12

: B.C. LUMBER WORKER

Geo. Mitchell Reports

The UNION’S

PUC Condemned

: -M*, recent eXperience with the Public Untilities Commission of
this proyince has led me to the conviction: that a thorough
house-cleaning is necessary if we are to preserve any semblance of
democratic rights. In my opinion, the proceedings to hear evidence
with regard to the application of the BCER for an increase of

fares was a complete farce.

Every citizen of a democracy
understands .something of the
elementary principles of dealing
with evidence before a tribunal
of court acting in
a judicial capa-
city. The hearing
of evidence is not
a matter of ex-
amining opinions.
It is a procedure
by which facts |".
are established
by competent
witnesses with
all available
proof. Argument and opinion are
then based on logical deductions
based on established facts.

Yes! Yes!

To our amazement, the pro-
cedure permitted by the Commis-
sion.was to allow the BCER coun-
sel to read lengthy statements
into the record, and then ask the
witnesses to indicate whether
they agreed. This resulted in a
procedure which made it appear
that there could not possibly be
any disagreement with the high-
priced experts of the Company.

Such a Commission might be
expected to act in the interests
of the public, and make a genuine
effort to arrange for the produc-
tion of evidence which would en-
able a fair appraisal of the wel-
_fare of the average citizen.

The procedure actually follow-
ed permitted the Company with
its superior resources to domi-
Wav the enquiry, and gain its
own way. The only rule_ which
prevailed was that the sacred
property rights of the company
should be so protected that the
shareholders may continue to en-
joy maximum profits, and “the
public be damned”.

Essentials Neglected :

This was a disquieting experi-
ence, as transportation costs are
an important item in every work-
er’s budget. An increase in fares
means a definite lowering of the
standards of living for thousands
of low-income workers. It is not
a matter to be brushed aside as
being of no consequence.

The BCER enjovs -a_ virtual
monopoly. There is all the more
reason why a public enquiry into
the fare structure should be con-
ducted with the strictest regard
to the interests of the citizens
who willy-nilly must use the
transit system to earn their daily
bread and butter.

Such farcical proceedings do
more than anything else to des-
troy confidence in the democratic
process, for when privilege rules,
democracy is defeated,

WINN SPURS
CIO - PAC

PORTLAND, Ore. — “The
day has long gone when we as
trade-unionists can be content
with merely trying to get bet-
ter working agreements.”

This was stated in letters
which have gone out to all of
some 400 IWA Locals in United
States from the office of IWA
Secretary-Treasurer Carl Winn,
The letters were accompanied by
copies of the IWA legislative
program as adopted by the last
convention and a set of instruc-
tions for the collection of volun-
tary contributions to the PAC-
CIO fund.

In his letter, Secretary Winn
said: “No matter what iniprove-
ments we made in contracts, Con-
gress immediately tries to take
them away through tax subsidies
to big business, higher taxes for
the working man and higher
prices to all consumers.

Vote Dodgers

“That’s what has happened
since 1950 when workers stayed
away from the polls in droves
and Congress became packed
with mis-representatives pledged
against a liberal labor program.”

The letter stressed the import-
ance of local leaders in getting
union members to participate in
selecting candidates and backing
them with financial and moral
support. He pointed out that 50
percent of the money goes to sup-
port candidates in the home dis-
trict, 25 percent to the state and
25 percent to the national fund
to help friends of labor.

The letter also pointed out that
PAC endorsements are made by
union delegates and urged PAG
delegates ‘be representative of
union sentiment.

WORRIED ~
FARMERS

OTTAWA (CPA)—The federal
government was called on to take
“special . . . or even exceptional
measures” to meet the farm mar-
keting crisis caused by the Re-
gina district outbreak of foot=
and-mouth disease when the Ca-
nadian Federation of Agriculture
in its anunal brief to the federal
cabinet, presented March 6.

The farm Federation’s foot-
and-mouth demands included a
recommendation “that steps be
taken to stabilize beef and lamb
prices at levels obtained during
the week ending February 16th.”

Publication date of the next issue of the B.C. LUMBER
WORKER is March 20. Deadline for ad copy is March 14 and

for news copy March 15.

President —-v-ncov-venerneee
st Vice-President

2nd Vice-Pre:
rd_Vice-Pr:
Secretary-Tre:
International

BC Lunees

Representing the Organized Loggegs end Mill Werkers of B.C.
PUBLISHED TWICE MONTHLY BY

INTERNATIONAL WOODWORKERS OF AMERICA (CIO-CCL)
B,C, DISTRICT COUNCIL No. 1. SSD

DISTRICT OFFICERS:

GEORGE H, MITCHELL, Secretary-Treasurer
45 Kingsway - Phone FAirmont 8807-8
Vancouver, B.C,
Subscription Rates.........$1.60 per annum
, Advertising Representative.......G. A, Spencer
Authorized as Second Class Mail, Post Office Dept. Ottawa
23,000 COPIES PRINTED IN THIS ISSUE

J, Stewart Alsbury
wsoeeeneeerneeen JOG Morris,
Stuart M. Hodgson
.. Fred Fieber
George H. Mitchell
‘William N, Gray

5 to

March 13, 1952. ;

THE THINGS YOU SHOULD LOOK FOR IN

CANVAS RAINWEAR

STANDARD COAT 66

Note the “tailored” de-
sign, giving maximum
comfort and freedom; the
cape and sleeves all one
Piece, and seams only un-
dér-arm. Note also the
more generous use of ma-
terials with interlining
away down at back, (Also
made without interliaing.)

