Boss

loggers organize labor spy

racket in effort to smash [WA |

The current issue of the ‘B.C. Lumber Worker’, official organ of the International Wood-
workers of America (April 21) carries a full-length expose of the boss loggers’ most recent
€xcursion into the labor spy racket. It is a sordid story of corruption and bribery, in-
volving the R. V. Stuart Research Limited, ‘spokesmen’ for the boss loggers, the Liberal

Party and the RCMP. Appropri-
ately enough, the final scene of
this CMA-inspired conspiracy to
Plant a flock of stool pigeons in
the IWA was filmed in a Port
Alberni cemetery.

__ The labor espionage plot of the
er loggers exploded in their face
ecause these ‘free enterprisers’
pane been nurtured in the belief
hat money can buy everything—
~€ven working class loyalty. In this
they erred badly. One Thomas J.
Noble, chief ‘personnel’ manager
ie Bloedel, Sewart and Welch,
ped tq, buy the loyalty of young
On McAllister, executive member
Of Local 1-85, IWA. According to
the deal concocted in many inter-
Views, McAllister was to get $300
& month, plus an expense account,
Plus a car, plus a typewriter, ‘so
he could make his reports.’ All
monies received by McAllister
from Noble was ‘witnessed’, and
is being held by the IWA local,
to be ‘claimed by the owners at
any time they find suitable’.

Tn all his contacts with Mc-
Allister, this company spy rack-
eteer emphasized the need of
removing from office the pres-
ent leadership of the IWA, and
to replace these men with indi-
Viduals willing to go down th
road with the bosses. :
The agent of the boss loggers

concurred that ‘unions are a good
ing’ . . . but in proper hands?
Noble even pictured McAllister,
whom he thought sold on the plan
of stooling on his fellow unionists,
8S the leader of the IWA, indicat-
ing that ‘proper leadership’ in the
anguage of the boss loggers, was
the kind that would sell out if
‘nd when the opportunity should
arise,
The rosy proposals advanced by
Noble to lure his new ‘find’ into
the network of the labor spy
Tacket were not limited. to what
the boss loggers could do for him.
McAllister would not be alone in
1s efforts, because the ‘police and
he press are on our side’ cooed
oble. The future of other prom-
nent members’ of the IWA was
also discussed, with ‘fixer’ Noble
€claring he had the ‘cooperation’
of the local liberal party in the

i

Robeson to speak
on Peoria ban

NEW YORK. — Paul Robeson,
noted Negro singer, now in Pe-
°ria, Illinois, where his scheduled
Concert was called off today be-
Cause of what he termed “fas-
Cist_ techniques,” telephoned the
following message to the Council
°n African Affairs, here, of which
© is chairman:

‘My scheduled concert appear-
ance in Peoria was called off to-
Gay following threats of violence
8nd passage of local City Coun-
Sil measure aimed at me. I do
not intend to be bullied in the
Slightest by these fascist tech-
niques, and I know that Peoria
Citizens, feeling as I do, will
demonstrate their own feelings
8gainst this un-American assault
m their own way. 1

The Peoria incident is not at
all accidental. It follows by two
days the House un-American Com-
Mittee’s selection of me as one of
its special targets. Frankly I feel
Nored to be in the same com-
Pany with former Vice-President

allace who lately was subjected
to the most disgraceful abuse by
the committe’s subversive pye~
Mies,”

“Will be in New York City on
Friday evening, April 25, to speak
at the Council on African Affairs
rally, At that time I will ex-
Plain to the people of New York
8nd elsewhere the Peoria incident,
"Nd will also issue a full state-
Ment on the un-American Com-
Mitte’s war against American de-
Mocracy, and how it affects the
Peoples of Africa, the colonies and
© rest of the world.”

FRIDAY, APRIL 25, 1947

Expose

Thomas J. Noble,
Bloedel, Stewart and Welch logging com-

‘personnel’ manager of

pany, as he appeared at the final ‘rendezvous’ in a Port

Alberni cemetery.

handing out of soft jobs. Could an
IWA man be induced to stool
against Pritchett, Dalscog, Mels-
ness, McCuish, et al, for the allur-
ing job of a ‘game warden’? The
proposition was worth ‘consider-
ing’ in the hunt for Gouzenkos or
Sullivans in the ranks of the IWA.

