Bill Introduced to Prohibit Imports of Products by Convict or Forced Labor

A BILL-S. 5370

To prohibit importation of products of convict, forcecl or indentured labor, and for other purposes.

"Be it enacted by the Senate ancl House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assenlbled, That all goods, wares, articles, and merchandise mined, produced, transported, handled, loaded, or manufactured wholly or in part in any foreign country by convict labor and/or forced labor and,/or indentured labor under penal san,ctions shall not be entitled to entry at anv of the ports of the United States, and the importation thereof is hireby prohibited; and the Secretary of the Treasury is authorized and directed to prescribe such regulations as may be necessary for the enforcement of this Act. This Ac[ shall not apply to goods, wares, articles, or merchandise so mined, produced, transported, handled, loaded, or manufactured of classes rvhich are not mined, produced, or manuf4ctured in such quantity in the United States as to meet the consumptive demands of the United States.

"Sec. 2. "For'ced labor," as herein used, shall mean all work or service which is exacted from any person ttnder the menace of any penalty for its nonperformance and for which the worker does not offer himself voluntarily, or from whi,ch he is not permitted voluntarily to withdrarv. Labor, in the mining, production, transportation, handling, loading, or manufacture of goods, wares, articles, or merchandise, performed in any country in which the general go,rernmental labor policy-or the prevailing labor practice is forced labor, as herein defined, is for the purpose ot thts Act, forced labor.

"Sec. 3. This Act shall take efiect April 1, 1931."

The above bill was intr'oduced in the United States Senate on December l5 by Hon. Frederick M. Steiwer, Senator for Oregon. The bill has been endorsed by the West Coast Lumbermen's Association.

The Steiwer bill is intended to ,clear up the present legal entanglements which have operated to prevent the United States Department of the Treasury giving adequate protection to the lumber industry of this country by barring shipments of lumber from the White Sea area of Russia, although evidence that the Russian Government uses 'convict la6or in the logging woods where the timber is produced, throughout this alea, is in the hands of the United States Government, and the fact of such employment is rvell known throughout the world, the Association states.

Rulings of the Treasury Department on the matter of Russian lumber importations have been to the effect that, under the present law, it must be Proven that each shipment was the result gf convict labor.

The Association states that this bill needs the support of lumbermen, Chambers of Commer,ce, organized labor' newspapers and business men generally, and urges tha-t letteri be sent to senators asking their support of the bill. The bill will come up for action in January.

Stewart Mathews Spending Few Weeks In Southern California

Stewart Mathews, purchasing agent and secretary of the Bloedel-Donovan Lumber Mills, Bellingham, Wash., is spending a few rseeks' vacation in Los Angeles' While in Southern California he is making his headquarters at fhe company's Los Angeles office:

"Only the Piston movestt % to z-inch Drilling Capacity.

Weights l0 to 20 lbs.

Priced at t100 and up.

Electrtc lDrlllt, All Stzcc

Portable Gr{nderc and Eench TYloc

Goncrete Suttacem

Strand Fle:dble thattc and Equlpncnt

Electrlc Hand Sawe

Sandcm' Potlchers' Brrllcm

(The Clearing Houce)

This Column of "Wants" and "Don't Wants" is fon The Fellow Who Wants to Buy The Fellow Who Wants to Sell The Fellow Who Wants to Hire

Ratc: E2.s0 pu cotumn inch The Fellow Who Wants to Be Hired

WANTED HARDWOOD SALESMAN

For Sale

Planing Milt Machinery for sale. All modern, nenr 3 years ago. Los Angeles Planing Mill Co., 1800 Industrial St., Los Angeles, Calif. Phone VAndike 8460.

Bookkeeper

Creditman

WANTS POSITION

Sales Promotion Ideas

Experienced Line Yard l\Ianager

Plan Book

Advertising

Make your yard center for owners and contractors

WISH+ES POSITION.

Address Box C-360, care California Lumber Merchant

Have opening for man thoroughly a,cquainted with Hardwood consuming trade, I-os Angeles and vicinity. Trvohy Ltrmber Co., WEstmore 8746.

LADY STENOGRAPHER WANTS POSITION

Young lady with several years' experience in the lumber business, mill and wholesale, wants position with Los Angeles lumber firm. Familiar with ill office details. Address Box C-357, care California Lumber Merchant.

GOOD PAYING LUMBER YARD FOR SALE

Good paying lumber yard for sale on Monterey Peninsula. Investment around twenty-five 111e115a1d-sales sixty to eighty thousand per year.' Good reason for selling. Address Box C-361, care California Lumber Merchant.

WANTED-A LUMBER YARD

Want to buy a Lumber Yard in a good country town. Address Box C-362, care California Lumber Merchant.