STANDARD PANTS

See the extra depth of
double | thickness, front
and back, and interlining
down entire front. Lots
of pockets, too. (Also
made withour interlining.)

- From Your Local Dealer or Commissary

YOU WILL FIND IN

HAT

You will find that it is
substantial and water re-
pellent . . . a real hat
+. « but soft, pliable,
and light in weight.

BUY ONLY GENUINE
“PIONEER BRAND”

“DRY - BAK”

CRUISER’S COAT
Notice how it is moulded
to fit with comfort and
freedom. Double thick-
ness over shoulders, chest,
back and sleeves. Look
ag, the four roomy out,
side pockets an:
feeea ‘and see the inside
reast map thea

ack ‘and see
the large. pack pocket
with Spesiogs oth sides.
(This dest ga, of coat
comes ‘in featherweight
“Yakon Cloth”, too.

FALLER’S SHIRT
The fallers’ and buckers’
shire JS an otiginal “Pic-
neer Brand” design, built
to give full freedom with
extra protection where
needed, and with extra
long skirt at back, (This
also comes in feath
weigt* “Yukon Cloth
00.)

look at the

'T IS MADE IN VANCOUVER, B.C., BY JONES TENT & AWNING LTD.

‘MONOPOLY’ THOMSON MOVES
INTO VANCOUVER; BUYS PAPER

Monopoly contr1 of Cana-
da’s press was tightened an-
other notch recently when R. H.
Thomson’s newspaper chain
took over Vancouver’s morning
paper, the News Herald, ac-
cording to some observers,

Already controlled by Thomson
are 14 Central Canada and
Prairie papers with a total circu-
lation of 125,000, Aquisition of
the News-Herald adds 33,000 to.
make a total of 158,000. Thomson
is also vice-president of the Ca-
nadian Press, news - gathering
agency noted for curtailment of
its services which resulted in the
firing of staff members active in
the American Newspaper Guild
(C.L0.).

As President of the Northern
Broadcasting Co. Ltd., Thomson
also has a finger in the private
radio-broadeasting pie.

Control of News

News-Herald was not an inde-
pendent paper before Thomson's
purchase. Since early 1951 it has
been owned by The Vancouver
Sun. And Thomson papers are
distinguished by non-committal
editorial policies’ rather than by
attempts to stampede readers in-
to political or other viewpoints.
But, say critics, such claims are
building up the power-to do so if
they wish. More important than
editorial policy, they suggest, is
the selection and omission of
news items.

Among Canada’s other main
news chains is the Southam Co.,
Ltd., which publishes seven dail-
ies with a combined circulation in
1950 of 400,000. It also operates
or controls three radio stations.
The Sifton group has three west-
ern papers and some associated
radio stations, centres its -activi-
ties on the Winnipeg Free Press.

Other Mergers

Also seen as part of the trend

toward centralized control of Ca-

‘BARBARIC’
SYSTEM

Six CIO representatives pro-
tested before a Senate Labor
subcommittee, Feb. 27, against
the “barbaric migrant labor sys-
tem” -which forces U.S. farm
workers to live in poverty while
legal and illegal aliens take their
jobs. They recommended stiff
penalties for employers who hire
“wetbacks” (illegal Mexican
aliens) and strong legislation to
make sure U.S. farm workers are
fully employed before foreign la-
bor is imported. The day before,
however, the House —after add-
ing another weakening amend-
ment — passed the Senate's in-

adequate bill to control the “wet-
back” menaee,

nadian’s information about world |
and local happenings are other
newspaper mergers in recent
years: the Edmonton Bulletin has
been absorbed by the Journal, the
Victoria Colonist and Times’ are
jointly owned, as are the Toronto
Telegram and Globe & Mail. In
spite of their four names, the
Halifax Herald-Mail and Chron-!

icle-Star are all one paper.

Union ownership experiment in
the newspaper field was the Glace
Bay Gazette, since sold by the
Mineworkers’ District 26, which
operated it for some years. An
unsuccessful experiment with co-
operative newspaper ownership
was the Winnipeg Citizen.

BANKING BY MAIL is convenient, easy to do,

See for yourself—today.

THE CANADIAN BANK _
OF COMMERCE

60 Branches in British Columbia

BANKING BY MAIL

The safe way to save your
money Is to put it in a
bank. You “can do this
best through any of the
branches of the Canadian
Bank of Commerce in
British Columbia. Get
some Banking by Mail
forms before you leave
town, or write for a sup-
ply to your nearest branch
of the Commerce.

a