BUILDERS OF B.C. |

OME years ago Bill Bennett wrote a book called Builders of British

Columbia. The heroes of his book were the workers — not the real
‘estate sharks, timber barons, mine speculators and the rest of the
parasites who are lauded as “pioneers and empire-builders’’ by the
hacks of commercial journalism.

“The real builders of Vancouver and of B.C.,“ said Ol’ Bill, “are
the loggers and sawmill workers; the miners — prospectors, colliers
and hardrock men; the fishermen on the Fraser and the halibut
banks of the North Pacific; the surveyors and laborers who laid out
and graded the streets and the building trades workers who erected
tne buildings; the transportation workers, railroaders, sailors, long-
shoremen, teamsters, streetcarmen; the machinists, boilermakers) en-
gineers and other workers.”

OL’ BILL BENNETT Ol’ Bill’s book—unfortunately out of print—told the stories of
Known to thousands of Bo. these builders. There was Ginger Goodwin, for instance, an early
n % = ; . fe . so}. :
workers as a staunch writer and Mjne-Mill union leader, who led a strike of Trail smelter workers
fighter in the labor Movement, Ol’ : ‘ z
Bill's weekly column in the Pacifie for the eight-hour day—and who was brutally murdered in 1918
Tribune is a feature eagerly read by the boss class; shot with a soft-nosed bullet by a special police-

re fae man in the hills above Cumberland. Pe

An interesting chapter in Ol’ Bill’s book dealt with the history
of the labor press in B.C. and the role
it played in organizing and, leading
‘the struggles of the people.

GINGER GOODWIN

Of our paper it can be said: “The
workers write for it; the workers fight

Without a working class press Zee Keen 2 for it.” In the drive to raise $15,000 ;

: > ye) AN\ eo i . i}
there can be no ee working ge i during March - April, workers and ie .
class movement. The only free press SE farmers will dig deep in their jeans — 3

s .in Canada is the labor press, because
it draws its support from the people .
and can truthfully record the people’s
struggles for peace, security and a
better life.

and come up with ‘‘dollars for democ- : |
racy.’ We don’t expect any donations : i
from the lumber barons and mining : .
moguls—nor do we want any.

To our thousands of working-
class readers in B.C. we say—don’t
wait to be called.6n by a drive collec- .
tor. Realize that the Pacific Tribune
speaks for you, and mail in your do-

~Among the builders of British

; Columbia in 1949 the Pacific Tribune
occupies an honored place. It is a
vanguard fighter for the needs of the
workers and farmers of our great pro-

vince is nation now. - . 4
:
: In modest way, our Press Builders are Puff, Wally Wallace (North Van Forest Pro- — AROUND THE PROVINCE
a ’ . : Fred Hill):
Ba f B.C. No sooner was our 1949 a aed Papeck (Capivel deere It’s a little early yet to tr f;
Eee also, Builders of B.C. s Wilson (Vancouver Heights); Sid Zlotnil vy expect replies from
aj : ; financial drive announced in last week’s paper (Office Workers); May Leniczek (Allied Ser- : all the provincial clubs, but we know that
E ‘than pledges from potential Press Builders vice); Gladys Hilland (Forest Products, FC); they are discussing the drive and planning to
at in Fel Ashton (West End); and Ann Leschynski swing into action this week,
gan to come in. (East End No. 2). Port Alberni writes in pledging its quota
At a meeting of the Vancouver city com- — - will be raised; so does Salmon Arm, Lake
A mittes of the LPP, every member present : DRIVE CHALLENGES Cowichan and Youbou.
| ‘e $25 during the drive and ‘ ,
: = guaranteed oe seascahe! Ao BS uilder buttons. Drive challenges are flying thick and fast. MANY AFFAIRS PL ANNED
Ra honetcgnie is not an isolated case. South Vancouver council has been challenged Ma 5 ns noe aS
All six members of the Vancouver Heights by West End council to fulfill all club quotas q ptt aan Blois Be Sa Ae
club in Burnaby have decided 16 become by April 25. East End council challenged In- first canvassing their members for potential
; Press Builders. dustrial Council No. 1 to a race—first council Press Builders. Then they are asking work-
ae ; ‘aoe . to reach its quota to be declared winner. _ ing members to kick through with a day’s
me Here are the names of the first pledge Afte
. office: “You're on,” said the AFLers, pay: x that comes the job of putting
i = Press Builders received at the baad GS as ni, e : collection cards to work and selling dance
+ ¥ ; At press time we can report that the tickets. :
. , lowna).
@ Joe Ivens, $50 (Kelo : Z 3 following Vancouver clubs have accepted pro-
© Elin Ruddell (Mt, Pleasant-Fairview) ; posed quotas: Maritime, Kitsilano, East End Socials, musicales, card games, dinners,
Jack Phillips (Civic Workers); Bob Gregory No. 1, Grandview, Electrical, Fairview, Nor- teas, rummage sales, whist drives and house
(Gas and Transit); Caroline McFarlan and quay, Capitol Hill, East End No. 2, Allied parties are all on the agenda.
Jimmy McFarlan, Jr. (Grandview); Vi Bianco _ Service, Georgia, Hastings Kast, Commercial Key job is to start EARLY and finish the
(Moberley) ; Don McIntosh, Tom McEwen, Bert Drive, Bill Bennett, Vancouver Heights, West @rive on time. Let’s doa hang-up job in the
‘ 2 tsilano); Nigel Morgan, End, Office Workers Nortly Van ,Beckie Buhay, | th eigh
Whyte, George Cole (Ki > > 6 next eight weeks.
Myrtle Bergren (Victory Square) ; Hal Griffin Northlands, Forest Products, Niila Makela.
(Renfrew); Dorothy Lynas (Beckie Buhay); More club pledges are coming in by every * * *
Mel Lewis, Bert Lewis, Jim Pearson, Irene ses On your marks! Get set! Go!
7 ‘

| $15,000 BY MAY DAY!

PACIFIC TRIBUNE — FEBRUARY 25, 1949 — PAGE 11