THE B.c. LUM BER WORKER Page Three BULLETIN PUBLISHED BI-WEEKLY BY BC, DISTRICT COUNCIL Inter Woodworkers of America _ President *“- - - 4H. Bergren ‘Vice-President - E. Dalskog Secretary - - Nigel Morgan ‘Mill Organizer - Don Cameron ‘MANAGING EDITOR NIGEL MORGAN Room 506, HOLDEN Bioc., VANCOUVER, B.C, tod Puone TRinity 4464 MAKE PAYMENTS To: “B.C. LUMBER WORKER” = _ Figures can be juggied around, but no amount of juggling can hide the fact that in the recent months the profits of the wealthy in Canada have risen, in Many cases by 25 and 50 percent and _ more, while the income of the workers— their real income— has steadily gone down the hill. ‘The war has been a boon for the indus- trialists and bankers. It has given them a new and inexhautible market. It has put their idlecapital to work where it previously refused to work for “mere” food, clothing and homes for the people) in war production, And they carried through and won a strike against the limiting of profits on war orders to five percent. The govern- ment quickly removed that limitation when the rich said they “wouldn't play marbles” otherwse. But how about the workers and farm- ers? It certainly is time that they took a leaf from their enemies and began fight- ing hard for their interests. Certainly it 8 not the masses of the people, who al- ready before the war were living below the minimum decent level, who should carry the load of war costs while the rich reap the harvest. ‘Trade union leaders— in too many in- “stances have taken the role of pacifiers of their followers instead of leading them to fight for their interests. Too» often they have formed a truce with the bosses —at the expense of the workers, The worth of every organization and the fitness of evry leader is being tested in their ability and willingness to join the crusade for higher wages. Let the TWA continue to show the way, by making our slogan: “Boost our Pay a Buck a Day,” a reality for everyone of those 26,000 woodworkers in BC.. We're moving so let’s all put our shoul- der to the wheel! MAY DAY PLANS WELL UNDER WAY ‘To The Editor: Once again this year Vancouver will witness the annual May Day Parade and Celebrations at Stanley Park. Permit for the parade and meeting at Lumbermen’s Arch have been granted by the Police Department and the Parks Board. Mayor Lyle Tel- “ford will again be the main speaker. Invitations were sent out last week to all trade unions, CCF clubs, cultur- al and fraternal or- ganizations, House- wives’ League, and many other orga- nizations to elect delegates to the annual May Day ‘Conference which will convene April 19 at 8 p.m. in the Jand Restaur- y yy ‘ pets = Un. J Lyle Telford Hall at 732 Seymour Street, “The elementary civil rights of the population are threatened by the ‘Measures Act, while the very exist- ‘of trade unions and other organiza- which are resisting the attack on ‘iberties and rising prices, is men- by the arbitrary fascistlike powers ferred upon the government by this e act,” states the conference call. . delegates repre- Courtena y Operations Is Temporary Shutdown By AL PARKIN COURTENAY, B.C.—Sudden suspension of operations for an indefinite period when the camp may reopen. ‘The shutdown on April 6, affecting some 450 loggers, could not have occurred at @ worse time. Last year the camp was closed for three months, opening in October, and many of the crew had only just gotten into the clear financially by the time of the Christmas shutdown. Since reopening this year the men had only got in two paydays before the latest shutdown was announced. Wood Products Profits Jump 106 Per Cent SEATTLE, Wash—Manufacturers ot “Wood Products,” into which classifica- tion falls the lumber operators of the United States, showed an increase in Profits of 106 percent in 1939 over 1938, according to statistics of the National City Bank of New York City. In 1938 “Wood Products” manufactur- ers netted a profit of $2,303,000, while in 1939 their profits sky-rocketed to $4,738,- 000, National City Bank of New York's statistics also revealed, in a compilation of quarterly profits for 200 leading in- dustrial corporations for the years 1937- 98-39, that the fourth quarter profits, totalling 370 million dollars, were’ the highest for any fourth quarter during the three years and the highest quarterly profit for any quarters since the second quarter of 1937, when the profit figures touched 385 million dollars. New Camp At Oyster River COURTENAY, B.C.—The Buck and Turner Logging Company, which recent- ly took over large timber holdings in one of the biggest deals in recent years in this district, is reported to be push- ing every effort to begin putting logs in the water as soon as possible. Within a week after the deal with the British American Timber Company was announced, bulldozers shipped in by truck from the old camp near Nanaimo began puting through the main truck road. The road leaves the beach close The feeling of resentment in the dis- trict, prevalent not only among the crew but business people and farmers as well is occasioned not so much by the actual closing of the camp, over which they ob- viously exercise no control, but because the company gave the crew no informa- tion as to the duration of the closure. Unlike almost any other