Nigel Nat \ \ \ [wa (Z M * Official Publication of the Jntenmatiohal Weeduaorhens of Anerica 20. district Council No.1. Vol. XIX, No. 42 May 5, 1949 = 5e per copy © DALSKOG SURRENDERS $130,000; . IWA STRIKE FUND PAID TO COURT IWA FOILS BOSSES’ MOVE | FOR EMBARGO Effective power of interna- tional Unions was amply demon- strated recently. District President Alsbury, who attended District 2 conference in| Northern Washington, reported that an attempt had been made to ban the import of Canadian) logs into the U.S. President Fadling made the statement at the convention that some employers had wanted the IWA to go jointly with them to bring ‘pressure to bear on the U.S. government to put an em- bargo on logs and lumber from Canada, lf “Fading,” said Alsbury, || bluntly told them that he'd |* haye nothing to do with the proposal because Canadian wood workers were logging that timber.” Reporting the incident to Van- couver Labor Council meeting, President Alsbury said, “This shows need for an_ international union... We in the IWA fell logs ane saw lumber both sides of the ine, “Tt would be a sorry day if they ever put embargoes on be- tween the two countries. “For instance, we need U.S. ‘peeler’ logs for our plywood plants in Canada, Delegates in attendance at the convention of District 2, in Bel- lingham,, April 22, 23’and 24, upon hearing Alsbury’s report of developments in B.C., staged a revolt against the same type of leadership which attempted to wreck the B.C. IWA. This lead- ership was sharply challenged by the presentation of a slate of offi- cers known for their support of the policies of the International union. Bitter opposition was ex- pressed by J. B. Fadling, Inter- national President, to the disrup- tive tactics employed by the offi- cers in District 2 with regard to negotiations under way, and the national policies adopted by the CIO. in, international convention. District President Alsbury also presented a full report on B.C. programs to the convention in District 3, at Shelton, Wash., April 23. Fis remarks were received with cheers, and an ovation given the B.C. membership for their determined stand to save the IWA in British Columbia from the hands of the LPP-Communist wreckers, WHAT’S INSIDE CONTENTS Page Around Locals 2 Interior Beefs .... 3 Editorials _.. 4 High Rigger —.. 5 atete ee AFL Raids - = 8 Vancouver, B. C. plant organization. Lumber operators intend to propose a wage cut this year, Herbert Gargrave, M LA, warned the IWA at the Vancouver Labor Council May Day Rally, Hastings Auditorium, in Vancouver. The CCF member for Mac- Kenzie described the experience of the pulp and paper workers in their recent wage conferences. Pacific pulp manufacturers had made the proposal to reduce wage rates at the opening of negotia- tons to meet Eastern competi- ion. During discussions, now stale-| mated, it was disclosed that the| lumber interests had decided to employ the same strategy in the| approaching IWA negotiations. | Loss of export markets would be the pretext. The first task, he declared, was ito strengthen the trade unions on the industrial front. It’ followed then as essential that the trade unions, in self protection, should use their political strength in aj concerted way, as proposed by| the Canadian Congress of Labor. ‘in 1949” was his belief. ances. They were Owen Brown, former | President and Fred ‘Wilson,! of them deserted the IWA ‘in the} “October Revolution”, They had heen charged with the theft of $5,000 in bonds and| The trial lasted four days at the end of which time the two ace | ‘cused were found not guilty by a jury of ten men and two wo- men. During the hearing Archie Lewis, former president of the sub-local, Nanaimo-Nanoose, tes- The unions have been plunged into politics, willy-nilly, he pointed out, because of constant conflict with legislation designed to protect the employers’ inter- ests. “Labor cannot fly on one wing,” he said, outlining the re- sults of recent CIO and AFL pol- itical action in the United States. The CCL-PAC break with the traditional Gompers’ policy of non-partizanship, has _strength- ened the hand of organized labor in the Dominion, in his opinion. William Mahoney, Western Di- |xector of the Canadian Congress Jof Labor, paid tribute to progress ing election. made through the past sturggles of the workers. ~ “Labor must now use the wea- pons forged in the experience of the pioneers of the labor move- ment, and follow the example of the Brititsh unionists. Canadian labor will strike at the ballot box “Only through decisions in the political sphere, will labor gain a more secure and abundant living. We intend to make these decisions ourselves, in our own right, through a CCF government, in tified that a decision at an execu- the minutes because “it was deemed best to keep it off the rec- ord”. The Crown prosecutor alleged $12,000 in cash from Loca] 1-80.