& THE B.C. LUMBER WORKER erer ‘so ysnany LETTERS Camp & Mill News “Every Reader a Correspondent” REPORTS CHIPS and SAWDUST; By GREEN-CHAIN PETE Yesterday I received a confiden- tial report from Victoria which im- mediately brought to my mind two very old but still popular sayings. They are, in their proper order: One, “Empty barrels make most noise”; two, “Tell it to Sweeney.” You may wonder where the con- nection is, and upon~-this connec- tion hinges the whole story. In Victoria there is a large co- operage plant run by a man by the name of Sweeney. About a week ago, Tom MacDonald, the ternational Representative for the IWA, called a mass meeting for all employees of this operation for the purpose of setting up an IWA sub- local. All employees of the plant were present; also present was Mr. Sweeney! . The meeting proceedet exceed- ingly well and a unanimous ballot was cast by the employees to join the IWA. Mr. Sweeney's attitude throughout the proceedings was one of impartial’ and pleased ob- servation. At the conclusion of the meeting, Mr. Sweeney heartily con- gratulated the various speakers, shook hands all around and wished them every success. He then ex- cused himself on the grounds that he was feeling a little tired and would like to retire for the evening.. Naturally everyone was sur- prised and@very pleased with the attitude of Mr, Sweney towards the union, and the meeting broke up in a very joyful mood. However, Mr. Sweeney, while outwardly endorsing the organiza- tion of his employees, was inward- ly plotting its extermination. That night, in the privacy of his bed chamber, Mr. Sweeney conceived of a diabolical solution to his “prob- lem.” In his brain he formulated plens for the establishment of a nice little company union, owned and controlled exclusively by Mr. Sweeney. The following morning, Mr. Sweeney arose and proceeded to his barrel works. Here he called & meeting of his entire crew, and when they were assembled, he took the floor and gave a very vigorous and enlightening speech on the subject of company unions and their advantages which he would have everyone believe lay entirely with the crew, Sweeping on without pause from his speech, he then proceeded to take a ballot on whether the em- ployees wished to have a nice, cosy company union or a legitimate trade union. The net results of this vote were as follows: 25 in favor of the IWA, and 30 in favor of the company union. peeneenennsnesnsenenes: MONEY TO LOAN £ On Men’s Suits, Overcoats, Log- § ging Boots and Sleeping Beas ; San Francisco Tailors ; ; + 6 5 Morgan Nomination Hailed By Member Editor, The Lumber Worker: As an employee of the Keystone Log at O’Brien Bay and a consistent reader of the union paper (B.C. Lumber Worker) I see letters of reports from all different camps along the rugged B.C. coast, but never one from this camp. I have decided to write one. This is just a small camp, about 35 men on a float, and I am pleased to announce that most of the boys here are union members, but the job to be done is to get a little activity going around here as we certainly need it. The mattresses are so old they are falling to pieces, and another thing that is needed is a recreation hall so the boys will have some place to gather when not work- ing. Now they just have to gather in one of the bunkhouses to play cards, etc., and in some cases that disturbs somebody else who may want to sleep or who is reading. You can’t blame the boys as they must have some place to gather to get a little enjoyment out of life, and in my opinion, a recrea- tion hall will give them this place and eliminate all unrest to others. I am pleased to note that Broth- er Nigel Morgan has been nom- inated for the Comox-Alberni. seat and I send my congratulations to our International Board Member upon his nomination. All you hard-working men and women of the Comox-Alberni rid- ing make sure your name and the name of your fellow worker beside you is on the Voters’ List; urge your fellow worker beside you and others to vote for Nigel Morgan as he is the kind that labor needs in parliament to fight for the protection of labor’s rights. By this report, it would seem that Mr. Sweeney had “swung it!” How- ever, the joker in the deck is that the great bulk of the employees refused to vote. They were outside, as they couldn’t stand the atmos- phere within the plant. The ballot was declared incon- clusive, and there the matter now rests, Mr. Sweeney, however, is not resting! His little coup has failed, and he is now in a position to be prosecuted on two counts under the ICA Act of this Province: Charge one, aiding and abetting the formation of a company union; charge two, interfering with his employees in the matter of organ- ization. I will advise you through this column of further developments. Will Sweeney be