logging com- munity on the Coast, big majority of the: Comox crew have worked many years for the company, the great majority are mar- ried men with familles, have bought their own home or small farm, and almost from necessity own cars, These men have a big stake in the community and in the future of the logging industry, and they feel — and rightly so—that they were entitled to some definite assurance as to what the company intends to do in the next few weeks, Failure by the management to take these facts into consideration has pro- vided something of an object lesson to many of the Comox crew. There has been too much of a tendency in the past to rely on the “benevolence” of the company rather than their own organiza- tional strength, and many have learned that too much reliance on the “say-so” of the company may react against their best interests. In recent weeks they have been watch- ing the situation in organized camps on the Coast — notably Lake Logging — where in event of a shutdown the crew is notified by the management of its prob- able duration, and are comparing it with their own position, where on the last two occasions the camp has been closed with- out warning and for an indefinite period. Inevitably, they have been forced to com- pare their own situation with that of other camps, and the comparison has forced the conclusion that union organiz- ation, bringing with {t a working agree- ment between themselves and the com- pany, is becoming more of a necessity than almost any other move they could make, to where the government relief camp was situated at Oyster River, and will follow some of the old grades used by the Co- mox Logging Compay to where the tim- ber is situated. It is reported that when logging gets under way much of the operation will be sub-contracted, with Buck and Turner operating only the booming and possibly the falling and bucking. Yarding and hauling will be contracted. MILL-OWNERS STAGE SITDOWN TO KEEP PROFITS UP, WAGES DOWN By DON CAMERON It is easy to see that the lumber manufacturers are contnuing their pol- icy of engendering fear in the hearts of their employees with the talk of short shifts and shutdowns, lack of bottoms and the unfeasibility of ship- ping by rail. Promoting fear of the loss of jobs, which will never be se- cure, the millworkers taketheir right- ful place in an organization of their arations for the parade. This year it is expected that an even larger number of organizations will participate in this his- toric demonstration of labor’s opposition to increased living costs, higher taxation, lagging wave levels, and the threatened blackout of democracy. All interested organizations are urged to make immedi- ate plans to enter floats, banners, etce. and to get in touch with committee head- quarters at 164 East Hastings Street, ‘TRinity 2965. ‘ own making and functioning in their own interests. A Cursory glance at the news and fin- ancial statements issued by the oper- ators through the daily press should dismiss any illusions that millworkers may have. Profits rose tremendously— production is up—many orders are on hand—old plants are being modernized and operated. Others are being built or expanded. Thorugh these prosperous times for the operators, the millmen continue to punch the time clock and face the same . stultifying conditions with the threat even of being forced on lower pay, They face these things at the same old wage and will continue to do so un- til the day they take their rightful place in the TWA. Kapoor Lumber of Port Moody has WINDSOR TAILORS CLEANING — PRESSING REPAIRING Travelers’ Sample Suits Values to $35.00 — Special — $14.75 aoa vp Liberal Allowance on Your Old Suit $2 E. HASTING ST. SEy. 6758 Pennsylvania Hotel UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT Carrall & Hastings Street “The Loggers’ Hub’”’ FIRST CLASS ACCOMMODA- TION at REASONABLE PRICES Kenneth Campbell, Evans Roy, Proprietors @ MEET YOUR FRIENDS AT THE PENN.! SSS ey HASTINGS STEAM BATHS 764 EAST HASTINGS ST. Government Registered Masseurs in Attendance J. WEPSALA, Prop. also Agent for Norwegian and Swedish American Steamship Lines. HIGH. 240 ALWAYS OPEN ~ é ‘ 0 6 ’ é ‘ 6 6 a go o é ‘ s o 6 a a o 6 ¢ at When In Vancouver Stop at COLUMBIA HOTEL Licensed Premises 303 COLUMBIA AVE. Sey. 1956 a7] PALACE CAFE 47 WEST CORDOVA STREET 9388 GRANVILLE ST. A Satisfied Customer is Our Best Advertisement 100% UNION HOUSE LOCC CeCCCCCrett y NOTICE! ARE YOU GOING AWAY?—Suits or Overcoats stored, 250 a month. Pressing done while you wait. Buy your next Suit or Overcoat from us. Bargains in New and Leftover Clothing. SEVEN LITTLE TAILORS 386 Carrall St. Seymour 1184 Join Your Friends at COURTENAY HOTEL “The Loggers’ Headquarters” G. TATER PROP. Courtenay, V.I. just commenced operation. The Pacific Veneer is about ready to operate their large new firply veneer plant. Fraser Mills night shift is still going. Th Mo- hawk Lumber Co., after extensive re- pairs will be ready to renew operations in the very near future. The satisfying assurance of good con- ditions in the futuré will always be the bosses’ mental lift in life. It will never be shared by his employees till they too realize and take action to build an og- ganization equal, if not, stronger than thelr employers.