Men Go Hungry Here as Unemployment Rages
By SIMON       HDE
Cilizen {Staff Reporter
"Can you give me a dime sir? I haven't eaten for nearly three days."
A slim, young, unshaven man said these words to a passing pedestrian on Third the other day.
At a glance, the pedestrian thought, he was just another bum.
But lie was wrong, very-wrong.
The   man   w a s   22-yepr:old George Martin: He  came -here-from Prince Rupert looking, fur -work.   Married, < he   is   an   unskilled laborer.
Though unskilled George was willing to work; willing to go anywhere, .to- do any job�>he had to find work. But, work, there was none.
He is a victim of the nation's
current greatest problem � unemployment.                         ;
His is the story, one of the many stories, of unemployment here.
There are men going hungry in Prince George. They are jobless. Their unemployment insurance money has expired. They have none of their welfare allowance money left.
What then?
Bare facts � sad and cruel � are told by officials of the Unemployment Insurance Commission, Social Welfare, Salvation Army, Canadian Legion, church and local hotel people.
Uncmploy rn ent in Prince George this year is "the worst it has ever been," said Verne Dal-lamore, head of social welfare here.
Why?
For two main reasons:
#  The  fantastic  misco n c e p-tion   of   the   Pacific   Northern Railway.
#   Slump in the lumber industry.
In May, social welfare here handled 29,-iOO appeals from destitute men and women � mostly men. These are the latest figures available.
They were people who had no money, not enough for a cup of coffee. Social welfare was their , last resort.
� And this very, minute, lines of people are queued at the wickets of the welfare office.
Transients are flocking here every day, statistics show, with hopes of work on the PNR.
But what a fantastic misconception this wretched political football has given these men.
Look at the starting site today. A construction shack, a few
pieces of heavy equipment, and a fistful of laborers.
And this is supposed to be booming B.C.'s greatest development.
Men are refusing temporary work, said Cliff Bristow, UlC employment supervisor here, "because they don't want to miss the big chance of working on the 'great new railway'."
Many today term the development promises hypocritical.
Meanwhile, the unemployed hang around the city,, in pool halls, on street corners,, outside the UIC building, and around the freight yards.
Some fall into trouble and are sent to jail. They are glad to get room and board. Others hitchhike or catch the next freight out of town.
But all are waiting . . . waiting   for   something   to   happen.
For work.
Gordon Simpson,- man' ager of the Unemployment Insurance Commission here, said although his office seeks employment for applicants, the onus still lies with, the applicant.
He said job seekers must try themselves to find work and not, as many do, leave it entirely to the UiC.
Maximum time a � man can draw unemployment insurance money is one year, if after that ho is still unemployed, social welfare will take over.
There is no limit on social welfare grants for destitute people. Nor for transients come to that.
But if a man spends his welfare grant, he must wait until the following payment clay. But it   is   generally   the   man   who
blows his grant on drinking who is really "down and out."
For the people who have spent, in some. way, their unemployment or social welfare money and still cannot make ends meet, there are several last resorts.
If he is a veteran the Legion might offer help. Geoff Richmond, chairman of the Legion's special trust fund, has this to say:
"We help only veterans and we like them ' to be local7 resi-' dents. We try to find them a job as well as permanent employment. And if they need food and lodging we put them up for a night and give them a couple ol meals."
"We've had as many as 200 in a month," said Mr. Richmond. "The money comes out of our poppy fund."
Then there's the Salvation Army.
Lieu t. Roy Wombold � who headed the army here was transferred to Ontario. But before he left he had this to say:
"In my eight years with the army 1 have never known a year like the one I spent here in Prince George.
"The charily work and help we have given out has been enormous. In May this year we doubled the t \y o previous months."
Reason, he said; was that Prince George is in the centre of B.C. "Transients come here from all directions looking for work." We are just a convenient stopover.
