nm Around the Slipways By Charles Saunders apes June issue of Readers’ Digest excels itself in two arti- cles attacking organized labor. The articles are pretty vicious even for this periodical which lends itself so. readily to the propaganda of labor-hating bosses. The first pretends to be a eulogy of the Typographical Union. A very cunning piece of work, which lists the very real virtues of this union and implies or leaves the inference that all other unions lack these virtues; that in fact, all other unions are run by racketeers in an undemocratic manner. What are the virtues listed and approved of? First, that the Typo Union holds regular monthly membership meetings. Is this unusual? Certainly not! Most unions hold regular monthly meetings and in the majority of unions, bi-monthly, while on top of this provision is made in most constitutions for special meetings at the call of the membership. For instance, the constitution of the CCL reads as follows: , 5 “Special meetings shall be called by the president or secre- tary upon receipt of a request therefor from five members in good standing.” So much for this particular virtue. Then the old question of union funds is dragged up. There are few corporations or business concerns who run their financial affairs with the efficiency and economy of most trade unions. The author says he knows the accounts of this particular union are straight because they are checked twice a year by public accountants. Well, the usual trade union procedure is a quarterly audit, plus a monthly financial report, with both audit and report open to examination by any union member in good standing. Expenditures have to be authorized at membership meet- ings and a very close check is kept. Although there may be one or two highly-paid individuals in the trade union move- ment, the general rule is to restrict salaries of paid officials to the rate of the men they are serving, and in many cases these salaries are below the highest rate paid in the industry, so that the account of the modest salary paid in the Typo- graphical Union will fail to impress us. a second article pulls no punches, it is an outright attack on organized labor, the more vicious, since it hides be- hind a cloak of concern for the war effort. The inefficiency of management, the bottlenecks in supplies. poor organization, manpower muddling, rotten housing con- ditions, transportation problems, are completely ignored, and the sole onus of retarded production placed on the backs of the unions. : In the US and in Canada, it is exactly in those industries where organized labor has participated, through the medium of labor-management committees, that these problems have been tackled seriously and production records have been established. . The Digest article cites instances of mechanics clash- ing in disputes over who should do a certain type of work. There may be a certain amount of this, but at least in the local shipyards disputes of this type are the exception rather than the rule, and usually involve attempts to get helpers or laborers to perform mechanics’ work at the lesser rate of pay. Where we have employers who do not attempt this petty form of chiselling these disputes do not arise. In any case, by no stretch of the imagination could this be termed a prob- lem in local shipyards. But local managements are not slow in taking hints and already this argument is being advanced in favor of the “open shop.” We will be well advised to watch carefully for any developments along these lines in this particular yard, and not be caught napping by any attempts to establish a basis for this kind of phoney argument. DR. W. J. CURRY DENTIST 207 West Hastings Street Tel. PAc. 1526 Soft Drinks Before Canning. Says Gov't Local ration officers came to the defense of soft drink manu- facturers in a reply to Vancouver Labor Council’s proposal that sugar used for this purpose might better be diverted to home canning to conserve the otherwise go to waste. In a letter read to council at its last meeting, A. H. Thomsett, regional officer for the rationing board, gravely stated that the: “time when we can eat jam by the spoonful and consume huge dishes of fruit is past,” without, however, reaching the conclusion mooted by labor delegates, that the time can very well be said to have passed when we ean drink sticky red fluids which no nutri- tion expert, even those employed by the government, has declared to be a health safeguard. The letter also exploded the previous explanation that more sugar was not available regarding the inadequate allotment of sugar for home canning, when it ex- plained that whereas manufact- urers of candy and soft drinks re- ceive only 70 per cent of their 