Journal Stories From The 2000's

L.U. No. 230 Victoria, B.C.
Editor:

Our Journal has long been a consistent advocate for the maintenance of high wages and shorter hours and at the beginning of the present depression this attitude aroused a violent antagonism among certain blind and arrogant captains of industry yet it is curious to note the gradual veering around of opinion in influential circles to the fact that the most effectual means of curing our present evil condition is to stabilize or raise wages, furnish employment and bring back prosperity to the worker. There are still some wealthy, would-be dictators who advocate wage slashing. Read what the Vancouver Sun has to say in answer to one of these:

A Symptom, Not a Cure

“Sir Joseph Flavelle, former leading industrialist, now retired, advocates cutting wages as a solution to the depression. Leading economists vigorously oppose this proposal as no solution.

“Dr. Julius Klein, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for the United States, laid before a New York business men’s club the other day a statistical demonstration that a 10 per cent cut in wages would mean a saving of only 1.6 per cent to the average manufacturer. He argued also that if put into effect generally, the cut would frighten wage earners into reducing their purchases to a degree far in excess of their loss of pay.

“Economists in England, where the enormous public debt is a paramount consideration, say that wage and price reductions automatically increase debt. They do not dispute that some wage reductions may be compelled, just as commodity prices have been forced down. But they do argue that this is a tendency to be fought, rather than a policy to encourage.

“The relation of wages top debt is illustrated by personal application. Take a family man with an income of $1,500 and a mortgage on his home of $2,000. His interest at 7 per cent is $140. Prices may come down, his wages may be cut, but the $140 interest is unchanged. On e need be no wizard to understand that this man’s mortgage becomes a greater load for him to carry, if his wages are reduced to $1,200 a year.

“The same argument applies to public debt, the interest which is paid by individual citizens through taxes. A general wage reduction means an increase in public debt, a heavier burden on the taxpayers. Sir Joseph Flavelle and those who agree with him should show what value Canada is to get in return for increasing its national debt by wage reductions.

“Canada is launched upon a high tariff policy. High tariffs mean high prices. To pay high prices there must be high wages, and so Canada must pursue one policy or the other. Protected high prices are no good if wages are so low people can’t pay them. The present government is committed to high tariffs. So long as that policy is pursued, consistency and logic demand that high wages go with it.

“It is, of course, folly to deny that sheer necessity may compel some wage reductions before the wheels of progress are again turning at full speed. But, as Canada is presently situated, these are merely a symptom of the disease, not a cure.”

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The fishing season is in full swing and there are the usual stories of wonderful catches being made, but among those who ought to know =, one frequently hears the assertion that “fishin” ain’t what it used to be.” I was visiting an old, retired friend of mine and he made that very statement, and proceeded to prove it. He said “When I was a young feller I was very fond of fishin’. I had heard stories of great catches being made at a place called Yale on the banks of the Frazier River. So being a great lover of truth. I said to myself, Walter, it’s up to you to verify the truth of these stories. So one fine morning I caught the boat to the mainland, boarded the train, and eventually reached my destination. Going up to the only hotel in the place, I went in to the bar and invited the genial proprietor to join me in a drink of the excellent liquid provided for the washing of dust down one’s throat, after which I stated the object of my journey. He said, “If it’s the fishin’ you want, yuh shure come to the right place! Just engage “half breed” Charley! He’ll take yuh to the right spot and furnish the bait and equipment and it won’t cost you much! You’ll find him around his shack on the river bank and you’ll know him by his thick shock of coarse, black hair! He never wears a cap!” I thanked him and then rounded up Charley and struck a bargain with him. He picked out a rod and line from several he had in his shack and then paddled across the river in his dugout.

“When we landed he said, wait a minute and disappeared in the bushes. He was gone quite a long time, but finally returned with a three-pound lard tin full on worms. I said, “Charley, why all the worms?” He only said, “wait and see!” He placed me on a large, smooth rock at the river side and then measured out the line to reach a hollow just back of me where he sat down. He said, “Now I’ll bait the line, you cast it, and when you hook a fish just throw it back to me, I’ll take it off, put another bait on and that’s all you have to do!”

“So we started. I made the first cast and my hook hardly touched the water before a nice trout caught it. I threw it back to Charley and in a moment I heard him call. “All right!” I cast again with the same result and say! I kept that up until my arms got so weary that I could hardly use them. I was just about ready to call a halt when I heard him shout, “all through!”

“I looked back and there sat Charley in the center of a great mound of slippery, wriggling fish which reached right up under his armpits, and he was perfectly bald. Not a hair on his head! It appears that when he ran out of worms he started picking a single hair out of his head which he wrapped around the hook to take the place of the worms and the fish never knew the difference, and there he was with a head like a billiard ball!”

“Walter!” said I, reproachfully. “No,” said Walter as he blew a ring of smoke in the air from pipe and watched it reflectively. “No! fishin’ ain’t what it used to be.” As I wended my way homeward, I pondered long and deeply on the old proverb, “Truth is stranger than fiction.” Next!

Shappy.



