The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1917-03-23
CONDITIONS IN THE
NUMBERING INDUSTRY
Aberdeen, Wash, March 20.

centralized like other industries-for
example, the steel industry, for any
one can easily see it is still largely
in the hands of small capitalists, who
are dominated in many ways by the
larger capitalists and corporations.
This has resulted in very bad con-
ditions in the industry, from the
profit point of view.
The machinery and plants for the
production of lumber-in capacity
for output-far exceed the necessary
requirements of normal trade.
Hence we see periods of intense de-
preston when large numbers of
mills shout down, throwing their en-
ployees out of work.
These periods of depression last
until the stocks of lumber in the
yard are absorbed by the consumer
and then follows a period of activity,
until another large stock of lumber
is piled up in the yards and then
down go prices and we are in anoth-
er "period of depression"
This condition of the numbering in
dustry-broadly speaking, due to its
operation by a large number of small
capitalists competing with one anoth-
er, makes the business extremely
uncertain for the small capitalist,
even when trade is normal. In per-
iods of depression, when it is an
acknowledged fact that the market
is over stocked, the fact that he has
limited capital, forces him to operate
his mill, and often results in his busi-
ness failure.
Now the miserable conditions and
low wages that fall to the lot of the
wage worker in this industry, is due
to the above mentioned conditions that
confront the employer, plus the wage
workers lack of organization, for
the uncertain trade conditions that
confront the employer, practically
compel him to take full advantage
of the unorganized condition of the
wage worker.
In times of depression it is not un-
common to see the wages of the mill
worker fall below the subsistence
point.
Now the lesson to be deducted from
the above review is this:
The worker in the logging camps
and saw mills cannot possibly hope
or expect any natural improvement
of the intolerable conditions in the
camps and mills, except through his
act of organizing, forcing the i'm
prOvements on the employer.
Let us reason it out.
The boss cannot help you.
Fierce competition with other mill
owners prevents him, even if he is
so inclined
The Boss won't help you, because
he has all he can do, in looking after
his own interests.
Individually you can not help your
self.
For your individual protest will
only lead to your discharge.
Then there remains only one other
source for you to follow.
Organization and collective action.
In union with your fellow wage
workers, by the use of your collective
power, you can demand and get
Better conditions in camp and mill
Better wages. Shorter hours. Free
speech.
With organization and by intelli-
gent action you can obtain all this,
and hold it and be able to say to
the employer:
go on with your little game of
cut throat competition. Fight all
you wish with other mill owners for
trade, but we, the workers, in your
camps and mills, members of the In
ternatiOnal Union of TimberwOrkers.
will not be pawns in your dollar
chasing game"
We will set standard condition of
operation for your camps and mills
and if you are not bright enough
business men to operate your camps
and mills under the standards we set
get out of business and leave business
men who are bright enough to real
ize the justice Of our demands oper-
ate the industry.
WANTED-Every logger or saw
mill man who reads the above to
,yrito u n PirLlanJ Cooro+or,, oe