﻿OUR MISSION 
 
The sublime inefficiency of the past and present lumber kings proves itself, and demands conviction . . . 
Any woodsman who knows signs and understands timber lore can at a glance satisfy himself as to the criminal and other efficiency peculiar to those that attempt to dominate the lumber industry and its workers. 
It is self evident. 
But I will here give only a single cue or key —as a point to reason from— suitable because not over many figures are required. Workers are weary of figures—facts are acceptable:  
Piecework was not started, on a grand scale until after the heavy timber had been cut— middle west — about 14 years ago: While the virgin timber stood, the wages being next to nothing, a man did not have to move much to show profit. It was not worth watching a man in those days. Work was monthly. 
Came a day when timber was scarce. Lumber companies, used to fat, juicy incomes, did not take conditions into consideration, nor would they tap their pot of former millions $ $ $— but, expected each man to show the same profit they had been accustomed to. 
Men had to be watched. Men had to be driven — the work being such that almost each man had to have an individual driver—(pretty strong, that). It wasn’t a paying proposition to have so many bosses. Something had to be done. Hence: Piecework. 
And, really, it is better than having two drivers apiece (the alternative) each man thus drives himself. 
Only under conditions as they are, is piece work bad. 
It injures the monthly man by making the monthly man conspicuous; few as they are— the boss is on their trail all the time. 
Without a doubt the piece worker must utilize every trick in his trade in order to make it pay. He must use every skill, or go in the hole. It has been left to him to inaugurate efficiency — (it seems the bosses, the kings, have given this up as rather too deep for their diving powers). 
They’ll give up the rest of the industry as sewn as the loggers see fit to organize their one big union; as soon as they weary of missions, soups and exaggerated stories about Our Heavenly Hughey, way up high that hauled the Big Blue Butt on the golden go-devel . . . 

Pieces of lumber have mounted from $10 and $15 per thousand in the good old days to $90 and $95 per in these perilous times— figures!— Still, inefficient methods will not pay. 
Example: The Intl. Lbr. Co. has, at their Camp 48. at Big Falls, logs and pulp wood (its all pulp now) on the skid ways, and yarded out, that has been there over four years. It is almost beyond salvage now; still, this year, rails were laid and the International is going after it in earnest—lack of operating funds doesn’t apply (as excuse) because “grown-in” roads had to be recuT this year— why cut them in the first place? Inefficiency! It is a wonder this company’ has any operating funds, all considered. 
The time will come when we lumber jacks and loggers will go out logging with pen-knives— we will twirl a twig between our thumb and knife blade, to make a square butt. Timber will be that scarce, but important — as important as now; no more, no less — in that day we will expect to make a living from our work; same as now, same as in the past when timber was timber. “Not so,” you say, “timber never will be that small— Slim’s exaggerating; laws will be made to specify the smallest that will be allowed to be cut — thus conserving the supply.” Glad you pointed it out. It pays to ‘xagerate. Then, and not until then, will law step in to conserve timber— after itis all gone. How very, very consideratE of the law to do this, tardy, late, but better than never, as ever. Why didn’t law step in and conserve the timber that was timber? 
I’m off my subject. Clear off the idea. When timber was timber we started logging without an organization (like writing without an idea) and a damn poor living we made! Timber got scarcer—still we ignored organization, and the making of a living became difficult indeed. 
Timber will grow thinner still; frailer and frailer— saws will be discarded — but timber will be logged and livings must be made from that logging. In that day, if we ignore organization, our living will not come. Wood is wood —what it is nobody knows. 
But as long as there is a one-inch tree it will be logged — it will have new value, should have new value—even as the sparse timber we are working in now, should have a living value; it is needed badly, dam badly. . . . Organization is the only thing that will put living in logging. Try it! 
Clogging on the stump won’t help you, 
Logging on the stump won’t help you, 
“‘les de ret cart be in de pocket” as French would say.