weekend will be the scene of a Small but significant gathering of Ginger Goodwin, the labor leader whose murder nearby on July 26, 1918 precipitated Canada’s first general strike, the 24 hour general strike that Valley club of the Young Communist League for a Memorial rally at the Gravesite July 30, will remember Goodwin for the entire labor Movement, and for a moment, focus its attention on the class Struggles and militant traditions which ‘built the B.C. Federation of Labor,” Bill Bennett described in his classic Builders of B.C., ‘He went through the Island strike with the Cumberland miners and member of the Socialist Party of Canada and took part in the fight against the imposition of | Conscription in Canada. When Conscription was enacted he was placed in Class D as physically unfit. Shortly. after he led the strike of the Trail Smelter workers for the ex- tension of the eight hour day to the mechanics and chain gang. During the course of the strike, € was, through ~’ the called up for re-examination, put in Class A and ordered to \Teport at military headquar- powerful movement of today. - Machinations’ of Blaylock,- manager at the Trail Smélter,*”’ precipitated Canada’s first general strike. ters. This was an obvious move to behead the strike. In spite of not heard of again till he was shot with a soft-nosed bullet by a special policeman called Campbell in the hills above Cumberland.” Goodwin’s murderer, like that of fishermen’s leader Frank Rogers six years earlier, was a special policemen in the employ of the Canadian Pacific Railway. : The slaying acted as a catalyst for a labor movement . thithad-been radicalized-by the “exploitation and profiteering of the war years, and by the example of the Russian Revolution which only a year government moved quickly to remove Russia from the im- labor movement had already seen the war for what it was, a war to carve up the world among the capitalist countries, and had rejected it. War eggs and 150 percent on beef were common. Employers used the war as an excuse to cut wages and to eliminate the eight hour day, going back to 10 and 12 hour days. The December 1917 election, fought on the conscription issue, became known as the “rigged election’? when the Borden Tory they were needed to eke out a . victory for a pro-war candidate. _ Inthe early months of 1918 the labor movement found itself at a moment of decision. Using the labor council in. wester Canada had called for a country-wide general strike to fight back. At the end of July, with the news of Goodwin’s murder, matters came to the_ brink. Campbell, the CPR cop, claimed he had shot in self defense, from the hip, in frontier fashion. The inquest August 1, however, revealed that Goodwin was turned away ‘from Campbell when shot, and the weapon used was not a pistol but a ‘shotgun loaded with “dum-dum bullets’, which required a careful aim from the shoulder. . The gravesite at Cumberland, " Murder of Ginger Goodwin remembered — A simple country cemetery, before had decreed all power to That evening the Vancouver _ bricklayers — practically 100 just off the North Island High- the workers. : Trades and Labor Council sent Percent of the organized labor way at Cumberland, B.C., next While the new Soviet out the word for a general work | Movement — joined the protest stoppage for the next day. In the morning, the B.C. Federation of to mark one of the milestones in perialist war, in 1917 the Labor journal, The : B.C. labor history. Canadian government in- Federationist carried the The strike, to protest the The cemetery is the gravesite troduced conscription. The message: “All members of- violence of the Establishment unions affiliated with the above councils will cease work for 24 hours commencing 12 o’clock noon, Friday, August.2, 1918, as a protest against the shooting of still : 2 profiteering was rampant in’ Brother Goodwin.” Labor Temple in Vancouver. aaa Vancouver August 2, Canada and profits of over 100 he “call tenth hor Council secretary Victor Bites ‘wis join the Comox percent on cheese, 50 percent on Gouncil < ctaicers 3 aack Midgely was pushed through a Kavanaugh and Victor Midgely, later to become founding members of the Workers Party (Communist Party) in 1921, and Bill Pritchard, who would play a prominent. role in the Win- nipeg General Strike of 1919, later to become a founding member of the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation “Arthur Goodwin, ‘Ginger’, GINGER GOODWIN . . . His Sovernmentusedsoldiet's voles (cor), met with a giant Si? acer was an ex-vice-president of the murder sixty years ago response. a er At noon, Vancouver ground to a halt. Longshoremen, shipyard carpen ters, workers, i this the company was forced-to —_ pretext of the war, the unions called on all Trades and Labor was later secretary of the M ’ : nae a alt ce : Wicker, grant the eight hour day. S and all they had won were under Council delegates to resign-and Union at Trail. He was a “Ginger disappeared and was _. attack. By June, almost every seek endorsement of their B.C., where Goodwin was shot by a CPR policeman. strike. The first general strike in Canadian history was on. against Goodwin, was quickly met with more violence. A mob ‘of about 500 returned