The ‘Lumber Worker’ story of
McAllister’s ‘introduction’ to the
great ‘free-enterpriser’ R. ‘V.
Stuart of the R. V. Stuart Re
search Limited, reads like a chap-
ter from Dr. Goebbels’ manual
on the training of nazi finks.
Never have the prospective stool
get the idea that that is what
you want him for—not even for
an ‘agent’. Just an individual in
whom the ‘free enterprisers’ of the
B.C. lumber industry have a very
special interest in moulding into
what they would call ‘a good citi-

zen.

But, and the big boys insist
upon it, the prospective ‘good
citizen’ must accept a remun-
eration. After all they expect
good ‘reports’ from this ‘good
citizen’, and the ‘thirty pieces
of silver’ is the hallmark of. the
Judas game.

In the McAllister affidavit one
can see that the boss loggers have
never given up the idea of a re-
turn to the open-shop blacklisting
regime of a decade ago. As the
recorded conversations with Noble
show, they have their undercover
stools in the IWA as in other un-
ions. What is more clearly revealed

however, and which is a high tri-.

bute to the integrity and loyalty
of the IWA membership, that in
spite of the presence of RCMP
and company undercover agents
and provocateurs in the union, the
boss loggers have been unable to
smash it. The magnificent unity of
the 1946 IWA strike gave the lum-
ber barons the jitters. They
couldn’t break the strike, any
more than they can break the un-
ion now by slanderous red-baiting,
so they resort to the old stra-
tagem of seeking to ‘buy out’ IWA
men and recruit them into the la-
bor spy racket with fancy prices
and propositions.

With new wage struggles loom-
ing on the immediate horizon, the
‘personnel’ departments of the boss
loggers got impatient. ‘For god’s

sake’ appealed Noble to McAl-
lister, ‘get a report in immedi-
ately’. Who was pressing Noble
for a ‘report’ would not be a

stickler for the Quiz Kids. Bill 39
and a .red-baiting smear against

|the IWA leadership is all to the

good, but the boss loggers demand
action—action, ‘for god’s sake get
a report in immediately’.

The story of Noble and the
boss loggers in the labor spy
game is neither unusual nor or-
iginal. It’s an old racket, elevated
to a profession in our ‘free enter-
prise’ way of life. But it is a good
reminder of what the. bosses have
in mind for 1947—the destruction
of the trade unions and the ham-
stringing of effective labor organ-
ization by the use of stool pigeons.

Halibut fishermen win
new contract rights

A compromise agreement has been reached between
halibut fishermen here, represented by the United Fishermen
and Allied Workers Union (TLC) and the fish dealers, it
was announced this week by UFAWU secretary William
Rigby. As a result of the agreement, a threatened strike of
some 900 halibut fishermen has been avoided.

The new agreement, which is
for the entire 1947 halibut sea-
son, provides for a union shop
whereby fishing skippers have the
right of hiring men, all of whom
must be union members. Fisher-
men are also given the right ‘to
sell fish livers through the fish-
ermen’s cooperatives, rather than
solely to the fish dealers. In pre-
vious years the dealers paid only
the lowest prices for the livers,

yet refused to allow the fisher-

men the right to dispose of them
through the cooperatives, where
a fair market price could be se-
cured.

Earlier this week an agreement
was signed between the UFAWU
and the Vancouver Fish Vessel
Owners’ Association, which in-
cludes independent owners. not
operating for the fish dealers. The
contract signed also provided for
the union shop and freedom of
sale of fish livers.

that the CCL has

Action of the City Traffic

Big May Day parade in
spite of phoney ruling

Committee in refusing a large

labor delegation, led by the 1947 May Day Committee, per-
mission to have this year’s May Day parade lay a wreath

on the cenotaph and follow
Hastings St. was termed “bur-
eaucratic” by the Committee in a
press release issued in the City
Hall after the interview.

The May’ Day Conference, meet-
ing the same night, unanimously
resolved not to accept the edict
of the traffic committee and seny
the delegation back to see the
Chief of Police and the City Coun-
cil.

“First they told us we couldn’t
parade on Hastings St. because
of opposition from downtown mer-
chants,” George Miller, UFAWU
president, told the conference.
“When we presented them with a
petition favoring the traditional
route from a majority of the mer-
chants, the city fathers said the
real reason was the traffic prob-
lem. So they say we have to
march on Georgia St. all the way.
What I'd like to see explained is
how we'll create less of a traffic
tie-up by marching across Rich-
ards and Granville on Georgia
than by going along Hastings.”

“We're getting the run-around
and we'll have to fight it or next
year we won't get a permit at
all.”

