Oru: B.C. LUMBER worxn®

Published Every Second Monday by
INTERNATIONAL WOODWORKERS OF AMERICA (CIO)
DISTRICT COUNCIL NO. 1
Editor: BERT MELSNESS (on leave, Canadian Army)
Managing Editor: JACK GREENALL
Room 504 Holden Building — unas PAcific 4151 — Vancouver, B.C.

The deadline for stories for the coming issue is 4 p.m., Thursday,
November 30.

Democracy Will Win

© International Woodworkers of America, District Council No. 1,

has gone on record in support of a referendum to delete from our
constitution Clauses 4b, 4e and 4d of Article 1. Several Locals have
already taken action on the matter and circulated their membership
with the petition, requesting the said referendum. The action of these
Locals is being followed by all Locals in the District, which augurs
well for the future of our Union.

All members are aware of the prominent part this clause played in
our recent International Convention in regards to the unseating of two
delegates on the grounds that they were members of the Communist
Political Association, which the International President ruled was the
same -as the Communist Party.

Apparently it mattered little to our International President that
these Brothers were charter members of the IWA and that their records
proved they had never done anything detrimental to the organization.
It was also of no importance that these Brothers had and still have
the unanimous support of the membership in their respective Locals,
neither had they been given the privilege of a trial, which in itself is
contrary to the constitutions of the United States, Canada, and our
own International Union.

The issue is clean-cut; it is not a question of requesting this refer-
endum to protect Communists or Fascists, or Nazis; it is a question of
protecting the democratic structure of our organization. While these
clauses remain they can only be useful in one way and that is in de-
veloping more John L. Lewis's in the labor movement. ,

The dictatorial, gangster tactics of Mr. Lewis were made possible
through suitable loopholes in Union Constitutions.

The International officers of our Union have now caused these clauses
in our constitution to become active, by expelling members through
the tactic of the Red purge. Where it will lead to if not stopped can
be well imagined. Our task is to stop it by taking this weapon out of
their hands. It is not enough to remove only the clauses regarding the
Communists, as there will still_be an opportunity to brand members
as FascistS or Nazis, and thereby expel them. No organization, regard-
less of its purpose, will label itself by these names today.

We can well delete these dictator-making clauses from our con-
stitution, and still have ample provisions for taking care of members
whose actions become detrimental to the organization. In so doing we
will be upholding. our democratic traditions of no discribination on
account of race, color, creed or religion.

Plan Progress Now

HEN the B.C. Legislative Assembly meets again this spring it will

have before it an issue that is of utmost concern to the people
of British Columbia—workers,. farmers, business men and industrial-
ists alike. That issue is this: Will the government take over the prop-
erties of the B.C. Electric Company and operate them in the interests
of the-people or leave. this important public utility in the hands of
profit-seeking ‘owners?

Members of the IWA can not sit idly by and avoid taking part in the
controversy. The B.C. Electric is spending huge sums of money in a
campaign to sidetrack this important issue and if possible force the
Hart government to reconsider its proposals for public ‘ownership.
Whether or not this campaign is successful will depend to no small
degree on the part we play as an organization of working people in this
struggle.

“It has been recognized by no less authority than the Roosevelt ad-
ministration in the States that industrial, agricultural and community
development can not proceed satisfactorily without an abundance of
cheap electrical power made available where development is possible.
Recognition of this fact led to the vast Federal Power Schemes insti-
tuted by this administration. Their worth has been proven beyond
question in their contribution to the war effort alone, to say nothing
of the contribution to human well-being that resulted.

Whether or not British Columbia is to remain a backward province

in this regard as compared to Quebec and Saskatchewan is just as im-|

portant an issue to our union as any other issue that will have a bearing
on full employment after the war. Cheap electrical power in abundance
is the key to industrial development. Those financial interests mostly
concerned with keeping B.C. as a source of raw materials for industry
located elsewhere, will ally themselves with the B.C. Electric in an en-
deavor to block the proposals for public ownership and full develop-
ment of our power resources, It is up to us who are looking forward
to a period of industrial advancement and prosperity after the war
to make the most of our influence. Our Locals and Political Action
Committees should take this matter up and utilize this influence

Union Hiring Depends
~ On Your Support

“By DON BARBOUR, Hiring Hall Manager

A haces of the Eighth Annual IWA Convention are reverberating

in the Union Hiring Hall. This comes from the rank and file mem-
bers fresh from the camps along the B.C. Coast, who have read the
newspaper reports of the Convention in the Vancouver dailies, the In-
ternational Woodworker and the B.C, Lumber Worker and because
of the Eighth Annual Convention, they are aware now, as never be-
fore, that the IWA functions under a constitution that is democratic
to the extent that NOTHING can prevent the majority from having an
opportunity of deciding what shall or shall not be in that constitution.

