B.C. LUMBER WORKER

4 : :
a :
‘THE recent announcement that the Federal Goy-
ernment has no intention of taking action to
deal with the rising unemployment in Canada had
a chilling effect on the ranks of organized labor
last week. i

It was intimated that the matter might or
might not be discussed by Parliament, when con-
vened in January. In any event, decisions reached
then could not be given effect in time to relieve the
distress, which always attends unemployment.

The attempt in official circles to describe the
present situation as being merely the usual “sea-
sonal unemployment” is an obvious evasion of
responsibility. The official statistics indicate
clearly that the number of jobless is now much
greater than in the corresponding months of any
year since the immediate post-war period.

This increase in unemployment, this year is
coupled with a decline in exports and retail sales.
These factors combined indicate a downward
trend in the economy, that requires action, not
evasion.

When the unemployment statistics are broken
down, industry by industry, it is found that in a
number of industries the situation has been ex-
ceedingly grave for some time. The cut-backs
that have been evident there are now spreading
to other industries. Failure to grapple with un-
employment in these danger spots is causing the
blighted area to spread at an alarming rate.

The policy advocated by the trade union move-
ment is the only sensible policy. The Canadian
Congress of Labor has contended that the time to
act is when the dimensions of unemployment are
still at a manageable stage. Curb unemployment
now, rather than wait until it reaches the propor-
tions of a disaster, when recovery is a major and
painful operation, labor contends. :

_ There is plenty of work waiting to be done,
Canada has the manpower and the raw material to
meet the need. Whatever is physically possible is
financially possible. We require only the will on
the part of those in authority to harness our re-
sources in the service of human needs, and the
tempo of production will quickly regain the speed
necessary to absorb the available workers.

It rests with the trade unions to remind gov-
ernments that unemployment can do terrible
things to peoples’ lives. Enforced idleness over
long periods, with the attendant privations, can
warp and twist human living in dreadful ways.
All this represents human waste as well as lost
productive activity. rae

Unemployment, like war, arises from man-
made causes. It is within the power of man to
remove the causes of unemployment.

Convention Time

CONVENTION time is almost here, a fact which

points to the necessity of those preparations
which make conventions serve the purposes of the
labor movement.

First on the list, is the convention of the B. C.
Federation of Labor. High on the agenda of the
Federation are a number of matters that vitally
concern the well-being of all workers in the
province. ! te

Necessary amendments to legislation affecting
workers will be under review. With this will be the
consideration of steps to get action on labor’s
proposals. i

‘ Later, IWA members will face their own prob-
Jems of organization, administration, education,
and safety, at the IWA District Convention. Here
all those matters which pertain to the welfare of
the Union must be decided, and plans laid for the
negotiation of the 1955-56 master contract.

We remind IWA members of these conventions
that they may now ensure that their views are
voiced as convention decisions are made. Vastly
more important than the conventions are those
_ prior membership discussions which give meaning
to conyention decisions.

“SHADOWS
_OF EVENTS”

The Editor, ‘

For over a year now Labor
Unions have been alarmed by
the rising unemployment. Re-
cognizing that “Coming Events
cast shadows before”, they have
been warning and soliciting
government action, and particu-
larly the Liberal one at Ottawa
against allowing a repetition
of the blue thirties.

However, badgering govern-
ments that were elected to main-
tain free private enterprise, or
capitalism, who received no man-
date to reform or change the eco-
nomic system, throws the pro-
blem of unemployment right back
to the union members who voted
for the parties supporting unre-
stricted exploitation.

Blue Thirties

Since unemployment began to
show strongly, there has been
stress given to the old, very old
argument that the cause is too
high wages, This of course was
proved utterly wrong during the
blue thirties when wages dropped
to nearly nothing, for unemploy-
ment got worse instead of better.

The system of capitalism which
labor still endorses by the way-it
votes, in spite of the sufferings
endured by labor, is essentially
based on something for nothing,
with the gambling effect largely
removed by the exploiters. To
make sure of this they must have
a suitable government, and see
that the voters are brain washed
to their viewpoint.

Angle System
An angle of the something for

nothing system may be found in
ee es

“OLD DOC”

Dr. R. Llewellyn Douglas hos
moyed his Dental Office from
9 East Hastings St. to 712
Robson St., Vancouver, B,C.

NEW ADDRESS

poans

%. Your Space Boys!

the sawmill industry. Money is
spent to establish a mill, and first
charge on the lumber sold is re-
placement of the capital money
plus handsome interest, The am-
bition is to get back increased
capital as quickly as possible.
Then the mill is placed in the
position of something for noth-
ing. How many mills are operat-
ing where the capital has been
retrieved, and how many times
is a neat question?

With execrable provisions made
for employees these sort of out-
fits should be junked, which
would create a lot of employment.
How long some mills have been
operating on something for noth-
ing may be found by examining
the machinery for dates when it
was manufactured,

If a laborer needs a car to
travel to and from work, he can’t
charge the depreciation of it to
anyone but himself. But if his
employer needs to use a car in
his sawmill business, he can
charge the depreciation into the
lumber he sells. Quite a differ-
ence,

Wm. S. White.

Readenra
Vink

‘WHY?’

The Editor:

A little three-letter word, a
very common word. Someone
wrote a song about “Little things
mean a lot.” The same goes for
some little words.

This word “Why” has been
used around Franklin River for
nearly two years. It has been the
cause of many rising “blood pres-
sures”, and the saving of many
nickels and pennies.

Now, it has been instrumental
in killing a couple of men, and
this is only the beginning,

“why?”

We are curious here to know
how things would be and sound
if we asked a few “Why's”.

Why are track and bridge
crews laid off work so fast and
frequently? Why is a properly
qualified man not kept on the
payroll to regularly inspect the
bridges ‘and tracks, ete, for
safety?

It is hard to believe the Com-
pany as a whole is run this way.
If it is, why? If it isn’t, why?

Card No. 11458,

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