THE B.C,

LUMBER WORKER

ORKER

Published Every Second Monday by

INTERNATIONAL WOODWORKERS OF AMERICA (oho)
DISTRICT COUNCIL NO. 1

Editor: JACK GREENALL Advertising: MATT FEE

Room 504 Holden Building—Phone PAcific 4151—Vancouver, B.C.
a 3

The deadline for stories for the coming issue is 4 p.m.
Thursday, November 15, 1945

The Road Ahead

Last week President: Truman of the United States, spoke to
the nation on the radio. He came out positively for the 40-hour
week and an effort’to maintain the nation’s income ati its present
level. It is interesting to note that Canadian newspapers gave very
little publicity to the President’s speech, President Truman, in
effect, states: “There is no need to return to depression.” In Van-
couver, Mayor Cornett and.a majority of the Vancouver Counsellers
have declared themselves in like terms,

It is unfortunate that President Truman, while giving lip
service to labor’s demands, has chosen to ignore the most im-
portant factor that will insure the carrying out of the perspec-
five he outlines. He does not state how industry is to be
forced into carrying out the program that he says is necessary
if the nation’s economy is to be maintained. He leaves the
issue in the air, with no alternative but strike. American labor
is not satisfied with Truman’s program; but even so, this
program is ahead of the program so far outlined for Canadian
labor, Both American and Canadian Governments are ‘sitting
on the fence.” An effort must now be made to force them off
the fence over to the side of Jabor.

Capitalist interests within the United States and Canada are
not unanimous in their perspectives for the post war world. On
the one hand we have a group of capitalists who hope to gain by
exploiting the domestic market, whose profits depend on a high
living standard among the workers and a high level of national
income. ‘These forces are prepared to support labor in its demands
for a reduction in the work week with no reduction in pay; full
employment, and expansion of industry.

*
«

Clee

Opposed to this we have the monopoly interests and the big
financial corporations who are determined to drive living standards
back and re establish prices and wages at the 1939 level. For in-
stance; why is there a housing shortage in Canada with no par-
ticular effort being made to alleviate it? Houses are being built
to be sold for cash or with a high down payment, but no effort is
being made to institute a scheme which requires a small down
payment and a long term payment of the total cost. The national
housing scheme, in spite of the assertion that only 10 percent of
the total value must be put up as security, is a huge farce. The
reason for this is that “value” has no relation to ‘cost.” In omer
words, the financial interests which are backing the govesiment
and the government itself are refusing to recognize the present
cost of building a home as its value. A home that costs $4,000.00
is only valued say at $3,000.00, and the purchaser is expected to
make up the difference.

This is only one item of evidence that goes to prove that fin-
ance capital is determined to drive values backward, to re-establish
“sound money” on a basis of 1939. In order to accomplish this
end, it becomes necessary from their point of view that the pur-
chasing power of the great mass of the people, be reduced. Wages
must be lowered and a large unemployed army must be created.
The fact that success in this perspective would destroy the con-
sumers, market, bankrupt municipalities, cities and provincial gov-
ernments, destroy small industries catering to the home market,
and ences conditions of strife and misery is: no concern of finance
capital.

*

‘The important question “is this: how can organized labor util-
ize its strength to the best advantage. With two capitalists groups
fighting for opposite goals can labor afford to stand back and view
the battle indifferently or isolate itself from those forces that
would support it. Obviously not; if finance capital and monopoly
control wins, labor will automatically be driven back and labor
organizations destroyed, or tremendously weakened. For the labor
movement, at this time, to see itself as a force divorced from the
political struggles now going on is to be like the ostrich hiding its
head in the sand. Obviously, labor must be united in order to assert
its full strength. But to view the capitalist class as a united force
opposed to labor’s aims is to make a terrible mistake. Monopoly
capital, as the strongest organized force in the country, would like

nothing better than to see labor standing alone, refusing to recog-'

nize the divisions that exist thereby forcing those weaker elements
of capitalism to seek support from monopoly. If depression con-
ditions return, hundreds of thousands of small businesses- will be
ruined, and farmers will become enslaved by the mortagage
holders. f;

This source of potential strength in support of labor’s de-
mands must be recognized and must be utilized in the struggles
of today.

The Ford: strike is the most important issue facing Canadian
labor now. The whole question of post-war progress in Canada is
being determined on the picket lines at Windsor. This strike can
and Brat be won, as the first step in the long uphill battle that
lies ahead.

4

by

a
Heading Out... Boston
1
It was noted in our last issue that some of the boys at the}
C & A Log Company at Port McNeill would like to see some im-
provements in the Union Hiring Hall, “as regards services afforded
to the members.” We are not so proud as to hold ourselves above

appeal. A Hiring Hall is not like the corner grocery store where
service is on a cash basis. We can only service the membership |
to the extent that funds are available and the Hiring Hall cou'd |
do with some spare capital.

