Page Four 2 B.C. LUMBER WORKER Rent Control Or... EITHER politicians nor profiteers can gloss over the fact that increased rents will work great harm to countless Canadian families. Hither these families will be forced into more squalid and unsanitary quarters or further skimping on the food bill. In either case, standards of health and decency are lowered. Any family that pays more than one fifth of its income for shelter is sacrificing other indispensable elements in family welfare. As the official reports indicate, the “lower third” of families dependent on wage income, are already paying too much for bad housing. To sell bad housing is just as wrong as to sell bad meat. It is undeniably true that some small landlords are running into the red on costs of maintenance. JN ITS attempts to bail out the landlords, the government is shielding the real culprit—the Federal Government itself. The imperative need to continue rent controls exists only because of the inexcusable scarcity of low-rental housing. The Federal Government has failed to curb the greed of those who have profited out of scarcity. The Federal Government has failed to take measures that would result in the building of decent, low-cost, low- rental housing. The Federal Government has failed.to halt runaway i prices which have boosted the general costs of home main- tenance. The Federal Government has backed a wage policy which has kept wages below a fair adjustment to increas- ing prices. ‘HE wage-earner has been subjected to the utmost pres- sure this year to forego wage increases. He was told that wage increases meant inflation. He is now presented with a bill for increased rent in addition to increased costs of many other essential items. He finds that inflated income is right and just for everyone but the wage slave. The alternatives for wage-earners in this dilemna are clear. They can use their organized economic strength on the job to gain a living wage. They can use their organized political strength to se- cure a more humane purpose, in the laws which regulate living standards, for man does not live by wage rates alone. Unemployment *THE Canadian Legion in British Columbia has rendered a public service by the publication of a series of adver- tisements pointing to the growing menace of mass unem- ployment. The IWA has been likewise concerned that steps be taken now to avoid the insanity of the “hungry thirties”, when British Columbia expended one hundred million dol- Jars to pay men not to work. iS In 1987, the world’s leading economists were called to- gether under the chairmanship of Sir Frederick Phillips, to report on measures that might be employed to prevent or mitigate economic depressions. Canadian member of the commission was: Mr. Graham Towers, now Governor of the Bank of Canada. It was declared that to maintain a stable economy in all countries, with rising standards of living, each nation should make the fullest possible use of the resources of production, both human and material. It was stated: “... that in the use of these pro- ductive resources, the provision of goods and services to meet the essential needs of all classes of the popula- tion in food, clothing, house room, and medical care, is a prime consideration.” . The bitter lesson learned in the last depression is a good starting point for the economic policies necessary to prevent another depression. Announcing ne A NEW CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING SERVICE Commencing with the first issue in December, 1949, the B.C. Lumber Wokrer is glad to announce an additional service for its readers, and CLASSIFIED ADVERTISEMENTS will be accepted in all future issues, Copy should be sent in to the District Office marked “Classified Mier notlatertldn tren days before publication date, and a money order for the correct amount should accompany the copy, made payable to the B.C. Lumber Worker. THE RATE IS 20c PER LINE OF APPROXIMATELY 5 WORDS If you have anything to BUY or SELL or SWAP USE YOUR OWN PAPER AS A NOTICE BOARD so that your brothers in the IWA may have the first chance dealing with you. Chases Dirt “HOUSECLEANING”. WITH APOLOGIES, Jo OLD DUTCH MFRS @ © Education Now The Editor: Some people would have you believe that the members of the Negotiating Committee were to blame for the empty results of our 1949 negotiating. In the writer’s opinion, the reason for such a belief is the habit of humans to blame everyone but themselves, for their own shortcomings. We have a union of paper packers, with a desire to set up a house of cards which Mr. Stuart promptly “blows down”. Trying to pin “what we did not get” on Stu or George, is just another indication of our own weakness. How can we reasonably expect to wring from industry any con- cessions when we forget about meeting nights, and are content to let the few “work horses” at- tend for us? How can we expect to gain a union shop when we consistently refuse to learn what our contract says? Oh! no, Brothers and Sisters; this union must rise up off its collective posteriors and declare themselves “in the game”. I would ask all members this question, “What are you doing and what do you intend to do about the 1949 contract?” Are you going to be content to sit idly by, tossing elected officers to the wolves, to appease your con- science? The woodworker who says to himself, “I need education,” is the man who is starting to plan for next year, beginning NOW. Local 1-357 is calling a mass meeting of all shop stewards and Sub-Local officers on Sun- day, Nov. 20, at 10:30 a.m., in the Union Hall to set up study groups on subjects interesting to woodworkers. Among the subjects will be, public speak- ing, shop-stewardship, accident prevention, grievance commit-* tee work, co-operatives, and other selected studies. A ways and means committee has already been set up to aid in making Local and Sub - Local meetings more interesting, and to increase the attendance. This problem of greater inter- est in unions and union business is being studied by determined men and women who aim to over- come any and all obstacles. Your Space Boys! We are“interested in OUR wel- fare. Are YOU interested in YOURS? Just a parting thought—after firmly entrenching Mr. Byron Johnson and his confreres in Vie- toria last June, how could Labor expect anything but the large NO we received? Government ears are turned only in certain chan- nels. Henry Switzer, Press Manager, Local 1-357, [WA WINCH FAN The Editor: Surely Bro. Jim Berry has not followed trade union events very closely through the years, or he would not have accused Harold Winch, Leader of the Opposition in Victoria, of “playing politics” before the Workmen’s Compensa- tion Commission, (Part of Mr. Berry's report to the Vancouver Labor Council.) Readers Veewkel Mr. Winch was not playing politics then, nor was he “play- ing” politics, when session after session, he fought for better la- bor legislation and wider com- pensation benefits. He was “work- ing” at his job of representing the workers of B.C. in the House then, and also before the Work- men’s Compensation Commission last week. In his brief, Mr, Winch asked for 75 percent “AT LEAST” compensation, but argued for 100 percent. ith what does Mr. Berry take issue? He may not like Mr, Winch’s particular brand of politics, but surely it is foolish of him"to belittle the able assist- ance such men as Mr, Winch have given labor through the years, Or does he really think he will get a better deal from corpora- tion lawyers and Liberal politi- cians? —A Victoria Legislature Observer. Phone or Write FLY! It May Cost Less Than You Think CHARTER FLIGHT SERVICE LTD. VANCOUVER AIRPORT © PHONE RICHMOND 1449 © ONE, THREE, AND SIX-PASSENGER PLANES For Information. me MADE 220 WEST BROADWAY © UNION-MADE ger the Union Trade In our 100% Union Shop, we have been manufacturing Quality Work Gloves for over twenty years, ‘Treen Gloves afe built to YOUR needs . . . to give you the greatest value for your money. When you buy Treen Work Gloves, there’s © GREATER COMFORT — LONGER WEAR GUARANTEED IN EVERY PAIR! TREEN GLOVE COMPANY LTD. IN B.C, VANCOUVER, B.C.