2 WESTERN CANADIAN LUMBER WORKER From Page 1 “Act Now” or starve. They will not consent to starve, nor will setts es be allowed to sanction starvation. ae pecs who oppose public expenditure to stimulate ; oe re have not yet grasped an obvious and essential tuth. Public spending, for no other purpose than to keep people eating is the most costly way of dealing with un- employment. When thousands of employable workers must ask for social assistance, as they are now doing, we must confess an economic failure. There is plenty of work waiting to be done. ; I was present when the Executive Council of the- Canadian Labour Congress made the demand for an er ae session of Parliament to deal with unemploy- ent. In the light of the facts, carefully compiled, and thoroughly discussed, the demand was fully justified. The stark tragedy of a developing crisis left Congress no other alternative. Any other group with humanitarian instincts and a sense of responsibility toward the country would have taken the same attitude. These are the facts which no public-spirited Canadian can ignore: Unemployment for August was the worst for any August since the war. : Unemployment is increasing. The rate of increase, unless arrested, will place the number of unemployed in the neighborhood of one million next winter. (Even the Financial Post predicts 700,000.) Although the number of jobs has risen, this increase has been 219,000 less than the increase in the labour force, due to a rising birth rate and immigration. We have entered a new recession. The industrial production index, seasonally adjusted, is falling. In the second quarter of this year, the Gross.National Product fell for the first time since the last recession. Even if prompt measures are taken to combat unem- ployment, months willbe required to gain the full effect. If the trend toward a serious recession is stopped, there will still be serious unemployment. After every recession since 1950, unemployment in Canada has shown a rising percentage of the labour force. Research conducted by the B.C. Federation of Labour reveals that the percentage of workers applying for insur- ance benefits out of the total qualified under the Act is 9.5%. In January it was 24.5%. These figures are signifi- cant, in view of the position of the Unemployment Insur- ance Fund. Congress asks for public support of a comprehensive programme of which the following form the chief features: @ A November session of Parliament to enact a Full Employment Act. Full employment should be de- clared a national goal, as in the leading European coun- tries, with conscious action and effective planning toward that end. @ Large-scale public investment through the co-op- eration of government at all levels in the public sector of the economy. This would result in the development of health services, slum clearance, and urban re-development projects. @ The use of government planning powers to build up industries, re-train workers, and attack seasonal un- employment. @ An increase in purchasing power by tax reduc- tions for wage earners, higher wages, improved social security, and restoration of farm income. The Congress programme is a short-term crash pro- £4 wr SOCIAL CLUB COMMITTEE of the B.C. Forest Products Sawmill during their 25th Annual Banquet and Dance. Group are, left to right: Dave Barker, Tom Rose, Charlie Underwood, Len Pearce, Tom Ainsley, Secretary; Fred Copp, President; Ed How, Myron Barge, Cy Smith and Don Hamber. Five members of the Committee are also officers of Local 1-118, WA; Charlie Underwood, Ist Vice-President; Tom Ainsley, Conductor; Ed Haw, Finan- cial-Secretary; Cy Smith, Trustee; and Don Hamber, 2nd Vice-President. The Social Club which is financed by the employees and the Company provides the smoker, fishing derby, golf tournament, picnic and spring one or more dances a year. Morris To Head CLC Committee On Safety IWA Regional President, Joe Morris, in his capacity as Vice- President of the Canadian Labour Congress has been named Chairman of a new Standing Committee of that body on accident prevention. Appointment to the post is in conformity with the practice of the Congress to place a member of the Executive Committee at the head of each Standing Committee. Its responsibilities will not require the full-time attention of the Chairman. The provision of another Standing Committee was made in response to the demand that safety activities of the affiliated unions be co-ordinated at the national level. It is expected that the members of the committees will be named at an early date. Immediately a meeting will be held to determine its program. The appointment of President Joe Morris is recognized as a compliment both to the incumbent and his organization, as the IWA has established an outstanding record in the -accident pre- vention field. gramme, devised only to meet an emergency situation. It will be noted, however, that every proposal will have long- range social value. There is no pretence on the part of Congress that the programme sets forth any new social, political or economic creed. It is nothing more or less than an urgent appeal on behalf of Canadian workers for neces- sary emergency action. Congress estimates that the programme will involve deficit financing. Canadian Governments have resorted to deficit financing before for less urgent purposes. The economy must be righted at all costs, for this country cannot afford continued high levels of unemployment, and a long drawn-out recession. The question is not “Can we afford this programme Pa but rather “Can we afford to do without it?” following social activities which are held once a year; Banquet, dance. The Social Club also makes provision for IWA Scores Province Paper Delegates attending the Jrecent IWA Regional Con- vention took time out to condemn the Vancouver Province as “literature unfit for public consumption.” At one stage it was suggested that organized labour should re- peat ‘the boycott which had form- erly worked near-disaster for the publication. However the proposal of boycott was not included in the resolution when it emerged from committee. Basis of the attack on the Pro- vince was the unfairness with which it had sought to discredit the trade union movement during the election campaign. It was not the criticism which had aroused the ire of the delegates, apparent- ly, so much as the distortion of fact, and false innuendoes indulged in by the editorial writers. The convention condemned the editorial policy as unethical, and made known to workers in Bri- tish Columbia their opinion that the publication did not merit their support. Sea introducing: v-454 This advertisement is not pu blished or displayed by the Liquor Control Board or by the Government o look for the symbolof | AUTHENTIC PILSENER BEER mow on every cap, bottle, and case. TRADE MARK f British Columbia. THE KEYSTONE PRESS LTD 860 KINGSWAY, VANCOUVER TELEPHONE TRINITY 9-1541 designers and producers of fine printing & lithography a eee teense . a a SR ST ks =