Journal Stories From The 2000's

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

The increasing number of unemployed workers is causing much anxiety to governments through out the world. Recognizing the seriousness of this question in Canada, the government is, with the sanction of the Parliament at Ottawa, appropriating $20,000,000 to be spent in the following ways:

By providing funds to the provinces for the construction and improvement of main highways.

By spending money to bring the uncompleted sections of the Trans-Canada Highway to completion.

By planning for the immediate construction of public buildings, docks, etc., throughout Canada.

By loaning money to municipalities with which to pay interest charges on funds borrowed from private financial firms.

By using from the fund to hasten the construction of railways now contemplated.

By assistance in defraying the cost of marketing the products of land, sea and mine.

By granting one-third of the amount expended in cases where municipalities have to provide relief other than that of giving employment. (The employment service bureau recommended that the provinces and the municipalities pay one-third each for relief.)

By dealing directly with the province in its assistance to public of a provincial or municipal nature.

Statistics supplied by the Department of Labor show that there are approximately 117,000 idle workers in Canada, and that this number is likely to grow to something like 177,000 during the winter season. The fund created will but partially relieve the situation.

The main cause of unemployment is the displacement of labor by machines, which enables the wealthy manufacturer to increase his profits enormously at the expense of his fellow men, depriving them of the right to earn a living by honest labor. Now if this machinery were taxed an amount equal to the value of the labor displaced and the proceeds of this tax placed in a fund to create employment on public works, the manufacturer would still receive his fair profit without depriving labor of the right to live on God’s green earth, but what a howl would go up from the manufacturer if he saw his chances to build a $2,500,000 yacht slip away, even if this would provide the bare necessities of life for thousands of needy families.

Shappy.



	Published in October 1930 - I.B.E.W. Journal L.U. No. 230 Victoria, B.C. Editor: The increasing number of unemployed workers is causing much anxiety to governments through out the world. Recognizing the seriousness of this question in Canada, the government is, with the sanction of the Parliament at Ottawa, appropriating $20,000,000 to be spent in the following ways: By providing funds to the provinces for the construction and improvement of main highways. By spending money to bring the uncompleted sections of the Trans-Canada Highway to completion. By planning for the immediate construction of public buildings, docks, etc., throughout Canada. By loaning money to municipalities with which to pay interest charges on funds borrowed from private financial firms. By using from the fund to hasten the construction of railways now contemplated. By assistance in defraying the cost of marketing the products of land, sea and mine. By granting one-third of the amount expended in cases where municipalities have to provide relief other than that of giving employment. (The employment service bureau recommended that the provinces and the municipalities pay one-third each for relief.) By dealing directly with the province in its assistance to public of a provincial or municipal nature. Statistics supplied by the Department of Labor show that there are approximately 117,000 idle workers in Canada, and that this number is likely to grow to something like 177,000 during the winter season. The fund created will but partially relieve the situation. The main cause of unemployment is the displacement of labor by machines, which enables the wealthy manufacturer to increase his profits enormously at the expense of his fellow men, depriving them of the right to earn a living by honest labor. Now if this machinery were taxed an amount equal to the value of the labor displaced and the proceeds of this tax placed in a fund to create employment on public works, the manufacturer would still receive his fair profit without depriving labor of the right to live on God’s green earth, but what a howl would go up from the manufacturer if he saw his chances to build a $2,500,000 yacht slip away, even if this would provide the bare necessities of life for thousands of needy families. Shappy.