February 7, 1941 THE BC. LUMBER WORKER Page Five B.C. LUMBER WORKER Bi-weekly Bulletin Published by B.C. DISTRICT COUNCIL International Woodworkers of America Managing Editor NIGEL MORGAN c Phone, TRinity 4464 Make Payments to: “ILW.A., B.C. D.C.” EDITORIAL According to a recent release of the Safety Branch of the Department of ; Labor, in B.C’s logging industry during 1940, nearly 500 workmen a month were injured. According to the National Safety Council, the average fatal acci- dent in the industry causes a loss time of six thousand work days. If the aver- age wage of a logger is $5 a day, B.C.'s fatal accidents mean a direct loss in wages of $2,760,000. Admitting that the cost of a fatal accident is enormous, the net result is perhaps not much worse than many other of the serious accidents. What about the accident that causes permanent disability? What about the one that causes insanity? ‘The I.W.A. says that many of these accidents can be eliminated but we say emphatically that only when accident prevention is made 2 COLLECTIVE in- stead of INDIVIDUAL responsibility can this unnecessary suffering be reduced, THE ELIMINATION OF FAULTY, OUT-WORN EQUIPMENT AND THE ABOLITION OF SPEED-UP, which 4 drives men to take chances, arg two of the fundamental causes of this high toll. The democratic election of safety committees on every job, elected by and looking after the interests of the employ- ees themselves and backed by a power- ful union, to prevent intimidation or discrimination against members of the Safety Committee could and would do much to improve working conditions and prevent the needless loss of life and limb. : Let us all resolve this year to do our part to help stop the terrible accident toll and to show that a functioning safety committee is established in every camp and in every mill in this Province. ' Organize To Prevent Discrimination Canada is a democracy; so we are told, The Canadian people are required to bend every effort in a war on Hitler. ism and the Canadian government is urging “Equality of Sacrifice.” The youth of Canada are being conscripted for war; the people are asked to contribute to this war through War Savings Bonds; wage reductions through price increases ‘and general speedup in industry are being effected — while the lumber corporations are permitted to practice the very things that we are supposed to be fighting against, when we are fighting Hitlerism in Germany, During the last few months there has been a marked increase in the number of cases of discrimination and intimida- tion, Particularly true has this been in the mills. The need for a strong, power~ workers’ organization to combat such : inspired tactics was never more “apparent. The rising cost of living, _ sharply increased taxation, as well as the attacks on the people's democratic rights, all go to make it essential that every _ worker interested in his own welfare and _ that of his family, not only join his union, but also interest himself in the activities ‘and struggles of that union. If our union is to grow, then the fear of discrimina- ‘tion must be stamped out. It is our re- i to see that this form of fas- ‘gangsterism, which is enabling the barons who practice it to gain s increases in their profits, while being forced to sacrifice, Funds Urgently Needed To Appeal Defense Reg. Trial Three months ago a number of trade unionists, including Secretary Howard Mezger of Victoria TWA, Local 1-118 ,were arrested in Victoria under the Defence of Canada Regulations. Mezger’s “crime” being that of being the registered but absent tenant of a home in which a number of leaflets had been hidden \in the oven of a stove by a “stool-pigeon” who preyed on the generosity and sympathy of Mezger’s sister-in-law to obtain free lodging for a few days. Howard Mezger, who had been away for two weeks at Gordon Head Military Camp, at the time of the arrests, was Secretary of the Victoria Millworkers Local, and had been active in an organizational drive that started in Victoria mills just before he began his 30-days’ training. ‘The fact that Mezger was sentenced.to nine months at Oakalla, in spite of the fact that no connection could be shown between him and the literature, except that he had paid the rent for the house, and the “stool” made a sudden and mysterious dis- appearance, gives substantial backing to the charge of the Island Labor Council of the Canadian Congress of Labor, “that this is a direct attack upon the trade unions of Victoria. If the reactionary elements in this great country are to be successful in their campaign for higher profits they must destroy the trade unions as Hitler did, and a good start towards this can be made by imprisoning our union leaders. We feel that such a thing is a direct blow to the entire union movement, not only of British Columbia, but of the whole nation. This will be only the thin end of the wedge if we let it go by unchallenged. An appeal has been launched by IWA Millworkers Local 1-118 in co-operation with the Island Labor Council. The opinion has been expressed by veteran Attorney Stuart Henderson, who has already been retained to launch the appeal, that the possibilities of winning Mezger’s release are exceedingly good. So far the union movement on Vancouver Island has