"1 had men weeping for food," he said, "but I am restricted to give only two meal tickets and (Continued   on   Page   3)
EDITORIAL
Now We Get the Truth
B.C. Commercial Transport Minister Lyle Wicks' tear-jerking plea asking job seekers across Canada to quit looking for work in this province because there isn't any, is a glaring example of the Social Credit government's mishandling of the Pacific Northern Railway scheme.
The minister finally has had to do what this newspaper has been suggesting for months � tell the people of Canada the truth, that there are simply no jubs to be had building this railway, so there is no sense in coming to Prince George looking for work.
�    *        *
If the Socreds had been honest about the project from the beginning, instead of trying to use the railway for a vote-getting stunt for the next general election, there would have been no need for this belated appeal.
Nor would there be, as there are today, more tHan 1,000 job-hunters from many parts of Canada walking the streets in Prince George. They came here to work on the railway and other projects after listening to Premier Bennett and members in his cabinet brag from Victoria to London and back, about the great and glorious expansion of industry in B.C.
Today, these embittered men arc forming lines and waiting for handouts at the welfare department office and at city hall.
Staff Sergeant Kriox of the RCMP has reported a marked upswing in local crime, and attributed it in part to the large number of transient job-seekers. He said this crime condition likely will remain for some time.
The situation has become so bad that city council itnaily-. asked the provincial government in telegrams., to Mr. Bennett,' MiT Wick's'ancP Lands*' and Forests Minister Ray Williston, to implement full-scale construction on the PNR.
�    *       *
Replies received by city hall are typical of this government. Mr. Bennett is out of town. Mr. Willis-ton and Mr.. Wicks are "seeing what can be done."
About all that can be clone, judging from action to date, is Mr. Wicks' warning to other Canadians to stay out of 'B.C., and his "agreement with Prince George city council that an immediate start" should be made on full-scale construction of the PNR to assist unemployment.
Even then, Mr. Wicks wasn't hopeful. "In the early stages at least the railway construction would not offer employment for large numbers of workers," 'he said.
He should have said it months ago, before the influx of job-seekers began. So should Mr. Bennett and Mr. Williston. But they didn't, and now it's too late. The men are here. And there's too little for them to do.
In fact, there's nothing to do.
The Only Daily Newspaper Serving North-Central British Columbia
Phone  LOgon  4-2441
Vol.  4; No.   135
PRINCE GEORGE,  BRITISH  COLUMBIA,  WEDNESDAY,  JULY   13,   1960
7c a  Copy
BY   CARIUER 35c PER WEEK
A MARRIAGE OF SORTS will take place near this point when the tracks are laidt for the Pacific Northern Railway, to join with the Pacific Great Eastern. This photograph'-shows the 100-foot wide swath cut by workmen during the past week for the new railway's right-of-way. At this point, it will parallel the PGE tracks. Marshalling yard is about a mile north of the site pictured here.
�Hal Vandervoort photo
Tracks But No PNR Steel
By PAT DENTON
Citizen Staff Reporter
They're 'building a railway up �there?
It's going from Summit Lake clear dp .to tlhe Yukon 'border and regardless of press comments or PUC hearings they're making tracks, as tlliey say.
But no steel Is 'being laid, and there are  no new jobs. SMALL  PROGRESS
Two weeks ago today, Premier W. A. C. Bennett 'hacked clown a   tree  and   proclaimed   to  't'ho
TOLD GST BEDS MOVED
Hospital Warned of Fire
(Prince George Regional Hos-tpital (has 'been ;told to take 'beds out of its corridors.
The 'hospital has received the ultimatum iprorn representatives of tihc provincial fire Marshall's office in Vancouver.
The order was issued by Don jDroonifiekl and Tommy Hastings of tlhe fire mai^hall's office because the corridors are access i-out.es in case of fire
The two are in the Prince George area this week on their annual tour of fire departments in  Nor-Ch Central   I i.e.
The tour, said 'Mr. Broomfield, is  mainly  to ^vc   tilic various
lire departments advanced training.
