Page 4

B.C. LUMBER WORKER

A Personal Decision

‘(00 much idle and mischievous speculation has been

heard with regard to the reasons behind the resigna-
tion of Pat Conroy as the Secretary of the Canadian Con-
gress of Labor. The immediate result has been to provide
the enemies of the Congress with false clues on which
they have based propaganda with which they hope to split
the Congress asunder.

The trade union movement has never felt disgraced
because its strong men sometimes differ vehemently
on policies. Frequently clashes occur for the very reason
that men feel intensely about progress and welfare of the
labor movement for which they have worked and sacri-
diced. Those who know Pat Conroy, whether they
agree with him or not, know that he has always been
motivated by the desire to serve his fellow-workers to the
best of his ability.

The Congress was never more unanimous and whole-
hearted than when it-urged Pat Conroy to return to his
post. Some may have disagreed with him, but they left no
aouny in anyone’s mind but that they continued to trust

‘im.

When Pat Conroy startled the convention with his
resignation, he said nothing that would suggest that his
action was intended to split the Congress ranks. Evidently
he felt that he could not continue to serve the Congress
effectively in the post of Secretary unless there was gen-
eral confidence in his judgment. It was a personal decision,
for which he must accept the responsibility. It was not a
decision of the Congress, and should not, therefore, divide
the Congress with vain recriminations.

All will freely admit that his resignation has left a
serious gap in Congress leadership. It is, nevertheless,
axiomatic that the. whole is greater than its part, and that
the labor movement is greater than the individual.

One incident at the close of the Convention should-not
be allowed to obscure a well-balanced perspective of all
the constructive decisions which stand to the credit of the
Congress during a week’s deliberations. These decisions
proved that the Congress had reached a mature recogni-
tion of its responsibilities, and was fully prepared to dis-
charge them. The Congress was seen at its greatest
strength. »

Nothing has happened to destroy the ideals for which
the Canadian Congress of Labor stands. Nothing has hap-
pened to turn the Congress from its course. Therefore,
nothing has happened'to cause despair to any member of
a Congress Union. The Congress will continue to function
as the most militant arm of the Canadian working-class
to raise living standards and expand Canadian democracy.

A Wrong Righted

GROSS miscarriage of justice has been exposed

through the efforts of the officials of Local 1-71 IWA.
A logger sentenced in a magistrate’s court to three months
hard labor has been found guiltless by the B.C. Appeal
Court of any criminal offence, and his conviction has been
quashed. x

Although the commendable efforts of the Local Union
have cleared a man’s good name, the case causes grave
misgivings with regard to the administration of justice
in isolated logging settlements. It cannot be overlooked
that the accused suffered torture. and ignominy, when
compelled to serve a portion of his sentence in Oakalla
prison, until bail could be arranged and an appeal launched.

The savage severity of the magistrate’s sentence
seems almost incredible in the light of the evidence. An
injured logger left camp to seek hospital treatment. It
happened that he was owing a commissary account, in-
cluding indebtedness for a pair of logging boots. He left
his personal effects in camp, indicating that he intended

_ to return and work off his indebtedness.

That his injury urgently required operative treatment
was proven by the hospital X-rays. The employer fired
him while in hospital, and demanded return of the logging
boots. The logger’s indebtedness had been almost dis-
charged by his earnings, but left him without return fare
to Vancouver. He refused to réturn the logging boots and
was promptly charged by the employer with obtaining
goods under false pretences with intent to defraud.

The reasons given by the magistrate for his judgment
are still incredible. It’s not a crime to leave camp when
injured, yet he agreed with the employer’s prejudice on
this point. It’s not a crime’to be in arrears with payment
on goods purchased in a commissary even as it is not a
crime to fall in debt for a grocery bill. The magistrate held
it to be a crime that the man retained possession of goods
for which he had partially paid, and for which he intended
to pay in full as soon as he recovered from his injury.

The law provides other processes for the. collection of
debts, but not penal servitude.

The only possible conclusion is that steps should be
taken by the Attorney-General of the province to require
that magistrates in isolated settlements are versed in the
law, or removed from office. At least no magistrate should
be allowed to sit in judgment on a fellow-citizen until he
understands the elementary principle of British justice
that a man is innocent until proven guilty, no matter what
an influential employer may say.

BUT I'M PROTE' ao

BY LAW.

RS

S0/LERMAKE,

EICAT ICON

wo)

IWA Man
For Better

Strong plea fora better Ca-
nada, with a new concept of
politics, was made by Tony
Gargraye, Local 1-217 IWA,
when speaking on the Town
Meeting’ in Canada program
over CJOR, recently.

The IWA speaker said in part:

“T must speak for those young
people I know best, the young
loggers and sawmill workers of
the woodworking industry.
‘What Kind of Canada’ do these
young people want.

Pleads
Canada

| “They want, of course, first to
be allowed to develop their own
lives and personalities in their
own characteristic way. They
want to be given the chance
to progress in their work and
their communities, free from
prejudice and propaganda cliche.
And they want a chance to re-
gain that dignity and individual-
ism that modern industry takes
from them.

“These young men, and women,
want a Canada and a govern-

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earned

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Vancouver, B.C.

ment that can, once and for all,
provide continuous employment
for all those who wish to work.
There is no single factor which
angers woodworkers more than
to be told they are lucky to have
work to do, We must enable the
young workers to lay a founda-
tion of economic security on
which to raise healthy families
and future citizens.

“These young men want a
government that takes the peos
ple into its confidence, has the
courage to face domestic issues
such as inflation and the erosion
of civil rights and deal with
them, sweeping aside the forces
of special privilege that have for
so long cluttered the Canadian
political scene, What youth wants
js a new concept of political ac-
tivity setting aside old ‘concepts
to establish a new style of com-
munity activity, rather than
merely governmental activity, in
which everybody participates.

“And above all we must have
a government which will try to
bring about peace by easing ten-
sion in the world rather than in-
creasing it by indiscriminately
piling armaments one on top of
the other until they threaten to
topple over in world conflict.

“Given that kind of Canada
youth would discover the adven-
ture that life is, And everyday
living would have purpose and
direction for every Canadian.”

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