EC. Lomees

Published Every Second Monday by

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

Editor: JACK GREENALL Advertising: MATT FEE
Room 504 Holden Building—Phone PAcific 4151—Vancouver, B.C.
°
The deadline for stories for the coming issue is 4 p.m.

Z Thursday January 24, 1946

Future Forests

After many months of exhaustive study, the Sloan Forestry
Commission has presented its findings and recommendations rela-
tive to the establishment of a permanent forest industry in
British Columbia.

A number of very important proposals have been put forward
by the commission and already the rumblings of disapproval by
some or the vested interests have been heard. Sustained yield is
impractical we hear and the cabinet opposes the establishment of
a forestry commission.

Copies of the Sloan Report have not yet been received by the
IWA, so with only the public press to rely on, an objective analysis
of the report at this time would be difficult. No one will deny
that the Sloan Report is of inestimable importance to the lumber-
ing industry now and in the future. An analysis of this report
and all its implications must be mode as soon as possible and the
position of the IWA in respect to it must be made clear, With
the destiny and welfare of 30,000 woodworkers at stake, to say
nothing of the other thousands of people who will be affected in-
directly, each and every one of us should be clear on the issues.

Every IWA local should get a copy of this report immediately
and establish a committee to study it and its implications, par-
ticularly where it affects their area, following which their opinion
should be sent into the District Office for a centralized analysis.

The IWA has a responsibility in this matter to the whole of
B.C. and we happen to be in the preferred position that we have
no selfish interests to consider. Benefits to our membership are
benefits to the whole population. If pressure on individual oper-
ators or on the government is needed then we are the people to
lead this campaign and we can be certain of a large measure of
public support. The Legislature meets in Fberuary, so now is
the time for action on this important issue.

‘Cease Fire’ Order Given
In Chinese Civil War

NEW YORK (ALN)—The cease-fire order in China’s civil
war and Chiang Kai-shek’s accompanying pledge to allow free
speech, legalize the position of parties other than the Kuomintang,
release political prisoners and permit the democratic election of
local governments, represent the most encouraging development
in the Far Bastern situation since V-J Day.

‘The people of China and the
U.S. have won an important vic-
tory. The Chinese people, by cre-
ating ‘democrotic bases -behind
the Japanese lines during the
war and mobilizing anti-civil
war sentiment through the
country, have lessened the power

armed five’ momnths after V-J
day, to “maintain order’ in
many areas.

Sick and injured
At Port Alberni

Local 1-85. with the able
assistance of the Ladies Auxil-

of their own reactionaries. Pres-
sure by the American people
hielped to achieve the recall of
the “civil war ambassador” Gen.
Patrick J. Hurley and seriously
embarrassed U.S.’ military inter-
vention in China. 2

U.S. envoy Gen. George C.
Marshall's stand, on behalf of an
unconditional truce, which de-
feated Chiang Kai-shek’s effort
to take over parts of Jehol and
Chahar provinces while Kuomin-
tang-Communist talks were go-
ing on, was the first American
departure from all-out support
of the Kuomintang since late in
4944, Chiang’s prompt reaction
makes it clear how much Chinese
reactionaries depended on U.S.
support, and their hope of in-
creased U.S, involvement,
carrying out their schemes.

It must be remembered, how-
ever, that U.S. military inter-
vention still goes on. The pres-
ence of American forces in North
China, the arming of Chiang’s
troops and the continued trans-
port of Central armies gives the
Kuomintang much greater
strength than is warranted by
its record or its following among
its own people. This following is
so small that the Kuomintang
hhad to depend not only an Am-
erican troops but also on Japa-
nese and puppets, still not dis-

in}

jary distributed Christmas ham-
pens of fruit, cigarettes etc., to
the unfortunate woodworkers
who had to spend Christmas in
the West Coast Hospital. Follow-
ing are the names of those who
were patients recently:

Peter Malmo, Camp 8, Great
Central; Herb Reedal, APL
Camp 1; Wm. Goddard, B. 8. &
|W. Mill; Albert Deblois, Grum-
back’s Mill; Yuen Bong, Grum-
Lach’s Mill; Bill D’Appaloni,
Camp 9, Great Central; Emil
Frey, B. S. & W. Mill; Hans
Stahr, Great Central Mill; Wal-
ter Thrift, APL Camp; Andres
Pedersen, APL Camp; Paul
Luggi, GR Central Mill; Jagat
Singh, GR Central Mill; Dan
Ivezich, Camp A, Franklin
River; Choy Lap Yum, APL
Mill; Wm. Tymachuk, APL Mill;
Wm. Cousins, Camp 8, Great
Central; Frank Batiuk, Camp 8,
Great Central; Murray Snell, B.
S. & W. Mill; John Gaudet,
Sproat Lake Camp 3; Sid Harris,
Franklin Riyer; A. Beaudreau,
B.S. & W. Mill; L. Belzile,
Dredge Co.; Geo. Robert, B. S.
& W. Mill; Len Jennings, Kyu-
quot; Robert Miles, Camp 9,
Great Central; Erie Wallace, B.
S. & W. Mill; Axel Haggkvist,
Sproat Lake Camp 3; John

Karly Larsen, President of Northern Washington District No. 2,
and Harold Pritchett, President of District No. 1 at the Ninth
Annual Convention of District No.1. » —(Sunday’s Photos)

Continued from Page 1

Wages And Contracts

fought for the principles enunciated in the Atlantic Charter; Free-
dom of Speech, Freedom of Worship, Freedom from Want and
Freedom from Fear.

To obtain these, your committee therefore places before you
the following program for your approval: :

140-HOUR WEEK TO BE EMBODIED IN OUR 1946

AGREEMENT.
2—AN INCREASE IN WAGES OF 25¢ PER HOUR.
3—UNION SECURITY IN OUR AGREEMENT TO IN-
CLUDE THE UNION SHOP AND CHECKOFF OF
UNION DUES.

Your committee unanimously recommends that these three
point be the basic demands for our 1946 negotiations, but that the
negotiating committee also give consideration in the negotiations
to an improved clause dealing with vacations with pay. It is also
a unanimous recommendation of the committee that the present
clause dealing with strikes and lockouts be withdrawn from the
next agreement. A number of other proposals which were sub-
mitted to the committee must be dealt with in other fashions.
BUSHEL WORK

The desirability of abolishing bushel and contract work in all
its forms in our industry was unanimousy approved, and we so

recommend, but it was suggested that we place this before our
membership to endeavor to eiminate by their own efforts in their

respective local unions, sub-locals, camps and mills.

To abolish bushel work, it will require a fairly Jong range pro-
gram and must be based upon the premise that a decent day rate
be established for those jobs that are now being worked on the
piece basis. We would recommend that the negotiating commit-
tee consider establishing $12.00 a day as the day rate for power
saw buckers and fallers as well as those falling by hand.

The proposals presented regarding the special problems affect-
ing the shingle industry were given careful study by the committee.
The committee realizes the many grievances existing in this indus-
try, but were of the unanimous opinion that any attempt to settle
these problems in the coming negotiations with the exception of
the three major demands would only confuse the issue and jeopard-
ize the obtaining of the major objectives.

The committee was also unanimous in their opinion that most
of the problems can be solved by a live functioning organization
on the job, fighting to remedy the abuses in the industry and to
improve conditions by taking care of grievances.

It is not sufficient that our union go alone into this struggle.
Farmers, small business men, and people in communities gen-
erally—their welfare will be affected by the outcome ‘of our
struggle and their economic position depends upon the workers
having sufficient wages to maintain a decent livelihood and
adequate purchasing power. An all-out effort must be made
by our District, Local unions and sub-locals to contact other .
organizations and the publi¢ in general, and wherever possible
enlist their assistance in obtaining our objective. '

Your Committee feels that we must warn our members against
any wishful thinking that these demands can be gained without
a struggle.