	Published in August 1931 - I.B.E.W. Journal L.U. No. 230 Victoria, B.C. Editor: Our Journal has long been a consistent advocate for the maintenance of high wages and shorter hours and at the beginning of the present depression this attitude aroused a violent antagonism among certain blind and arrogant captains of industry yet it is curious to note the gradual veering around of opinion in influential circles to the fact that the most effectual means of curing our present evil condition is to stabilize or raise wages, furnish employment and bring back prosperity to the worker. There are still some wealthy, would-be dictators who advocate wage slashing. Read what the Vancouver Sun has to say in answer to one of these: A Symptom, Not a Cure “Sir Joseph Flavelle, former leading industrialist, now retired, advocates cutting wages as a solution to the depression. Leading economists vigorously oppose this proposal as no solution. “Dr. Julius Klein, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for the United States, laid before a New York business men’s club the other day a statistical demonstration that a 10 per cent cut in wages would mean a saving of only 1.6 per cent to the average manufacturer. He argued also that if put into effect generally, the cut would frighten wage earners into reducing their purchases to a degree far in excess of their loss of pay. “Economists in England, where the enormous public debt is a paramount consideration, say that wage and price reductions automatically increase debt. They do not dispute that some wage reductions may be compelled, just as commodity prices have been forced down. But they do argue that this is a tendency to be fought, rather than a policy to encourage. “The relation of wages top debt is illustrated by personal application. Take a family man with an income of $1,500 and a mortgage on his home of $2,000. His interest at 7 per cent is $140. Prices may come down, his wages may be cut, but the $140 interest is unchanged. On e need be no wizard to understand that this man’s mortgage becomes a greater load for him to carry, if his wages are reduced to $1,200 a year. “The same argument applies to public debt, the interest which is paid by individual citizens through taxes. A general wage reduction means an increase in public debt, a heavier burden on the taxpayers. Sir Joseph Flavelle and those who agree with him should show what value Canada is to get in return for increasing its national debt by wage reductions. “Canada is launched upon a high tariff policy. High tariffs mean high prices. To pay high prices there must be high wages, and so Canada must pursue one policy or the other. Protected high prices are no good if wages are so low people can’t pay them. The present government is committed to high tariffs. So long as that policy is pursued, consistency and logic demand that high wages go with it. “It is, of course, folly to deny that sheer necessity may compel some wage reductions before the wheels of progress are again turning at full speed. But, as Canada is presently situated, these are merely a symptom of the disease, not a cure.” ------------------------------------------------- The fishing season is in full swing and there are the usual stories of wonderful catches being made, but among those who ought to know =, one frequently hears the assertion that “fishin” ain’t what it used to be.” I was visiting an old, retired friend of mine and he made that very statement, and proceeded to prove it. He said “When I was a young feller I was very fond of fishin’. I had heard stories of great catches being made at a place called Yale on the banks of the Frazier River. So being a great lover of truth. I said to myself, Walter, it’s up to you to verify the truth of these stories. So one fine morning I caught the boat to the mainland, boarded the train, and eventually reached my destination. Going up to the only hotel in the place, I went in to the bar and invited the genial proprietor to join me in a drink of the excellent liquid provided for the washing of dust down one’s throat, after which I stated the object of my journey. He said, “If it’s the fishin’ you want, yuh shure come to the right place! Just engage “half breed” Charley! He’ll take yuh to the right spot and furnish the bait and equipment and it won’t cost you much! You’ll find him around his shack on the river bank and you’ll know him by his thick shock of coarse, black hair! He never wears a cap!” I thanked him and then rounded up Charley and struck a bargain with him. He picked out a rod and line from several he had in his shack and then paddled across the river in his dugout. “When we landed he said, wait a minute and disappeared in the bushes. He was gone quite a long time, but finally returned with a three-pound lard tin full on worms. I said, “Charley, why all the worms?” He only said, “wait and see!” He placed me on a large, smooth rock at the river side and then measured out the line to reach a hollow just back of me where he sat down. He said, “Now I’ll bait the line, you cast it, and when you hook a fish just throw it back to me, I’ll take it off, put another bait on and that’s all you have to do!” “So we started. I made the first cast and my hook hardly touched the water before a nice trout caught it. I threw it back to Charley and in a moment I heard him call. “All right!” I cast again with the same result and say! I kept that up until my arms got so weary that I could hardly use them. I was just about ready to call a halt when I heard him shout, “all through!” “I looked back and there sat Charley in the center of a great mound of slippery, wriggling fish which reached right up under his armpits, and he was perfectly bald. Not a hair on his head! It appears that when he ran out of worms he started picking a single hair out of his head which he wrapped around the hook to take the place of the worms and the fish never knew the difference, and there he was with a head like a billiard ball!” “Walter!” said I, reproachfully. “No,” said Walter as he blew a ring of smoke in the air from pipe and watched it reflectively. “No! fishin’ ain’t what it used to be.” As I wended my way homeward, I pondered long and deeply on the old proverb, “Truth is stranger than fiction.” Next! Shappy.