"We try to improve the standard of equipment and its use by   firemen," 'he   said.
"We also 'teach the basic fundamentals in all phases of fire-fighting," 'Mr.   Broomfield  said.
�Both Mr. iBroomfleld and Mr. 'Hastings praised tflie work of Fire CMiief August Dorhfolerer and 'his department '"Dhcy do a good job of protecting the city,"   Mr.   Hastings  said.
"However," Mr. Broomfield said, "newer and more advanced equipment would be advantageous.1.'
Mr. Hastings said he and 'his
Now Hear This..
If the city is looking for a worthy cause on which to spend some loot, it might lake a whirl at fixing tnc slippery surface of the walk around the swimming nool At least a dozen kids took a dive on the concrete yesterday, according to a gal observer . . .
Up Dawson Creek way, The �iar reports the death of Mojito Robert "Pat" Proslcv' a second Sn oi hip-swivelling singer % Elvis. The Star said he died without realizing one of his great-S wishes, being able to see his r mnus cousin in  person  .   .   .
Mand Joy Hatherley, location iV       PNR   at   Summit
iineeVo
f   learned Citizen circulation L      f\r  and  wide.   After Ta�t 8   i�c  story  that   their   trailer w      !�ing bom the camp, they S?         di
 p       y
d                   distance calls
 friends anxious-to  kuow
where they were  .  . .
People with suite for rent used a Citizen Classified Display Ad, and ordered insertions Tuesday and Thursday. Results were so good they've had to call off the second ad. They rented the suite within an hour after the paper came out, then had to tell a multitude of phone callers the place was gone . . .
When the Burns Lake Comets softball team went to the Twccds-muir Hotel to collect their fourth prize from the recent Kinsmen Tournament, 10 free dinners, they took their wives and decided to have a banquet. Thrs they expected, to pay for, but. to their pleasant surprise Manager Tom Kelway, who felt, they had dis-tinquished themselves at the tourney, picked up the entire tab ...
partner would "probably recommend chat additional equipment be added to the Prince George fire department to supplement 'present equipment" in tiheir report to the provincial fire marshal I.
"But," said 'Mr. Hastings "we realize the city works with only so  much  capital   available  and probably won.it >be  able  to  get      VANCOUVER  iCR � The   CCF this equipment"                           iaid   today  the  Public   Utilities
"So." he continued, -'Oils (Rro   ^mmission should^makc a for
world the birth of a new railway.
Since'tlhe last Citizen vigilante committee went to the site July (j, the lO-man orew has cleared 1,000 more 'feet of right-of-way for the interchange track which will link the new Pacific Northern Railway wit'h the �publicly-owned Pacific Great Eastern Railway.
This is in addition to 4,000 �foot the land r clearing gang ploughed down the previous week.
�But tlhe majority of the initial �work is dedicated to the completion of access roads to tlhe worksite. HOTjB TO PILL
Next, obstacle on che course is a nice little 'beaver pond that shouldn't Ibe there. Whonevjcr a PGE train goes by lit slows down to allow passengers a sight of this wondrous, peculiarly Canadian, idyllic scene.
Now it has ilo go, at 'least part
of it. Estimate is that 15,000 cubic feet of dirt has to be tossed in 'Uiere.
Probably next week, dust-coated, mosquito � scourged workers will proceed to begin on the right-of-way from the little clearing in w'hich tlhe 'premier and�'olihcrs celebrated the start of construction June 20. no  ions
Bob �agnail; superintendent for Jamicson Construction Co., and the others now on the site are quick to echo Labor Minister Lyle Wicks' comment that jolxs in Prince George, and particularly on the I'NK (project, arc "restricted."
If heavier construction starts shortly, itlll'is situation could change, tdiey said. But until then there is no hiring.
Tlhey're chopping down a few spruce and 'building up the odd road, but Uhey're not laying rails � yet.