This brings us back to the Loggers Ball to be held in Van-
couver December 28. It is our hope to establish the Hiring Hall}
on a more efficient basis, after the first of the year; and a por-
tion of the proceeds from this dance wi!l be devoted to this pur- |
pose. We recognize our shortcomings and hope to correct them; |
and with the help of every logger and millworker, and an all-out |
effort to sell tickets for this affair, we are certain to do better.

However, in regards to complaints, I note a great many of
these are brought into the Hiring Hall, the great majority of
which could have been far better handled by the camp committee
of the particular camp wherein the grievance arose. It has also
been said that .a goodly number of loggers do a lot of logging
when in town, and vice versa, and I note a good deal of wrong}
handling of complaints that arise. May I take this opportunity
of stressing sharply the need for correctly handling all complaints,
which is; any complaint re the Union Hiring Hall be brought to
the Hiring Hall and all complaints on the job be handled through
the elected camp committee.

However, I do weleome the criticism because it shows the

be really effective will need much more than mere criticism. Has
every member of our union either individually or collectively de-
manded of their respective employers that he only hire through
the Union Hiring Hall? Has every member when in town, sought
their employment first at 204 Holden Building? Has every mem-
ber had his name placed on the Union Hiring Hall register, or has,
when leaving camp, left only 204 Holden Building as his’ address

criticism but this seems like a good opportunity for making an |=

| Hello Boys!

By the great hornspoon, a fel-

‘ler of my peculiar traits gets to

mect a lot of the ordinary run of
the mill people and to find out
some odd things. Opinions that
don’t have proof don’t amount to
anything and none knows that
better than lumber workers. So
some opinions on the recent B.C.
Provineial elections didn’t have
proof while the opinions of those
who claimed a coalition govern-
ment would be elected proved
“keerect” and that is too bad,
but true by proof.

During the election campaign
some political parties delved inte
International affairs _ slightly.
Neither the coalition nor its op-
position had anything mu¢th to
say on the labor government of
Great Britain whose deeds since
ng power causes an old man

brothers’ interest in establishing union hiring, which in order to | ike me to think back # quarter

of a century, and that is also bad
but true by proof.

The other day I meets a feller
who has spent some years in the
Soviet Union and I says, “Is it
true that there is no criticism of

for his employer? These ate positive ways in which the Union
Hiring Hall can be made to function properly and certainly the
ones who fail to do these things are letting down the brothers who
have already done so. Only the wholehearted support in doing all
these by the entire membership, are we to arrive at the goal of
100 percent Union hiring in the lumber industry in 1946.

aaa |

ANERE DIGGING
PEEP FOR
7S FIGAT

“tain Teo

Hungarian Unions Gain Influence

BUDAPEST (ALN)—Hungarian trade unions are today exer-
cising “a decisive infulence on the political and economic life of
the country,” according to Istvan Kossa, general secretary of the
General Federation of Trade Unions and head of the Hungarian
delegation to the recently concluded world labor conference. Labor’s
influence, he said, is assured “partly because the directing person-
nel of the unions occupy positions in-all institutions of public
life where decisions concerning the people and the workers are
made” and on the other hand “because of Jabor’s great numbers.”

Since the liberation of Hungary last January, trade union
membership has increased at such a rapid rate that it has now
reached 1,000,000, Kossa stated. The most important union in the
GFTU is the Federation of Agricultural Workers, which unites the
landless peasants and those who own less than one hectare, with
252,545 members, Next comes the Metal Workers’ Federation with

the government of that country
by anything or anyont allowed in
that country.” He said, “Old
timer, nothing is further from the
truth, It is recognized, however,
there is a big, difference between
criticism and slander. Slander is
net tolerated but they have a
newspaper called ‘The Crocodile’
which sharply criticises every-
thing, from collective farms, in-
dustries and government, to any-
thing pertaining to the lives and
welfare of all the people. How
the heck they come to call that
particular paper “The Crocodile’
I don’t know, but because I have
seen and read that paper I have
proof that it is true.”

“Well, I ain’t got proof but
danged if I don’t believe that
paper has got such an odd name
because of people in other lands
who pose.as friends of the Soviet
Union yet manage to make their
criticisms pure slaider and noth-
ing less,” I says, “and further, if —
the slander mongers who pose
otherwise would only take at face
value the statements of some
the great generals of this war
(Generals G. Marshall and Ike
Eisenhower for instance), they
might get over their phobia.”

Reminds me of Sandy who was
boarding at a certain house where
the landlady had got a great bar-
gain in canned salmon. This, of
course, was during the great de-
pression. Well, Sandy got salmon
for breakfast, lunch and dinner,
so one Sunday morning he cz
down stairs all dressed up. Sandy
being all dressed up in
day. best was so rare that
landlady got very curious
asked, “Are you going to chur
Sandy?” q
“Nay Kirk,” replied Sandy.
“Are you going to visit
friends then?” persisted
landlady.

118,391 members, which “even under the fascist regi
pillar of the trade union movement in Hungary.” gine was. fie