THE LUMBERWORKER - 50TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION/ FROM SEPT. 1937 to SEPT. 1987

What Our Leaders Think Of CIO

At a time when so vital a question
as affiliation with CIO confronts
the membership of the Federation,
every member wants to know what
outstanding leaders in the Federa-
tion think about it, THE TIMBER
WORKER therefore asked the fol-
lowing question at the Portland Con-
ference of each of the leaders whose
names appear in the following state-

ment,
The Question

What do you think of the Lumber
Workers affiliating with the CIO?

The Answers

Harold Pritchett—President..of the
Federation of Wood Workers—“In
my opinion the question is a clear-
cut question that faces the working
‘people in the labor moyement today.
‘That is @ question of democratic
trade unionism on one hand as ex-
emplified in the industrial setup of
the CIO and the antiquated policy
of craft unions has proven ineffec-
tive and at no time in the history
Of the labor movement have been
able to organize the basic indus-
tries. And until the basic industries
are organized, which is meeting
with unlimited success to organize
the unorganized by the CIO. The
service unions that comprise the
majority of the membership of the
A. F. of L. can become fully effecy
tive. The workers in the lumbering
industry have expressed a definite
sentiment in favor of industrial
unionism as exemplified in the CIO.
They are prepared to resist the
craft-raiding policies of some of the
craft leaders that have selfish inter-
ests at heart rather than the inter-
ests of the labor movement as a
whole and maintain themselves in
office by a dictatorial and guerilla
warfare policy.”

E. B. Weber—Secretary, Federa-
tion of Wood Workers—“All and
any m@ve by the rank and file, to-
wards improving the conditions for
all the members in thé organization
should be whole-heatedly supported
by every true Union member.”

Scotty Thorburn—Vice-President,
Federation—I can take no action
‘until after our executive board meet-
ing of the Shingle Weavers in Long-
view on the 12th.”

Henry Morris—President, Plywood
council—I think it's the only thing
to do. We will have funds to hire
badly needed organizers. Personally,
I believe the entire membership of
the Plywood council will go CIO.”

C. A. Paddock—President of the
Willamette valley council—“I don’t
think it’s the time in the Willamette
Valley. I am partial to the ClO—
I would be proud to be a member
of it, personally.”

TOM MOONEY has again been
denied freedom by the California
Supreme Court. Labor will re-
double the fight to free him!

Al Hartung—President, Columbia
River council—“In my opinion, as
a member, if the membership is to
take over the burden of the Sawmill
and Timber Workers and all move
in a body, we would be better as
an International of our own.. If
‘the American Federation of Labor
does not wish to grant such a char-
ter, then go CIO as an Interna-
tional.”

Bill Plested — P-esident, Grays-
Willapa Harbors district council,
“Why, certainly, I'm in favor of the
CIO. We have looked forward to it
for the last 20 years. If we go CIO
and the Maritime Federation it will
be the greatest organization the
‘West has ever seen. In my opinion
we will take a lot of the Carpenters’
own members with us.”

H. Peterson—Vice-President of the
B. C. Coast district council—“In
regards to the CIO, we considered
it to be the only means by which
we can ever hope to successfully
organize the workers in the Lumber-
ing industry as well as other in-
dustries in British Columbia. This
is the opinion of our membership
in general. Our main problem is
organizing. This move will help us.
Reaching the workers with organ-
izers is our big problem,

“This is proven by our experiences
that when the employers have claim-
ed the workers did not- want to
organize, they have in many
threatened to strike when the @m=
ployers have attempted to bar: qun
organizers.”

oe :
these presen

This Certit

Woodworkers Magna

eit Known That: .—

to time be determines

violation thereo!

Charta

of Bifiliation with such rights and privileyes as may from time

ith all of the rights and privileges appurtenant thereto is gramted
nion shall at all times comply with the rales, regula.
by the Committee for Industria! Organization; and in the event of

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thigi@eaiticate may be revoked, whereupon all rights and privileges appar

' In Witness Whereol we have hereunto attached out Nigatures and caused the
of the Conimitice for Industrial Org: :

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, DE