Page 2
THE FISHERMAN
October 13, 1953
TfieTiTherm&n
G. NORTH—Editor
Phone: MArine 1829
Published Every Tuesday Except the Last Tuesday of Each Month by The Fisherman Publishing Society, 301 Powell St., Vancouver, B.C.
Authorized as Second-Class Mail by Post Office Department, Ottawa
How Low Can They Get ?
J^JEMBERS of the United Fishermen and Allied Workers Union and the public generally are being fed a line of tripe in the newspapers and over the radio that is truly sickening. It is an undisguised attempt to smear the Union in the hope that it will result in the gangster-ridden SIU smashing the UFAWU and returning the industry to conditions of 20 years ago.
Consider what has taken place in the press and it will be plain our charge is well-founded. Every fake and misleading report issued by the SIU has been given prominence but every UFAWU reply setting the record straight has cither been ignored.' misquoted, or so little of it printed that it might have almost as well been lett out altogether.
When radio station CKNW reported over the air that a convicted would-be kidnapper was a former official of the UFAWU. in an obvious attempt to smear the Union by association, the purveyors of ''news" were exposed at their most miserable worst. British United Press had an "explanation" since they passed along the filthy lie to those who buy their services . . . they saw it in one of the newspapers but can't remember which one. They still can't remember and small wonder, because it was created right in their own little editorial room.
Can anything be more degraded than this type of unprincipled attack on a Union which has won Canada-wide respect on^the basis of a proud record of service to its members and to the country at large ?
Nowhere yet have these salesmen of false information printed the Union reply which proves the story a hoax. This one incident should suffice to make every newspaper report suspect.
Tom Alsbury makes an attack on the Union which by inference is an insult to every member of the organisation. His wild charges receive the widest publicity. But the UFAWU reply to him is tucked away in a convenient wastebasket. Democracy? Fair play? Free, press ?
The Prince Rupert Daily News could not have greeted a visit from touring royalty more warmly than it welcomed representatives of the SIU recently. Their paper was practically turned over to the SIU but the space, though it may have been paid for out of plentiful SIU funds, was wasted.
"What wrong have I done to my fellow working man that the press should lavish praise upon me?" was a question once asked by a working class leader, who knew full well that big newspapers always belong to big business and naturally reflect their wishes.. Members of the UFAWU might well ask what type of men are those who constantly get fond treatment from the press.
We sincerely deplore the gag and smear methods of those mediums of publicity which have cut their reputations to zero as reliable sources of information.
They are tightly controlled and they specialize in deception but we are certain that UFAWU members who have long been aware of misrepresentation carried on, will not be duped. Members can get their facts from the Union by tuning in to the weekly radio broadcast every Friday at 8:15 p.m. over station 600 (CJOR) or by reading The Fisherman. The truth is available from both these sources.
Port-rail- of a Union Raider
YOU HAVE THE FLOOR
Swimming Pool Fiasco
Editor, The Fisherman:
The decision of the British Empire Games Committe to place the BEG swimming pool on the UBC campus is probably the worst sellout of the Vancouver public which has ever been perpetrated.
The Citizens' Committee for a Central Vancouver Swimming Pool, of which I am a member, is holding a public protest meeting on Tuesday, October 20 in the Electrical Workers' Auditorium, 111 Dunsmuir Street, at 8 p.m. This letter is written in the hope that those Union members resident in Vancouver will turn out en masse to this meeting to add their voices to those of other interested citizens.
Last March, when statements were made that the pool would be built at the U.B.C., the executive of the Vancouver Amateur Swimming Club called an emergency meeting of all interested citizens and. organizations to see what could be done to have the pool
I
Don't Scuttle the Ship
"The advice to the members of the Canadian Seamen's Union from the Trades and Labor Congress of Canada is: Don't desert your union. Change your skipper and the rest of the officers if you want to but don't desert the ship that has proven so valuable to you. As seamen, you know you cannot save the ship by scuttling it and certainly not by jumping overboard and trying to swim as individuals* The water may be rough: and cold and the distance to better conditions may be a lot farther than you can swim or drift all by yourself."
—Editorial in Trades and Labor Congress Journal SIGNED BY PERCY R. BENGOUGH, PRESIDENT,
MARCH, 1947.
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By ZERO TIDE
The CIO News of September 28 carries a brief item stating that "A depression is here and now for the farmers, not a future possibility, says Pres. James G. Patton of the National Farmers Union. 'The farmers are suffering from a present depression,' he said." The same situation applies to
Canada and it's another of these crises brought about primarily by lack of intelligent foreign trade.
But there's also another sound reason for what is happening and that is the fact that too many people are able to eat too little owing to their low purchasing power.
I can guarantee that you won't be (getting any such government reports these days because they're trying so hard to impress the rest of the world with the super standard of living enjoyed on the North American continent.
But it is nonetheless a fact that on August 18, 1947, the committee on agriculture, U.S. House of Representatives, made this statement: "There is little doubt that, if the nutritional level of our country can be raised to the point of an adequate diet for all, we would consume every pound of food our farms can produce."
Thus the solution is simple — let all the people eat all they require but I'm afraid that course will never be followed, let alone even publicly mentioned these days.
* *      * i
From now on the only ads I'm going to read are those published in The Fisherman. Was reading the other day that a tobacco company cancelled its contract with start slugging third baseman Eddie Matthews of the Milwaukee Braves when it learned he did not smoke. Ed was going to get 1,000 simol-eons for saying how much he preferred that particular brand of cigarette. But all is well — another firm got Eddie's testimonial for $750, but he still doesn't smoke.
