B.C. LUMBER WORKER November 2, 1950 PART Il IWA WAS In 1935 the committee was formed to challenge this condition. This was to be a union of workers in the in- di to protect the most humble and the skilled, the semi-skilled, the old and the young. It was the only way to deal with the gigantic corporations, The CIO was born, We went on, We had strikes in indust in Auto; steel; and in rub- ber. They said it couldn't be done. They said the workers wouldn't or- ganize. ‘We found the corporations contri- buting millions of dollars annually to spy on workers, It didn’t make any betes wketiecthiey. go to cbiurch or lodge, the spy was there. The workers were discharged without rhyme or reason, Te was these abuses by the corpora- tions that inspired us. In America to go forward and organize the workers into industrial unions; that was the beginning of the CIO. Labor Spies Some of you have read the LaFol- let Committee Report on industrial espionage. I have met spies on com- mittees in automobile and rubber in- dustries. If the workers were success ful in organizing the spies would at- tempt to get control of the union. I remember the General Rubber Co. in Akron. I remember the man named "Myers. He became Jocal president and became a spy. 1 remember in Toledo in the Auto Lite plant; Howe of Midland Steel in Detroit and other spies.. The CIO dared to challenge this institution. As we challenged the men got courage and they joined the union. That glo- rious chapter of the CIO is now his- | tory which the nation has benefitted from. Colonial Membership . Today the automobile workers union ies over a million workers. The workers a quarter of a million. As you drive your automobile remem- ber what was done in 1935; the fail- ure of craft unions and their horse and buggy approach, Today, you cannot ride an automobile that is not made by a union man‘or a worker that is in the union, There is the steel made by the union steel worker. There is the tire made by the rubber union worker. All are members of our organization. You, too, belonged to a craft union. You belonged to the craft of joiners and carpenters union. You occupied a class “B" membership. The colonial type of citizenship. They gave class “B" citizenship to workers trying to build a better day for their families and their loved ones. The CIO challenged that, contending they should have full citizenship re- gardless of creed, color or nationality. So you joined the CIO and you had many tough battles. ‘The others went against you, but you came through. You didn’t quit. You built up this mighty organization. We are proud of this union as a member of the CIO. The last time I addressed your con- vention was in Sacramento in 1943. I remember those days and my good friend whom I admired, Worth Low- ery, has gone to his Maker. His voice here today would say, “Carry on”. He would say, “Build this union”, Build this union for yourselves. and your buddies, Build it for the bud- dies in other union fields. Build it unselfishly, Build it for a better day. “For every, man who toils today by brawn and brain in our country or in the world makes it a better world.” May God rest his soul! The Disrupters T am going to lash some of the boys who sought to divide and destroy your union, First let me say we are to build freedom, not to destroy it. Our forefathers fought dictatorship for centuries. Now, we are told their sti le was all wrong, that when Patrick Henry said, “Give me liberty or give me death!" he didn’t know what he was talking about. The men at Valley Forge didn’t know what they were fighting for. T am sure the lumberjack will not Events which led to the founding of the IWA were told by Allan S. Haywood, CIO Vice-President, when he addressed the IWA International convention of the IW’A, in Minneapolis. Interest in the early history of the Union was so great that the IWA International office was persuaded to issue mimeographed copies, and the B.C. LUMBER WORKER under- took to publish the material in instalment form. In the preceding instalment Vice-President Haywood related the steps which resulted in the establishment of the ClO. In this instalment he con- tinues with his account, as one who actively participated in the building of the CIO and affiliated unions. WORTH LOWERY “Build This Union” They talk about unity but speak from both sides of their mouth. If you call a Republican or Democrat what they are that is all right, but if you call a Communist a Communist you are a Red baiter. We have de- cided they must make up 'their minds to be union.men or get out. We don't want them otherwise. Harold, The Great I remember when Pritchett was president of this union, the great Prit- chett. who betrayed your union re- cently. He tried to sell you down the ‘Communist Party by creating an inde- pendent union. Who the Hell ever told you the independent union was for the working man? He came down to me one time in Washington and he wanted me to give him an arrange- ment to organize lumberjacks. We effectuated a plan. . Pritchett stated-to the CIO Board he placed a dictaphone in the room ‘of one of your members to spy on him— typical of spy agencies. John L. Lewis took him to task and reprimanded him for such conduct. The plan we agreed river, and hand your union over to the | upon provided that the director chosen ‘John L, Rapped Pritchett shall direct, assign and remove organ- izers. Like all successful directed or- ganization drives, you can't have more than one general. We then agreed we would go with you to your mem- bers and help you to raise money for the drive. Adolph Germer Many of you members from the Co- lumbia River District will remember this drive to raise these funds. Dur- ing that period, the Director chosen was proclaimed as a great man. His name was Adolph Germer. But the moment that phase of the operation was completed, the fireworks started. An official newspaper which was not run by the Union but by a separate corporation, immediately be- |} gan to attack Director Germer. The Commie boys got plenty busy and the slogan on this paper was “Germer must go”, issue after issue. We replied, telling them there was no limit to which they would go to at- tain their ends, but they failed to understand they were dealing with the CIO, that does not run from a fight but ‘supports their men and do not scare easy. ISee Haywood P. 10 \\ MR.CHAMBERS. HE MANUFACTURING CO. (B.C.) LIMITED 2248-50 East Hastings St. Stalwart Li a GEORGE GROZOY, Beach Camp, Engewlood, on his way to the office of Local 1-71 with more IWA check-off slips in his pock LH; AND THATS CHARLI HASN'T USED THE HOTEL ELEVATORS SINCE HE BOUGHT Vancouver, B.C.