soldiers, recruited by the Board of Trade, was sent to attack the second floor window, but other strike leaders escaped unharmed. The Labor Temple itself was ramsacked. At a meeting that evening mayor G. S. Gale and Board of Trade spokesman called for the arrest and deportation of the strike leaders, calling them strike ended, except for the longshoremen who extended their protest until the following Monday. The. strike leaders, ‘action in calling the strike from their local unions. All except six delegates were re-elected. It was some years later that .the Mine Mill and Smelter Workers Union placed the headstone over Goodwin’s ‘grave at Cumberland, around which the YCL will gather next weekend. And if their thoughts go back sixty years to the murder of Ginger Goodwin and _ the general strike in his name, the relevance of Goodwin’s death for the labor movement of today will not be lost. are ADULTS $4 COPE GARDEN PARTY If raining: RUSSIAN HALL, 600 Campbell Ave. LUNCH and FLEA MARKET CHILDREN $2 (If you have good saleable things for the Flea — Market please contact Jonnie Rankin 872-2128) turn left on 132nd St.) Program includes: Fred Bianco's, 10246—132nd St., ing George Highway turn right on Sunday, July 30—1 p.m. | Surrey (going south on 7 soath Ave.) then SPORTS — CONTESTS (for adults and children) UN observes The United Nations’ Special Committee against Apartheid has called on democrats around the world to join in observing the birth- day this week of imprisoned African National Congress of South Africa leader Nelson Mandela. Mandela, former leader of the around the world, the UN Special Committee said that is ‘‘considers it most appropriate that the six- . tieth' birthday of Mr. Mandela is observed as widely as possible not only to pay personal tribute to him, but to publicize the heroic struggle of the liberation movement to which he dedicated his life, and to demand the immediate release of CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING 23rd at 805 E. Pender St., 2 - 8 p.m. Entertainment, Cuban music and Cuban supper at 5:30. Adults $4, children $2. Bring your own garden chair. JULY 29 — Grandview-Woodlands Area Committee of COPE presents Charlie Chaplin Film “The Great Dictator’? on Saturday, July 29/78 at 7:30 p.m. children 12 and under $2.00. Sponsored by North and South Fraser Regional Cttees., CPC. AUGUST 13 — COPE Garden Party, Sunday, August 13th at 1 p.m., Rankin’s House, 3570 Hull St. Lunch and Flea Market. If rain, at Russian People’s Home, 60 birthday COMING EVENTS 7 A abe City Committee of E e m ist Part i SUNDAY, AUG. 13th, 1 P.M. Oats seaaaatl been! feannicing series “af site RANKIN’S HOUSE — 3570 Hull St. Of Mamndelly cries cory on Sunday, uly fasts (etarting in late August basis (starting in late August). We're looking around for chess, backgammon sets, dart boards, used card tables, etc. (on a loan or gift basis). Can you help? If so, please contact Miguel Figueroa at 251-1186. BUSINESS PERSONALS ae ll a RS MOVING? CLEANUP? — Wanted articles for resale. All proceeds ANC’s military arm, Umkonto We in the Music Room of Britanni to P.T. Phone 526-5226. ‘The : our dog at home: Sizwe, until his imprisonment in 1 “e Music Hoom of britann! Goodie Bin”. Bring your own chair and leave y g 1962, turned 60 on July 18. Centre. ROOF REPAIRS The phony trial which sentenced JULY 30 — annual Fraser Valley Reasonable 254-5836 Mandela to life imprisonment was Picnic will be held Sunday, July SHEET METAL WORK : cee by ne ease 30th — 1 p.m. at Fred Bianco’s Reasonable 277-3352 ; - Genera sembly on OC rill, 10246-132nd St., Surrey. Program = ANN UAL FRAS ER VALLEY 1963. The UN has subsequently _jncludes_ sports, Sidi oes Neat oF dee ws declared that day ‘International adults and children) also guest Gg, Day of Solidarity with South speaker. Your choice of delicious s oueller African Political Prisoners.” Barbecued Salmon Dinner or JEWELLERY REPAIRS, In .a letter to organizations Chicken Dinner — Adults $4.00, . remodelling, appraisals at reasonable charge. For ap- pointment phone 254-7678. Will pick up and deliver in Vancouver at no extra charge. é — sa pee : = Sn WEBSTER’S CORNERS HALL — Available for banquets, meetings, etc. For rates: Ozzie, 600 Campbell Ave. Adults $4, _$25-4171 or 685-5836. SPEAKER and ENTERTAINMENT : all political prisoners, detainees children $2. z a 5 Your choice of: SVONSDINNER and restrictees in South Africa.” RUSSIAN {PEOPLE'S HOME — B ED SAL The committee call for in- x=) vai le or ren s. “or: ARBECU creased assistance to the liberation sa reservations phone 2543430. = movement of South Africa to mark ave you any good items to donate SE RAINIAN CANADIAN -Adults—$4.00 Sponsored by: besa OR CHICKEN DINNER Children 12 and under—$2.00 North and South Fraser Regional Committees, CPC Mandela’s birthday, as well as the issuance of stamps posters and other publications honoring Mandela and other political prisoners in South Africa. to the Flea Market to be held at COPE Garden- Party at Rankin’s., Sunday, August 13th. Please contact Jonnie Rankin — 872-2128. No junk please. CULTURAL CENTRE — 805 East Pender St., Vancouver. -Available for banquets, wed- dings, meetings. Ph. 254-3436... PACIFIC TRIBUNE—July 21, 1978—Page 7