

““The crisis was organized by no other than the Gomintern, and
here,’ Father Edmund Walsh thrust his hand into his pocket, ‘and
here are the proofs!’ The priest shook a little book over the heads of
his excited listeners. ‘

““Here are the proofs. The report of the executive of the Gomin-
tern, published 14 months before the Wall street crash in October.
In this report it gives you all the details, how a crisis will develop in
America, what it will lead to, and what will be its effects. The Bolshe
viks knew in advance that we would have a stock exchange crash.
That proves that they prepared it themselves. The business depres-
Sion in the United States is the work of Gommunist hands.’ ”

This data, written by Michael Koltsov, may be verified by consult
ing the report of the Hamilton Fish Commission published by the
US government.

After you have extended your due need of pity to the unfortunate
dupes who are being educated at Georgetown University, get busy and
help us to get our $4000 press fund. For the only way to offset such
scurrilous and bigoted suggestions and interpretations of evidence
is to ensure the continuation of our own press organs.

Qur drive manager is an awful slave-driver. Since the period of
the drive has been extended she now wants 50 press committees to
raise $20 more than they have already raised or than they undertook
in the first place. And this includes our column. TI believe we can do
it. Let us show her she can’t browbeat us. Let us aim for $250.

Kangaroo courts used to be held only in jails.
Kan

Zaroo They seem to have moved out, for if the press
Court. accounts are to be believed, one has been func-

tioning in the Bridge River district. This is nothing strange, however,
as it is only making the judicial arm of the state conform to the legis-
lative tentacle as it is expressed in the so-called Labor Tndustrial and
Conciliation Act. And as the court and the law are of 2 kind, so too
are the judge and minister responsible for the class nature of this
phoney legislation.

= When the case for the striking Pioneer miners
Comparisons was placed before a Vancouver audience last
Are Odorous. week, what was undoubtedly the best areument
was advanced by the wife of one of the striking miners. Maybe = am
a little prejudiced in saying that, because I have always had a soft
side for the womenfolks of mining communities. I’ve known so many
cases where miners’ wives and daughters were the backbone of Aa
strike, inspiring their men, reviving their flagging resolution and
leading them to victory.

That little woman on the platform at the Moose Hall made it clear
why the miners at Pioneer must get the dollar a day raise they asic
for. She compared prices at the Pioneer with prices she found adver—
tised in the Vancouver press (Nov. 9th). Here are some of them; the
first figure being the Pioneer price, the second the Vancouver one:

Corn flakes 15c a package, and 4 packages for 25c; bacon 50c, and
30c per 1b_; shortening 25c, and 8c per ib.; bananas 2 lbs. for 25c, and
3 lbs. for 17c; peaches 40c¢ a doz., and 25¢ a doz.; eggs 46c, and 36c
a doz.; hothouse tomatoes 2 lbs. for 25c, and 2 lbs. for 9c; Fetherlite
pastry flour 7 ibs. for 34c, and i7c: fresh milk 20c, and 10c.

Gasoline costs 48¢ a gallon. Firewood sets you back $9 a cord
during the winter (it’s a sub-zero country), sawdust $5.50 a unit, and
fuel oil $7.50 a drum, in comparison with Vancouver prices of $8 for

2 cords of good firewood, $3.25 per unit of Sawdust, and $4.50 per drum

of oil.

The minimur charge for juice is two and a half bucks, for which
you are entitled to 21 kilowatt hours which would cost you 84c in
Vancouver. (Qur old friend the BC Collectric gets in on this through
the Bridge River Power Company, which it owns.) Eiven though you
may desire it, the company will not check-off a dollar from your
paycheck for union dues, but they check off a dollar for the Commun-
ity clubsand if you want to take in a show there you have to pay 40c
more, and if you take the wife alone she has to ante up 40c also.
They have no objection either to checking off a dollar for the Hospital
for yourself and another for the little woman.

it costs plenty, too, to move around in that country. It is 68 miles
from Nanaimo to Courtenay on the Island and it costs $2.40 on the bus,
but a trip from Pioneer to Shalalth, 57 miles, will knock 4 five-spot
eff your bankroll. Joyriding comes hich; from Shalalth to Lillooet,
238 miles and return, by ferry or gas-car costs $8 for the jaloppy and
one plunk more for each passenger.

Under these conditions it is nothing short of an
Hit = Fa ene C. Bateman, Secretary of the
. q ng Association, to shoot off his face
at the convention of the Canadian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy
in Vancouver last week about the sacrifice the mineowners are making
in selling the entire EXPORT production of copper to the government
at 10¢ a pound, 60c percent less than the price at the end of the last
war. This Bateman challenged the miners to be as patriotic as the
Inine-owners and stated that labor should not “prostitute its fine con-
tribution by taking advantage of the pressure of war conditions to
make unreasonable demands.” He was ably seconded in this sentiment
by our old friend of the Consolidated Which makes only $14,000,000
profit on a $16,000,000 investment, S. G. Blaylock. eee

: Canadian production of copper is about eight times what it was
in 1914. This will take care of the price for the present. Also this i0c
figures deals only with the EXPORT copper. If the price on the world
market permits it, they will gouge the domestic users to Set back some
of this sacrifice, and if the world price soars their contracts will be
revised upwards. In the meantime this big-hearted piece of loyalty
is to be used to prevent the miners from getting a chance to secure @
share of the wealth they slave to produce.

““Sacrifice

More In the past few days Noranda declared a dividend
Ss if of over $8,000,000 for the year. Last year it paid

acrirfice. $7,279,259 and carried over $13,787,773. The carry
over this year may be gSreater.

This company was launched in 1922 with a capital of half a million
dollars in $100 shares. It was reorganized in 1925 and the capital
structure changed. Eyery owner of a $100 share received 100 shares
without nominal or par value, and the total capital increased to 214
millions, of which 2,239,772 shares have been issued. These Shares
actually represent a one dollar investment. Last year they sold on the
market for $84 each. Why? Because they are bringing the interest
that $84 is expected to bring on the average.

In 1929 each of these shares paid in dividends, 75c: in 1930, $1-75:
1931, 50c; 1932, $1.10; 1933, $1.50; 1934, $2.00; 1935, 32.00; 1936, $3.00;
1937, $3.25; 1938, $4.00; and this year about $4.00. In these eleven years
each dollar has earned $23.85 and is still at work.

ft is the sheerest hypocrisy for the mine-cwners to talk about
making sacrifices. What they are trying to do is to get the miners and
smeltermen who produce the wealth, to absorb the 60 percent they say
they are losing in selling the copper at 10c. And the same idea obtains
with respect to all other metals, base and precious.

Sra =