|that the unlawful transfers were: son, $3000 to the IWA District council. A total of $9,200 given by cheque to the Mine, Mill and Smelter Union. $5000 in bonds again to the Mine and Mill. Carl Winn, international secre- OPERATORS PLAN IWA WAGE CUTS WARNS BERT GARGRAVE ' : |which we will share responsibil- jity.” The political action program of the CCL, he declared to be evi- ldence that organized labor real- jized that the great natural wealth Jof Canada should be utilized for |the welfare of all the people. | | MITCHELL NAMED CCF CANDIDATE George H. Mitchell, secretary of B.C. District 1, IWA,’and Vice-President of the Vancouver Labor Council (CCL), has been |nominated by the CCF to con- |test the New Westminster pro- |vincial constituency in the com- Brother Mitchell was chosen to jeontest this important seat lagainst Premier Byron Johnson, jbecause of his record of long |service in community affairs and |his organizational work on be- half of the unions. George Mitchell has lived in New Westminster for 35 years. He: is president of Edmonds St. School PTA, and an original |member of the New Westminster |Community Chest. He helped |draw up the by-laws for that or- ganization. BROWN, WILSON ACQUITTED AT DUNCAN ‘Two former IWA officers of the Duncan Local were found not | guilty on April 23 of charges concerning $17,000 of the Local’s fin- tary, gave evidence of the history lof the breakaway movement. Defence of the two accused was |that their actions were justified former financial secretary, both tive meeting was not recorded in; by motions of the local executive to “safeguard funds and assets” and that the job should be placed in the hands of the table officers, (Brown, Wilson and Don Atkin- recording secretary). | qyWilson stated that ‘the $3000 cheque to the district council had (been requested “as a loan”. | Wilson said that the funds ‘were returned by the Mine, Mill and that he had been told that ithe funds were in the safe keep- jing of a Vancouver Lawyer. Listen to “GREEN GOLD" - - CIOR, 72 “WIUC MARTYR” CHANGES MIND Ernie Dalskog this week handed over the $130,000 IWA strike fund to the Su- preme Court receiver in Vancouver. From his cell in Oakalla Jail, where he was commit- ted by IWA action on April 8, Dalskog authorized WIUC counsel J. S. Burton to make the payment Monday after- noon. Dalskog’s “surrender” may mean that he will now be freed, although when he was sent to prison the judge in- dicated that the rebel IWA officer might face a second contempt of court charge. Dalskog was reported as say- ing that he made the decision to turn over the money. because “others were involved”. The others were Harold Prit- chett, Jack Forbes, Hjalmar Ber- gren, and Bert Melsness, against whom the IWA had applied for similar writs of attachment, for “giding-and abetting” Dalskog in his refusal to obey the orders of the court, IWA counsel, Mr. A. T. -R. Campbell, was present when the money was paid over. The $130,000 will now be held by the court receiver until the main action by the B.C. District of the IWA to recover a total of more than $200,000 in cash, and other property is decided by the court. (See Page 4 for editorial comment-on the statement made by Dalskog when he was jailed.) PRO-IWA SLATE WINS 3 OFFICES Majority of candidates backed by Communist Harvey Murphy in the Mine, Mill and Smelter Workers’ Union district elections have been defeated by vote of the membership. Three of the five offices have been taken by union candidates who objected strongly to \Mur- phy’s co-operation in the attempt Jast October to smash the IWA. Murphy will no longer be the controlling power in the Union. The new president will be Claire Billingsley, Trail, who de- feated John Mofiet, the Murphy candidate for district president. New secretary to replace Ken Smith will be Daye McGhee, Kimberley. Jim Byrne, Trail local president was elected board member. Communist George An- derson was returned unopposed as Copper Mountain board mem- er. Four thousand of “the district’s 6000 members are located at Trail and their votes have in- sured that the Mine, Mill Union will no longer be Communist- controlled. There is a possibility that the new executive will ask the union’s international to recall Murphy. | i 1 p.m. Vancouver, B. C.