successful or will he beat out his brains with a barrel stave? Don’t fail to read this column next issue for the so- tution! MODERN and OLD-TIME DANCING EVERY SATURDAY Hastings Auditorium 828 East Hastings MODERATE RENTAL RATES SSE “I am also very pleased to note that the IWA is opening a union hiring hall in Vancouver. This is a great step forward for our union and will be of great assistance to the thousands of hard-working log- (Continued on Page 3) B.C. Loggers In Quebec Want To Come Editor, The Lumber Worker: It has been quite a while since I received your letter but the Papers are coming in fine. You will see by the new address I have moved again further North in Quebec. I am feeling fine in health but my morale is a little low. But I am not alone; most of the B.C. men here are pretty well fed up in the way we are held down what with strict camp rules and regulations. Well, here we are, 200 B.C. log- IWA Member From Army Overseas Editor, The Lumber Worker: Well, how in the hell are you all? As you will see by my enve- lope that I'm over the pond here. Just arrived here a few days ago. Did not get seasick on the boat, but it was sure crowded on both train and boat. It’s pretty hard to write a letter when you can’t put in what you want to tell about, but it’s precaution. Well, I can tell you so much, it’s pretty around here when it’s not too crowded. The climate is mild. The haylogs are plentiful here, so I hear, so I’m figuring on doing a little scouting pretty sudden: You know G. Peters signed half of his life away. He went and got married just a few days before we left Calgary. He stili acts the same, so I guess it didn’t affect him so bad. He says to say hello and the best of luck with the union. That goes for me too. The soldiers that have been here for quite awhile will sure be good union men when the war is over. They sure think a lot of the Rus- sians. Some of the war is won anyhow. | Old Mussolini seems to think he's | had enough, so he resigned, but I guess it'll be old news by the! time you get this letter. Would you mind sending the Lumber Worker, because I sure miss the logging news. Don said he’d send it but we were both laboring under vast illusions. Have any fires broke out lately? ee “all Work Guaranteed Service Jewelers Dealers in Diamonds, Watches and Jewelry EXPERT WATCH & JEWELRY REPAIRING H. Zlotnik, Mgr. 28 E. HASTINGS Vancouver ——————— Loggers, Shipyard Workers, Lab- orers, meet your friends at the REX CAFE Ltd. Where All Union People Hat HOME OF TASTY MEALS Union House J. Mirras, Mgr. 6 EAST HASTINGS PAc. 6741 Writes There is lots of beer around here, but I don’t think I’m going to like it as good as the Canadian. I had a chance to get a bottle of Quebec beer while going through, and it’s good beer—stronger than B.C. beer. Well, it's a pretty tough show here for logging, so I guess the only thing we can do is hurry up and get this war over. They sure are dong some good fighting in Sicily and Italy. They seem to think the Canadians are good fighters here. Well, that’s all I can think of to write as I haven't seen much of this place yet; but will tell you more later on. Be sure and write and say hello to all the boys and keep up the good union work. Good luck, as ever, K16432, Pte. Smith, D. E, In Canadian Infantry Reinf, Unit, Canadian Army Overseas. Courtenay Join Your Friends at COURTENAY HOTEL “The Loggers’ Headquarters” G. TATER — PROP, COURTENAY, V.1. Punion book were war Home gers up in Northern Quebec who could be doing more in the woods of B.C. instead of glorifying a camp. There was a notice in the Montreal paper that the Forestry Corp would be asked to cut wood for Montreal so they won’t freeze to death this winter, but if we stay in this place we will need all the wood to keep this hut warm. They say the train gets in here once a week in winter if it's lucky. Some twelve or fourteen B.C. boys applied for loggers’ leave. ‘They were applied for by logging companies in B.C. but they have heard nothing yet. I suppose it was one of Humphrey Mitchell's pipe dreams in trying to get his manpower shortage back on the right -track. They say the only stamps he ever put in his trade savings stamps! I suppose he still packs it around. Fraternally yours, K16528, J. C. CARR, CFC Camp Tremblay, Chicoutimi PO, Que. = eee JOHN STANTON Barrister, Solicitor, Notary 603 Holden Bldg. 16 East Hastings MAr. 5746 SSS 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. 6240 ALWAYS OPEN Been Meet Your Friends at MANITOBA HOTEL 44 West Cordova St. Outside Rooms — Elevator Serv- ice — Steam Heat — Reasonable Rates — Centrally Located PA. 0267 _N. J. Thompson, Mer. LIGHT CRUISERS Always the BEST e " Ask for them in the Coi mmissary Or Order Direct from A. W. JOHNSON & CO, 63 West Cordova St. MAr. 7612 Vemmpenrn repr || JOHINSON’S Vancouver f