Under the chairmanship of
Fraser Wilson, the conference
called on all organizations to pro-
test the switch. Only thing on
which there is agreement with the
City Hall is that the parade will
assemble on Georgia Viaduct at
1 p.m., Thursday, May 1.

CC¥ delegates came instructed
to tell the gathering the CCF
would not send a speaker but
declared “this was not the time
or the place to say why.”

Twelve organizations have an-

nounced their intention of having

floats in the parade, which will
be headed by 52 girls from the
CIO United Office and Profes-
sional Workers bearing the 52
flags of the United Nations.

A large number of other organ-

izations are submitting contin-
gents bearing banners and plac-
ards, and an appeal is being made

its traditional route west on

for decorated automobiles to par-
ticipate.

Prizes are being offered for the
best floats, best comic costume,
and best decorated bicycle.

Speakers from the Canadiaw
Legion and from AFL and CCL
unions, as well as the LPP will
address the gathering at Brock-
ton Point which follows the

parade,
In a stirring 1947 May Day
manifesto the B.C. Provincial

Committee of the LPP calls upon
the labor movement to ‘hurl back
the attacks of reactionary big
business against the peace, eco-
nomic security, and freedom’ of
Canada. ‘The American dollar
sign’ says the manifesto, ‘is re-
placing the swastika as the new
symbol of oppression’.

The manifesto calls for a
strengthening of the friendly re-
lations between Canada and the
USSR, and greater efforts on the
part of Canada to strengthen the
United Nations.

Strong emphasis is placed upon °
tlie need of unity to combat the
Price raids of the monopolists
which are impoverishing the
people. Prices must be rolled
back, rent controls must be re-
stored. Wages must be raised to
provide working people with de-
cent living standards, and the
battle for the 40-hour week and
union security be continued with
greater intensity.

Calling for united action by the
trade unions, CCF, LPP, and all
progressive organizations, the
manifesto raises the slogans es-
sential to a people’s victory:
Unite to fight for labor’s rights
Strengthen United Nations
Unity!

No Wall Street bases for ag-
gressive war on Canada’s soil!
Back Labor's fight for decent
wages! Fo §

Roll back prices; restore rent
controls! ‘
Unity of labor and the people
on the economic and political

fronts! — f

Restrictive labor laws
will be opposed - CCL

The Canadian Congress of Labor has gone on record as
pledging full support to any affiliated union which refuses to
cooperate with the government on any measures that would

decrease labor’s effectiveness
disclosed by Harold Pritchett,

in the community. This was
district president of the IWA,

to delegates at the Vancouver Labor Council (CCL) this

Tuesday.

Pritchett, who returned this
week from the CCL’s national ex-
ecutive council meeting in Mont-
real told the VLC delegates that
the Congress’ decision was moti-
vated by passage of restrictive la-
bor legislation in British Colum-
bia, Alberta,’ Ontario and Quebec,
and with the prospect of an anti-

labor federal bill being passed in’

Ottawa.

e
Council delegates unanimously
endorsed a letter from the B.C.

Federation of Labor (CCL), urg-
ing affiliated unions to ready
themselves for a “coordinated

drive by the labor movement to
unite its economic and political
strength for the defeat of reac-
tion in B.C.” 4

Pritchett also informed delegates
alloted the
month of June as “defend labor
month” in which a nationwide
campaign will be initiated by the
labor movement to rally the pub-
lic to labor’s support. The Con-
gress is devoting $10,000 to pub-
licity for the campaign, which
might culminate “in a national
lobby to Ottawa.”

Unanimous support was given
an executive resolution urging the
King government “to repudiate

without delay, the anti-democratic
bill introduced in the House of
Commons by Wilfred Lacroix, In-
dependent member for Quebec
Montmorency, which if passed,
would by amendment to the crim-

inal code, illegalize the Labor-
Progressive Party and _ other
organizations, The Labor Coun-

cil declares that such a measure
is aimed at the destruction of Ca-
nadian democracy, including trade
sie aa CCF, farm organizations

“The Labor Council demands
that the government squelch this
shameful bill at once in conform-
ity with the principles of the
Atlantic Charter.

“Be it further resolved that we
call on all affiliated organizations
to endorse this protest and for-
ward notice of same to the Prime
Minister and Vancouver Members
of Parliament.” :

D. H. Stewart, representative of
the Journeymen Tailors Union
(CCL), announced that the 45
striking alteration tailors in 10
city stores had agreed to return
to work and “carry on” under a
conciliation officer. :

PACIFIC TRIBUNE—PAGE 3

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