EOPLE are worried about automation, and with rea- son. At the moment it is taking 35,000 jobs a week away from U.S. workers, and an estimated 2,000 from Canadians. This is one problem that can’t be handed to a com- puter for easy solution, but it is a problem that could be solved by intelligent human beings. And to the profit of everyone. Automation means increased wealth for the nation, which can then use that wealth to provide a good living for those forced from their jobs. It should mean more leisure time for everyone, an enriched culture for all and a withering away of the need for work. Some are already meeting that last possibility with enraged screams. To them “honest toil’—especially for someone else — is an end in itself, somehow ennobling. Frankly we can’t see it. Work, in the sense of something one has to do to live, has little virtue in our mind. We rather go along with U.S. writer Don Herold, who de- scribed it as a form of nervousness. True, some seem to thrive on it. Good luck to them. But we recall Robert Benchley’s observation on those retired persons who can’t stay away from the office or plant. He suspected they were there because there was someone at home they wanted to escape. Another writer whose comments on the subject we appreciate was Britain’s Jerome K. Jerome. He remarked: “1 like work; it fascinates me. I can sit and watch it for hours.” Work-watching is wonderful, but work-doing is quite another matter. To our mind automation will have proved a blessing if our society can evolve to the point where citizens can live the good life without toil. After all, when Adam lived in a state of bliss he did no work. For other reasons we can’t reach his state, but if we can get close we will be doing very well. Before we reach that happy day, of course, there are obstacles to be overcome, some by organized action, some by individuals. The individual has two choices if he wants to survive as a productive unit until the machines do it all. He can side-step automation or run on ahead. By side-stepping we mean moving into the so-called service industries, the retail trade, transportation, car maintenance, repairs, all of which should expand as the economy grows. The alternative is to stay ahead of the machines by taking technical training and/or courses providing higher edu:ation. As the pace of automation increases and its effects spread we are going to have to make many adjust- ments, and not the least will be coping with leisure time. Prof. Charles Hendry of the School of Social Work at the University of Toronto says of us: “We're so work- oriented. People today are always too bushed or too bored to take advantage of their leisure.” Well, tomor- row we won't be, and there'll be a great deal more leisure to utilize. Is that another cause to bewail automation? We think not. There are so many things to learn, to do. Biculturalism should cease to be a problem when every- one has enough time and energy to learn French. WAR Publication date of the next issue of the WESTERN CANADIAN LUMBER WORKER is November 7. Deadline for ad copy is October 31, and for news copy November 1. JHE WESTEAN CANADIAN Published Twice Monthly on the First and Third Thursdays by INTERNATIONAL WOODWORKERS OF AMERICA (AFL-CIO-CLC) Regional Council No. 1 A AACE Editor . . . Grant MacNeil REGIONAL OFFICERS: Jack Moore .. Jack MacKenzie President ..............- Ist Vice-President 2nd Vice-President _...... Jack Holst 3rd Vice-President ... _.... Bob Ross sae Fred Fieber Secretary-Treasurer en ieenavianal Board Membe ie Madden, Address all communications to: ~ FRED FIEBER, Secretary-Treasurer 2859 Commercial Drive, Vancouver, B.C. TR. 4-5261 - 2 Walter F. Allen Subscription Rates ................... $2.00 per_annum . Advertising Representative ........... G. A. Spencer orized as Second Class Mail, Post Office Dept., Ottawa,