Fre THE BC LUM BER WORKER Page Five LABOR AND THE LAW By ATTORNEY JOHN STANTON In the course of one’s experience as a solicitor for trade unions, some very amusing incidents take place. Some years, ago in the hinterland of this province I was defending a group of men who were on strike and had been charged with acting illegally. In those days it often happened that the local J.P. was not particularly well qualified for his job. Such well known principles as the one which requires 2 man to be proven guilty before he is sentenced had evi- dently not penetrated either to this J.P.’s mind or to the locality in which he worked. On the occasion in question the prose- eution was putting in its case. I was trying to keep out certain evidence and was arguing the point with the J.P. The argument went on and on, and fin- ally, with a note of weariness in his voice His Worship remarked: “After all, it does not matter very much, because I have made up my mind in this case already.” Sure enough, when the trial ended a day or so later, the accused men were found guilty! I was curious to know how it could be that a Justice would make up his mind about a case without even having heard the defense evidence. In the course of my enquiries I finally got to the truth of the matter. His Worship’s small son let the cat ouf of the bag by remarking, “My daddy always finds them guilty when the policemen arrest them, because the policemen would not arrest them unless they were guilty.” All of which -——is—a@~ good sound principle if you want to send a man to jail, but not so good Don’t Forget These Dates Saturday, January 3—Opening session of the B.C. District Convention in the Auditorium, Fifth Floor, Holden Build- ing, 10 am. Banquet, Chris's Grill, 872 Granville Street, 6 p.m. Sunday, January 4—Loggers’ Mass Vic- tory Rally, 8 p.m, Burrard Hall. - NOTICE ARE YOU GOING AWAY?—Suits or Overcoats stored, 25¢ a month. Pressing done while you walt. Buy your next Suit or Overcoat from us. Bargains In New and Left-over Clothing. SEVEN LITTLE TAILORS 836 Carrall St. PAc, 8918 ~ SEA FOODS ARE GOOD FOR YOU . +. and you'll like them at THE “ONLY” FISH THEY ARE ALWAYS FRESH! 20 East Hastings Street 100% UNION HOUSE Meet Your Friends at MANITOBA HOTEL 44 W. Cordova St. _ Outside Rooms — Elevator Service “Steam Heat — Reasonable Rates ie Centrally Located Jackson Freed Unconditionally Log Deaths 73 At Year End PORT ALBERNI, Dec. 17. — John George Isbester, 23, employed at Camp 8, Bloedel, Stewart & Welch Logging Co., near here, was killed Tuesday when the Wootworkers | caterpillar he was have been ey killed in B.07s | @tiving went over a lumber in- bank. Next of kin is dustry since | given as Mrs. Emily | dan. 1, 1941. | Head, Shoal Lake, Saskatchewan. : No further details of the accident are available at time of going to press. if justice is to be done! There is another incident I recall which also took place some years ago in the hinterland and which also in- volved a local Justice of the Peace. A strike was in progress and scabs were running more or less wild in the locality. Assaults on strikers and mem- bers of their families had been made, and a riot, organized by the scabs, had taken place. It was therefore necessary to lay charges against the scabs in an effort to bring them before a court. The local J.P. to whom I went, listened carefully to the story I had to tell, When I had finished I asked him to accept the charges. He asked me to repeat my story, which I did; but it appeared that he was not taking much interest in it. In fact, he seemed to have difficulty in standing behind the counter over which we were speaking, Earlier in the inter- view I had noticed that the old gentle- man appeared to be somewhat tipsy, so I was not surprised when with a look of infinite contempt on his face he sudden- ly broke off the interview and slammed down the wicket through which we had been speaking. Again I was curious to know whether such procedure was usually adopted by the old gentleman, and after enquiries I was told a story about him which may or may not be true. It seems that on one occasion an ac- cused man was hailed before him on a charge of drunken driving. Gravely he heard the evidence and still more gravely he pronounced his sentence: “In the name of His Majesty I sentence you to death.” The police were no less sur- prised than the victim, and attempted to argue with His Worship, pointing out that a death sentence was hardly the penalty for drunken driving. His Wor- ship would not listen. Waving aside all objections he rose and very slowly tot- tered out of the room. Whether the accused man was ever hung or not history does not relate. Scandinavian DANCE ’ in the HASTINGS AUDITORIUM 828 E, Hastings EVERY WEDNESDAY HELGE ANDERSON’S ORCHESTRA Admission 25¢ Ladies FREE till 9 “The greater the difficulties are, the stronger we resist. The final victory must be ours.”