The committee makes the following
implementation of the program:

1. INSTITUTE A NATION-WIDE CAMPAIGN, SIMILAR TO
THE CIO CAMPAIGN IN THE U.S., TO GET THE OTHER
TRADE UNIONS TO GO ALONG WITH OUR UNION FOR
THE SAME DEMANDS AND ENLIST THEIR SUPPORT IN
OUR STRUGGLE TO OBTAIN THESE DEMANDS. THIS
ALSO WILL INCLUDE MASS MEETINGS, RALLIES, AND
PUBLICITY TO BE SPONSORED BY OUR UNION TO EN-
LIST PUBLIC SUPPORT.
TO CONDUCT A STRIKE VOTE AND GIVE AUTHORIZA-
TION TO THE DISTRICT OFFICERS TO USE THE STRIKE
VOTE WHEN IT BECOMES NECESSARY.
IN ORDER THAT THE STRUGGLE CAN BE SUCCESS-
FULLY CARRIED OUT, IT WILL BE NECESSARY TO
OBTAIN A STRIKE FUND AND WE RECOMMEND THAT
A DAY'S PAY BE COLLECTED FROM EVERY MEMBER
OF OUR UNION.
4, THAT THE ABOVE PROGRAM, IMMEDIATELY FOLLOW-
ING THIS CONVENTION, BE SUBMITTED TO OUR MEM.
BERSHIP AT SPECIALLY CALLED MEETINGS AND EN-

recommendations for

3.

Markusich, Tebo Mill.

DORSEMENT OF THE PROGRAM BE OBTAINED.

(Zi.

PS
Hello Boys: Last week I snuck |
into the Mayfair Room along —
with the visitors to the district
council convention. Listening to
the boys figuring out what to do
during 1946 made me think of
such meetings in the past. True,
most of the past convention
rooms where we held meetings
were not ag nice as the Mayfair
Room. Thirty years ago we may
have been as deserving of such
a place to meet, but I guess we
had not won our spurs then,
Perhaps ~it’s because organized
labor is not looked upon as a
spoiled brat any more. It’s been
a long time since the work

sang “Hallelujah, I’m a Bum”
with the bosses shouting “Bravo,
Bravo, Encore,” etc.

While most of the visiting of-
ficers of the IWA from U.S,
stressed only hours, wages and
conditions, Brother Karly Larsen
maintained that this isn’t
enough. That sort of reasoning
hit a responsive cord in my old
gizzard. Sure, the shipment from
North America of scrap iron,
Hemlock logs, nickel and copper
to Japan in the ‘hungry thirties’
wasn’t considered along with
hours, wages and conditions.
However, America will always
remember Pearl Harbour, and
Canada will never forget Hong
Kong, which two disasters could
have been avoided if the fight
for better wages, hours and con-
ditions .had been combined with
an understanding of world
events.

It’s like this, boys; in a drug
store there is pizen,’ and if you
can prove to the druggist you
need the pizen for rats and
other vermin, you get it. How- —
ever, if you are going to use it
to pizen your neighbors, then
the druggist says you can’t have
it. I reckon labor will have to
guard the shipments of war ma~
terial in the future as closely as
the druggist does pizen. It was
easy to see that the delegates
realize the -war in the main is —
over. The resolution they passed
on Indonesia for example showed
that labor agrees that “law and |
order” should be established —
there by the people themselves,
but certainly not by British in-
tervention and Dutch imperial-
ism.

I got into a heated argument
with an old crony at the conven-
tion one day. He maintained that
this here was was no different
from the last one; that it was a
complete loss to all concerned. 1
said, “Now you take me; I was
concerned about this war,
what did I gain? I gained the
right to sit in as a visitor to a
labor convention.” Yeah, you can
say we had that before; but we
wouldn’t have if Hitler and Co.
had won. All concerned lost, yess,
if you consider ALL Junkers 0%
Germany, Horthy of Roumania, ~
King Peter of Yugoslavia, Lord —
Haw-Haw of Britain, ete.

And I hope no one will try to
change these historical facts,
like the old lady on whom the —
parson was calling on the 4th of
July. As they were talking about
What a celebrated day it was
the litle boy asked his mother
what it stood for and received 2
whispered reply. In a few m0- —
ments the lad again asked and
the mother said she had already
told him. But the parson Z
suaded the mother to tell

boy once more and caution
boy not to forget. So she
out loud, Well, it stands -
day Jesus Christ —
Plymouth Rock.”

So long, Boys!