While it is true that the majority voting three years ago, on Clauses
4b, 4¢ and 4d accepted these clauses, yet it is also true that no issue
was ever raised over Clause 4b until this year, culminating in Convention
action. Also changes in International as well as, National affairs now
make it imperative that the present membership of the TWA be given
the opportunity to vote their approval or disapproval of that part of our
constitution.

I remember vividly the 1941 Convention in Everett, Wash., where
the eloquent voice of one, Mike Widman (attending presumably as a
CIO representative with voice but no vote), did much to have Clauses
4b, 4c and 4d sent out to referendum. It is no coincidence that shortly
after the 1941 convention, Mike Widman joined the John L. Lewis forces.
That was the logical conclusion of an attempt to wreck the IwA,
a component part of the CIO which J. L. Lewis has tried to destroy since
his retirement as president of the CIO, Further, after the 1941 referen-
dum the IWA became the first affiliate of the CIO to have the dubious
honor of having Clauses 4b, 4c and 4d in their constitution,

Interest displayed in the constitution: by members calling at 206
Holden Building proves beyond any shadow of doubt that the well-being
of our organization, which is inseparable from the individual member's
rights and well-being, lies close to the hearts of those members. To
those lovable hot-headed brothers who, on the spur of° the moment,
tore up their cards after reading of the International President ruling
on Clause 4b, may I offer a word of advice. Simply, Brothers, it is
this: If you retire from the scene of battle in such a manner you are not
serving your best interest and consequently the best interest of the
entire membership of the International. Rather, on the other hand, you
should bend every effort to see that you and your fellow workers are
members in good standing so you can effectively participate in the
affairs of your union.

And in conclusion, Brothers, let me tell you that a petition lies on
the counter in the Hiring Hall, so that now you have a two-fold purpose
for calling at 206 Holden Building. One, of course, is to get a job; the
other to play your part in making the ‘constitution of the IWA what
you want it to be and not what some one else wants it to be. As yet I
have not asked anyone what his political opinions may be in order to
get a job and God forbid I ever have to. Your action, now, will ensure
the answer to that brief prayer.

I will lay odds that the woodworkers want exactly what the citizens
of the United States wanted recently and proved by electing Roosevelt.
PROGRESS! So, a Mae West invitation to each and every member
from your Hiring Hall Manager.

Will you buy a ticket? We are drawing to see who will get a seat
‘on the street car tomorrow!

Hello, Boys!
The mill workers are
ly interested in the fortt
negotiations. Everybody is talk
about the 1945 agreement. 1
only that, but they are all
ting paid up to date to make
they are doing their share,
what I call getting behind
negotiating committee. Of

there is the odd individual th
will not contribute his share,
has no argument against an
He says that the IWA is okay |
admits he has received benefi
and that the unon has done wel
in B.C. Finally when cornered by
the alert shop steward he m
bles weakly: “Everything is 0
but I heard the leaders are
so hot. :

Well, boys, this sounds as lo
eal as the story of the old
man who came from Ireland
visit his grandson in California, —
He motored from New York to
the west coast and was g1
at his destination by newspap
men. They wanted, to know
impressed him mostly in his ero
country tour. “The roads, |
roads, he said. “Great roads,
kept repeating. “That fellow Lin-
coln must be a great road build-
er,” he said. “But what I can’t
understand — why did he take on
such a poor partner as Mr, De-
tour?” 4

Before I forget, I think the
smart thing to talk about is th
great annual Woodworkers’ Ball
coming up on December 29. They
used to call this classic, “The
gers Ball.” Now that the saw
workers are in the TWA and
ing a big part in this annual
we call it the “Woodworkers’ Ball.

This year, so as to accommodat
everyone, we have three hi
rented. Boys, she is going to
a real hoe down. Here is wh
you will meet all your frien
and supporters. Here is wh
you will likely hear all about Tu
ber and logs. There will be no
snags falling, no lines to bret
no belts to snap, no slivers to
and no whistle to stop you.
can dance to your heart's conti
saw all the lumber you want al
Jog all the tough shows you

T£ you reach in your hip
often, it’s okay. Next
you can take an alka seltzer
say, I sure had a hell of a
time. Tickets will be in the
of the shop stewards soon,
serve the night of the 29th for
your own dance. “The Woodwor
ers’ Dance.” I'll be staggerin
around and ‘see you all th

By the way, boys, I heard
that petition asking for a
dum to be sent out to the
bership. I was sitting in a B
Parlor at the time. Boys, I nev

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