had to shoulder the burden of the expense of defending these labor leaders, but if this case is to be fought through to a successful conclusion further aid must be forthcoming. At the last meeting of the B.C. District Council of the IWA, an appeal was endorsed and $25.00 donated. Realizing the inadequacy of what we have been able to give, we are appealing to all locals, sub-locals, camps, mills and individuals who are interested in preserving their democratic rights and trade union rights, to help in this worthy cause. We recognize that considerable demands are being made on all too meagre resources, but with a realization of what is to come if the unions are smashed, we are confident you will aid the HOWARD MBZGER DEFENCE FUND. ‘Regardless-of how.small or how large the donation may be, it will be appreciated. Collectively we can ward off this dangerous blow that has been struck by reaction, which if successful in Victoria will be repeated. Any monies that you may collect or donate from your organiza- tion sould be forwarded to the: “HOWARD MEZGER DEFENCE FUND,” 504 Holden Bldg., Vancouver, B.C. mand your legal right to join a union of your own cholce for the purpose of bar- gaining collectively with your employ- ers as to hours, wages and working con- ditions. If you desire a democratic Canada, if you believe that Canadian workers have a legal right to join a Canadian union, if you are opposed to discrimina- tion against honest working men,-you must agree that the home front is our real first line, of defense. Demand dis- crimination cease! Demand the return of your fellow workers to their jobs! And don’t make any mistake about it, organized power wins respect of em- ployers, as of ail men. In union there is strength. Join your union, the IWA. WEATHER REPORT Further outlook: — Unsettled, with a forecast of decreasing pur- chasing power of the pay-check unless all woodworkers organize to prevent it. LADYSMITH SUB-LOCAL 1-80 meets TUESDAY, FEB. 18 7:30 p.m. NICHOLSON’S HALL Join the IWA and Help Boost Our Pay a Buck a Day! LABOR AND THE LAW By ATTORNEY JOHN STANTON Although Regulation 21, which was discussed in the last column, might well be considered the most outstanding re- pressive and dangerous of all the Defense Regulations, there are several others which deserve attention. : It is important to note that some of these regulations, if regarded merely as they are written, appear quite reason- able and justifiable from the viewpoint - of protecting Canadian citizens from enemy action. But when these same regu- lations are studied in the light of their actual use, they are far from being the legitimate protective laws which they first seem to be. ‘Thus we have Regulation 6. It provides that persons shall not trespass on, or loiter near, a “protected place,” which means in effect a place where essential services are performed, including defense industries as well as fortified areas. At first sight such a regulation is not only reasonable but vitally necessary. But let us see how it has been applied. In practice any large plant may have itself declared to be a protected place by the Minister of Justice, even though an insignificant part of its output might be considered as “essential services.” Armed with the minister's order,.an em- ployer is at once provided with almost unlimited power to prevent his employees from taking effective strike action. For if those employees, in the course of a dis- pute, resort to strike action and there- fore to picketing, any picket can be charged with loitering near a protected place ... and convicted, as was the ex- perience of 46 United Auto Workers at Windsor recently. Of course to charge a picket with such an offence is to stretch the law beyond its apparent intention, the more so in view of Regulation 29, which specifically states that it is not an offence to take part in or peacefully to persuade others to take part in a strike even if by so do- ing one prevents or hinders the perform- ance of essential services. Despite these facts, we now have in the Province of Ontario some 46 decided eases in which pickets have been con- victed of unlawful loitering merely be- cause the factory in which they worked had been able to have itself declared a “protected place.” Balmoral Barber Moves Alf Lindahl, proprietor of the Bal- moral Barbers, long a patronizer of the Lumber Worker advertising columns, an- nounced this week, removal to “Fred’s Barber Shop,” 334 Main Street. @ NOTICE! ARE YOU GOING AWAY?—Suits or Overcoats stored, 25c a month. Pressing done while you wait. Buy your next Suit or Overcoat from us, Bargains in New and Left-over Clothing. SEVEN LITTLE TAILORS 336 Cartall St. Seymour 1134 LONDON J Jewellers DIAMOND BROKERS LOGGER R 16. i 70 West Hastings Street egulae © porraiue Vancouver, B.C. forD i 5.50 Besides your saving, for every pair sold the I.W.A. receives $1.00. The London Jewellers has reopened under new management. We take pride in the work we do and cater especially to workers. We specialize in Waltham, Elgin and Hamilton watches and all our work is guaran- teed or your money refunded. Mail orders are attended to promptly. Vancouver OHNSON‘S 1056} West Pender Street ED OGD 0 GEE 0D GED 0D 0 GEEDC D> () | 54 S ats ED 0) GEES 0) -- () GES: () EEE 0-