1941 usage, manufacturers of jams and canned fruits are granted “enough to take care of all fruits after allowing for that canned and preserved by the public them- selves.” Indicating that the gov- ernment’'s preference is for com- fruit and berries which will mercial canning. The letter point- ed out that manufacturers of jams and canned fruits “have large in- vestments and cannot be thrown out of business.” “Apparently the government is more concerned with protecting business investments than pro tecting the health of our people,” Mrs. Effie Jones, Housewives’ League organizer commented in 4 later statement to The People. “ere in BCG where fruit is 50 abundant it seems to me to be a criminal thing to let it go to waste. As for “consuming huge dishes of fruit” .. . well, nutritionists have been telling us for years to do just that for health. Are we to be labelled greedy and selfish because we want to safeguard our families’ health and prevent waste? This ration officer says commercial canning is more economical, but he overlooks the fact that com- mercially canned goods are al- most entirely unobtaigable and the housewife is dependent solely on her own efforts if she is to pro- vide for her family this coming winter.’ was seen in the gathering of scribers at a dinner and dance Room last week, marking the taining fund drive, oversubscribed to more than 200 per cent. Al Parkin, acting editor for the past four months, acted as chair- man during the after-dinner speeches, featured by business manager Minerva Cooper's report on the successful results of the drive. Excellent work was dons by all committees, she said, pay- ing particular tribute to the work of City Committee and the splen- did results achieved. All along the line quotas were oversubscribed, she emphasized, and great en- thusiasm was manifested during the entire campaign. For superior work in gaining new subscribers, ten-year-old Larry Davies was awarded a special prize presented by Bill Bennett, a baseball and bat “Prom the champion work turn- ed in by Larry I'd say he has the makings of a DiMaggio,” Old Bill declared as he made the presenta- tion, adding the remark that the baseball bat might come in handy SHIPYARD WORKERS! Eat at the Sugar Bowl Cafe NORTH VAN Soviet Women in the War Against Hitlerism | 14 Stories, including one about Pavlichenko; 76 Pages — 40c WE CARRY ON 172 Pages — 75c THE HEROIC DEFENCE OF SEVASTOPOL 128 Pages — 65c UNIVERSAL NEWS 188 East Hastings People Banquet Draws” 300 To Georaian Room Growing evidence of The People as labor's voice for victory over 300 supporters and sub- in the Hudson’s Bay Georgian conclusion of the second sus- if. Larry could get close enough to Hitler. ~Hal Griffin, who will resume his work as editor of The People in a few weeks’ time, spoke briefly on his trip to Alaska, emphasizing the gigantic construction projects now under way and the splendid part played by the people of Can- ada in forging this important link in world communications. Following the dinner, a short musical program arranged by John Goss, including junior singers and musicians, was well received. Dancing concluded the evening's entertainment. z. b> a R CQ@MS (Company Qu master Sergeant) Cliffo Peet, on furlough in Vz ver recently before leayi active service. Prior to . ing in the army Clifforc | was well known throv the farmer and labor ment, particularly in his province of Saskateck During 1938 and 1939 i a staff member of the C Weekly, then published | ronto, where he edited m dealing with farm qui and western news in gi IwA Presents oe ae Brief to Boar Need for a federal lett guaranteeing collective bai Tights and outlawing c¢ unions was emphasized int” brief presented before the’ inquiry this week by Nig gan, international board 3 Overtime rates of pay logging industry in line W prevailing in other indust also asked, and an upwa sion of wages in the low groups. The brief also ae the establishment of join management production tees and appointment of &, ment production coordinat sist in setting up and cody the work of committees in ious camps and mills witl to meeting the governme gent war lumber needs. — In line with recommend many other labor groups, ) also asked revision of the computation of the cost} index, charging the presei does not compensate for } living costs. HAst. 0240 7166 E. Hastings Hastings Steam Baths Vancouver, B.C. Always Open — Expert Masseurs in Attendance |: am. to 1 pm. . - 400 and 500 MODERN and OLD-TIME DANCING WEDNESDAY and SATURDAY Wastings Auditorium ‘ 828 EB. Hastings MODERATE RENTAL RATES x. 1 100% Union House Meet Me at KING’S CAFE for a Square Meal! THE BEST OF FOOD Your Host .. 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