* * *
Little Bruce Stevens, 4%-year-old son of Union secretary Homer Stevens, and his wife Grace, tried to do battle with an automobile and ended up loser. Bruce was struck by an auto near his home in Ladner and both his legs were broken above the knee. The youngster is now in Vancouver General Hospital and coming along nicely. The car had almost come to a stop when it ran into the lad or the accident could have been much more serious.
* * *•
Peter Strom, who was injured at the Whaling Station last year, is awaiting another call from the hospital to have a further operation on his leg which is still giving him trouble. Peter tried a little gill-netting this season but didn't have
much success, largely because his leg trouble limited his activities.
Mr. and Mrs. Laurie Wilman of
Sointula, troller "Fisher Boy" arrived in Vancouver last week following the troll season. Laurie intends entering the hospital for an operation. He is a well-known UFAWU and Co-op fisherman and a fine fellow.
* *      * ,
Also noted in the city last week were Gordon Reid, seiner "Bertha G" and Vivian Wilson, seiner "Otter Bay." Both are from Bella Bella.
. 9 j   * *
George York (Yurkovich) passed away in Vancouver on October 5 at the age of 45 years. George had been a salmon and herring seiner and a member of the Vancouver Fishermen's Local. He is survived by his loving wife Katherine, two sons, William and John; one daughter, Marlene, all of Vancouver. His mother and father and three brothers and one sister reside in Yugoslavia while another sister lives in Windsor, Ontario. Funeral services were held Saturday, October 10 with interment in the Masonic Cemetery.
Bill Gerow, packer "Garry Point 3" has arrived in Vancouver from Klemtu, where he has been packing for J. H. Todd and Sons.
* * *
Nick Balen is now happily swimming on the sea of matrimony (Oct 10) and another young chap will be taking the plunge on October 24 when Wally Paulik repeats those oh so fatal words. But, with justification aplenty, Wally is looking very happy at the prospect of becoming the lifelong partner of Veronica (Vicki) Riley. The wedding has been set for 7 p.m. of October 24 in Christ Church Cathedral in Vancouver. Vicki has been employed in the Fishermen's Co-op office and is one of the star bowlers on the Challengers team. Wally, who like Nick was a member of the Central Strike Committee in last fall's chum strike and has also served on many more Union committees, is on the executive of the United Fishermen and Allied Workers' Union. He is a salmon and herring seiner by occupation.
* *
Met Bill McLeod of Ladysmith, troller "Joysea" who was surveying the town last week. Bill is sporting or should we say sup-
porting a whiskers.
three-month  crop of
There are a lot of familiar faces among the trollers tied up at Campbell Avenue. Noted were R. McCauley of the "Pacific Queen 2," Gus Swanson of the "Nomad," Roy Grieves of the "Haulemin" and many others who will be in Vancouver for the winter.
Dr. R. Llewellyn Douglas, possibly as well known as "Old Doc" has moved to pretty snappy-looking quarters in Suite 3, 712 Rob-son Street, which is located right at the corner of Granville. "Doc" Douglas, whose choice of calendars ranks him high as a judge of beauty, is one of those fellows who has always been more than friendly to organised labor. By the way, if you've had masticating miseries, "Doc" can fix you up with "falsies" at $40 bucks a plate (just compare that to what you laid out for your last set). Best of material and guaranteed top workmanship. He might even supply' you with a hunk of steak to try them out on.
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built in the city. I attended this meeting as an ex-swimmer and past member of the Swimming Club. Shortly thereafter, by decision of the Vancouver Shore-workers Local, I was given official status as a delegate from the UFAWU.
For the last 25 years, swimming groups in Vancouver have been campaigning to have a proper pool built in the city in a location which would be readily available to the majority of Vancouver people. Present indoor swimming facilities are completely inadequate and are the poorest of any Canadian city. For example, Montreal has 20 swimming pools. With the holding of the BE Games here, they felt that at long last something might be done in this regard. They had a logical reason for taking this attitude since it was agreed by civic authorities that the city would put up at least $200,000 toward the pool and in addition the public was told, in being asked to support the financial requirements of holding the Games here, that facilities provided would remain after the Games for use of Vancouver athletes and the public.
These points, with much additional data to correct false statements in the newspapers were presented to the people who attended this first meeting, along with the fact that a pool built at the U.B.C. could not in any sense be considered a public pool since the U.B.C. authorities would decide who would use the facility and when. A letter from President McKenzie of the University was read in which he said the pool might be made available to the public at certain times. Aside from this aspect of the situation, the main point was made that a pool at the U.B.C. location was so far away from the centre of town that transportation difficulties, time and expense would completely rule out the pool for the vast majority of Vancouver youth.
An appeal was sent by this meeting to various types of city organizations with the result that in 10 days, 35 organizations representing 60,000 citizens, had delegates on the committee.
Meetings were held with the City Council and the Parks Board, who were persuaded with much difficulty to build the pool in a central Vancouver location. After consultation betwen the Council and the Parks Board, Riley Park (Little Mountain) was chosen as the site and a definite commitment was given the Citizens' Committee that the pool would be built at this location.
One of the peculiar aspects of these first meetings with Vancouver's elected representatives was that not one alderman nor one member of the Parks Board would state they were in favor of U.B.C. although they raised every conceivable objection to building the pool in the city. This led to much speculation on the question, "Who wants the pool at U.B.C?" and many members of the Citizens' Committee feel the fine hand of the
See SWIMMING POOL—Page 3
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