—Dr, P, D. Chang, in “China Today.” HANEY TAILORS 62 East Hastings St. Phone MA, 5884 Vancouver, B.0, WE GUARANTEE A PERFEOT FIT AND COMPLETE SATISFACTION! _ PA, 0267 1N. J. THOMPSON, Mgr. interpret it as the beginning of the application, at long last, of the Govern- ment's own enunciated principles,” he said. Arrested by the R.C.MP, last June during the strike of Canadian General Electric workers In Toronto, Mr. Jack- son was released co-incidentally with the quashing in appeal court of convictions registered against \fourteen employees on charge of striking lilegally. “This is a great victory for labor in the first round of the battle for collective bar- gaining,” he said. Mr. Jackson said that immediately following his release he wired greetings to the miners of Kirkland Lake, pledg- ing support of their “valiant struggle to ensure democratic conduct of our nation- al affairs in this period of international crisis.” “The present situation offers the Gov- ernment the best opportunity it ever had to weld the Canadian people into one solid unit for the complete smashing of Hitlerism and those who follow that pat- tern,” Mr. Jackson continued. “Mr. King has admitted, in his speech of October 18, that ‘a maximum war ef- fort depends upon each and all working together in conditions that are just to all’ If the Prime Minister puts this principié into practice he will go down in history as the welder of the greatest unity in the history of the Canadian people. “The Canadian people cannot be ex- pected to meet the needs of the present Ladysmith Local Will Meet Jan. 3 The regular monthly meeting of Ladysmith sub-local 1-80 IWA will be held on Tuesday, January 13, in Nich- olson’s Hall at 7:30 p.m. All members are cordially invited to attend. Remember boys, this is your duty. Let’s make every meeting a real big one. The feature item on the agenda will be the report of the delegates to the Annual Convention of the B.C. District Council. Bring 2 new member with you. (Signed) J, ULINDER, Sec. if His release from internment following six months’ detention under the Defense of Canada Regulations was described by C. S. Jackson, in- ternational vice-president of the United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers’ Union, as a victory for Canadian democracy and collective bargaining. Arriving in Toronto from Hull, Que., late last week, following his unconditional release, the union leader paid tribute “to the power of democracy in action,” and expressed the hope that government action in his case indicated an improved attitude toward labor. “I hope that the Canadian people can@Situation unless they are brought directly into the program of planning the neces- sary economic restrictions dictated by the war crisis,” he said. Prize Winners At Annual Dance The Fifth Annual Loggers’ Ball, held in the Auditorium, Georgia and Denman, Tuesday, December 30, was an over- whelming success. During the course of the evening, be- tween 3,000 and 4,000 loggers danced to the strains of Wilf Wylie's orchestra, and consumed innumerable pints of refresh- ment. Lucky prize winners are as follows: First prize: $100.00 Cash, H. Sather, Balmoral Hotel, Vancouver, B., ticket No. 3111. Second prize: $50.00 Cash, Chris Berg- dal, Kelley Log., Church Creek, Queen Charlotte Islands, ticket No. 3453. Third prize: $25.00 Cash, Andy Whisk- ers, Langford, B.C, ticket No. 1325, Fourth prize: 15-Jewel Gent's Watch, donated by London Jewellers, Emil “Pro- fessor” Berg, Stratford Hotel, Vancou- ver, B.C., ticket No. 2411. Fifth prize: One Gent's Toilet Set, donated by Goldbloom & Sons, Jack Shayna, Lake Log., Rounds, B.C., ticket No. 3908. Sixth prize: One Ladies’ Travelling Set, donated by Goldbloom & Sons, Axel Youngstrom, Blind Channel, B.C., ticket No. 3893, Ask Churehilll To Imtercede Following announcement of British Prime Minister Churchill's visit to Can- ada early this week, the following tele- gram was sent from the National Council for Democratic Rights in Vancouver: “Welcoming your timely visit we hail with hope and respect your warnings of Quisling dangers you have voiced to British Parliament and to Congress of United States. We respectfully ask your intercession to terminate policy releas- ing hundreds of fascist enemies while anti-fascists who zealously support your leadership are held in internment and cannot aid war effort. Also for right of collective bargaining denied miners of Kirkland Lake who need organization to resist Hitler's doctrine of death to trade unionism.” Buy Regular $16.50 value for 16.00 Besides your saving, for, every pair ‘sold the I.W.A. receives $1.00. 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