CCF Seeks PUC Protest Of Gov't Action on PNR
Chief Dombierer) and his crew will do j; least tlhe railway const ruction would hot offer eivrpioyiment for large numbers of workers." REQUEST  KlfiLAVJSJ)
Mr, Wicks said he turned over the city's request for 'financial aid to the attorney-generals' department.
.Mayor   Dczoj]   said   today   "J
warned    tilicm    it'hc    provincial
>yern�nenit)  < 1i:�l we (the city)
were    swanvped    with    pcoplo
ooking 'foi'  work on   the  PNR
and we didn't want, more flock-
g in."
"We aren't against the PNR and we don't want to block it." -Mayor Dezell continued, "but wo can't. Jiave the city filled with unemployed."
Margaret and Antony Get 1st Palace of Their Own
LONDON (Reuters) �. Princess .Margaret and Antony Amrri-Kltropg-Jones Tuesday i night moved in 54    71      �
�   Wh.iteh.orse......  5-1   70   � �*- "J
LE0P0LDVILLE, The Congo (Reuters) � Premier Patrice Lumumba and President Joseph Kasavubu today demanded the recall to their bases of Belgian troops fighting mutinous Congolese soldiers throughout this infant republic.
Lumumba and Kasavubu said they would undertake to protect white residents of the Congo with their own troops, many of whom have been on a looting and raping rampage since the ongo became independent from Belgium June 30.
Belgian authorities immediately   indicated   rejection   of   the
OS Troops Wouldn't Go Info the Congo
WASHINGTON (AP) � The United States is reported wiling to provide technicians and inaneial support � but no roops � for any United Nations force sent to put down tne mutiny  in  the Congo.
Top officials outlined the administration attitude in the wake of a White House declaration that countries other than the United Stales should provide the forces the Congo government has requested lo restore order. President Eisenhower, at his vacation headquarters in Newport, R.I., late Tuesday, turned down the Congo appeal for 3,000 American     troops.
Belgian King Talks To Congo Refugees
BRUSSELS Ml � King Bau-doin of Belgium made an unexpected visit to Zaventerii airport Tuesday, talking with refugees arriving from the Congo and scribbling hasty notes about their cases.
The young monarch, who arrived unheralded, won applause from the crowd of refugees and their relatives.
One of the women whom the king met fainted from emotion and was taken away on a stretcher.
Repeatedly, King Baudoin scribbled down names and addresses of people whom he interviewed about their experiences.   � "     .      . .:
Congolese  leaders'  demands.
"We do not consider the assurance by the Congolese leaders sufficient in the light of latest events,"   an  official  said.
Belgian paratroopers seized Lcopoldvillc airport today and began fanning out toward this capital city.
The paratroopers landed at the airport shortly after the Belgian officials rejected Congolese demands for withdrawal of all Belgian  troops  to their bases.
The paratroopers opened fire at Congolese troops molesting whites.
One Congolese soldier was killed and three Belgians, including two women refugees, were wounded. A number of Congolese  were   taken   prisoner.
Transfer fo Congo
UNITED NATIONS, N.Y. UP) � Dag llamniarskjold is reported planning to transfer United Nations military observers from Palestine to the Congo to help the new African government reorganize   its  mutinous  army.
But diplomatic sources said today the UN secretary-general does not plan lo send any troops since the Congo government only asked the UN for administrators.
These sources reported that the military observers, probably Scandinavians, wiii go lo the Congo as army instructors and police advisers.
Before going to the Congo the military observers would probably doff the uniforms they wear in Palestine as members of the UN truce supervision organization. The group investigates complaints of annistico violations involving Israel and, its Arab neighbors.
The truce group's latest avail; able strength report lists 98 mil' itary officers from 12 countries! llamniarskjold is likely to choose Danes, Norwegians and Swedes. Other officers are Canadian, American, French, Belgian, Australian, New Zealand, Dutch, Irish' and Italian.
Chiefs of the UN African delegations said Hammarskjbld fold them he will not send officers to the Congo from any country with interests there � and his habit is to shut the big powers out;of such niissibuSi �  