B.C. LUMBER WORKER - THE approach to the unemployment problem, as - outlined by the IWA District Executive Board recently. is to be commended. It is free from any alarmist hysteria, yet it faces a threatening situa- tion with cool judgment, and a rational plan of proposed action. < The wisdom of this approach is seen more clearly when contrasted with the evasive utter- ances of leading business executives and Federal Ministers. Any attempt to gloss over the truth of the situation is an open invitation to disaster. The IWA must give consideration to the fact that too many men are being laid off at this time of the year, under circumstances that are disquiet- “ing. ‘These lay-offs form part of a trend which began earlier in Eastern Canada, and is now spreading through many B.C. industries. The degree of unemployment is too great to admit of the description “seasonal” which to date has been the favorite answer of the Federal Goy- ermment to all requests for remedial action. On the other hand, no responsible trade union would seize on the available evidence in an at- tempt to prove that another depression, such as experienced in the “hungry thirties”, is just around the corner. Hysteria on such matters is sometimes a dangerous contributing factor to undesirable situations, which are partially psychological in origin. 2 The sensible view of existing unemployment is to admit that it is serious enough to warrant action that Will relieve the actual consequent dis- tress and maintain levels of purchasing power. It would be insane to neglect the present situation, for it contains all the elements which could easily head the economy into a major crisis. Any substantial degree of unemployment has one dangerous feature. It is always cumulative, and if neglected, can spread with the rapidity of a prairie fire. i Once any considerable number of employable workers are listed as jobless for any length of time, their reduced spending applies the brakes to production on which the employment of others depends. é A proper function of Government, both in the Provincial and Federal fields, is to initiate measures which will take up the slack, and arrest any downward trend in production and construc- tion. Both authorities have at their disposal enorm- ous spending powers, mainly exercised in public works programs. These public works should now be planned on a timing that will stimulate business activity and on a scale that will give greater buoy- ancy to the economy. Economists who advise the Federal Govern- ment are well aware of the necessary remedies. The essential requirement is more honesty with regard to the needs of the working population, and less attention to the wily attempts of some-em- ployers to create an artificial surplus of labor in order to lower wages. : To Carl Winn MEMBERS of the IWA in British Columbia will join with the District Officers in paying tri- bute to the outstanding record of service to the lumber workers established by the former Inter- national Secretary-Treasurer, Carl Winn. The general regret over his retirement from a key administrative post in the IWA is tempered by the knowledge that his sterling qualities have been given recognition by the U.S. Government for a post with UNESCO, which will allow him even greater scope for his humanitarian ideals. Carl Winn was and is a friend to every mem- ber of the Union in this District, because of the great sincerity, humility and steadfastness with which he championed the rights of his fellow- workers. nNEMS \TEOA: SOCREDS CHARSE Cri SERIANTS ARE viuLfLay WESICAE Lumber Worker.” “Risky . . . His father was once seen reading the B. C. Reaction Faced TORONTO (CPA) — “Labor is faced with a growing trend of reactionary legislation in Canada today,” said Henry Weisbach, Executive Secretary of the Political Action Committee of the Canadian Congress of Labour, speaking to a pre-convention PAC Conference. He em- phasized the need for extending the CCL’s political action program. Trade Unionists in Ontario and Nova Scotia would soon have the opportunity to express their opinion at the ballot box, he noted. Reports from Provincial Fed- erations emphasized the import- ance of education on legislative issues and getting out the vote, particularly in provincial and municipal elections. Donald MacDonald The conference, which was at- tended by representatives of CCL local unions, Labor Councils and Provincial Federations from across Canada, also heard Donald MacDonald, Secretary-Treasurer of the Canadian Congress of La- bor, who stated that there was a great responsibility to keep up the fight for actions on unem- ployment. He noted that “the federal gov- ernment is shirking its responsi- bilities to the Canadian public in not calling a fall session. Canada is faced with the grimmest eco- nomic’ situation since before the last war.” Mr, MacDonald called upon the delegates to make every effort to encourage labor’s politi- cal program on a regular basis to actively promote their mem- bership, Mme. Therese Casgrain, Que- bec Leader of the CCF, was among the conference visitors. She pointed up the importance of a “dynamic” PAC approach to offset the ride of reaction against labor. The conference re-elected Lloyd Fell of Toronto (UPWA) “OLD DOC” Dr. R. Llewellyn Douglas has moved his Dental Office from 9 East Hastings St. to 712 Robson St., Vancouver, B.C. NEW ADDRESS as Chairman of the National Po- litical Action Committee of the CCL, Art Shultz, UAW-PAC, Toronto, and George Home, Sec- retary, B.C. Federation of Labor, Vancouver, were elected Vice- Chairmen, Stewart Cooke, Ham- ilton. Labor Council, and Sid Oram, President, N.S. Federation of Labor, Sydney, were elected to the Executive. Henry Weis- bach was re-confirmed as Execu- tive Secretary and Director of the Committee. Daisy: “My boy friend is one of the big guns in industry.” Maisie: “Yeah, I know. I hear he’s been fired a few times, too.” JOBLESS INCREASE OTTAWA (CPA) — The number of Canadians looking for jobs during September was up more than 80,000 over the same time last year, according to the tabulation of applica- tions on file at National Em- ployment Service offices across the country. Applications numbering 243,500 at Sept. 16, mean that one in every 22 members of the nation’s total labor force was seeking work. — The increase in job seekers compared with Sept. 17 last year was 81,500. Ontario had the largest regional increase with 49,300, followed by Que- — bec where the total jumped by — 15,100, Prairies 10,300, Pacific 4,200, and the Atlantic Region « with an increase of 2,600. Wonder if the fellow who keeps his girl’s picture in the back of his watch is doing 80 - because he thinks she will learn to love him in time? optometrist. MA, 0928 A Lucky Breach Broken glasses are often a lucky break for eyes handicapped by an obsolete lens prescription. Since human eyes change with use, abuse and age periodic eye examinations are necessary to detect any need for lens correction. for broken glasses'to give your eyes the break they deserve. 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