Page 9 - William H. "Bull" Marah - Still Fighting

ISSUE : Issue 72

Published by Ronald Caplan on 1997/6/1

honest with you. I can't figure it out. All I know is, by your fruits you shall be known. And all I know is, we were out for three months. And then I know that we lost all the good conditions that we had be? fore- -we lost everything. And the pressure was on then after the strike. I'm going to tell you, we had a tough life for a long time! Yeah, industrial relations were de? plorable. And the men bore the brunt of the bad industrial relations, after the strike. We went back in like whipped dogs. We didn't win that strike, we lost it. When I took one look at that, that was a good lesson. One look at that was enough. And, like you say, I don't think the aver? age person knew what he was doing, why he was out on strike. And we lost. They were the toughest three months, probably, that I ever went through. And I was lucky, I only had a couple of children at the time. When I think of some of them with 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11 children. And then when we went back--geez, I was in the hole for years. Before I ever got back out of the hole. It was ridiculous. Strike benefits--I think I was getting five dol? lars a week or something. I had two chil? dren. And God, you know, it was terrible. The only thing that saved me, and a lot of other people, is--we had bootleg pits. And I sold some coal to the merchants, for groceries, for food for my children and my wife. But now, my home at the time, I didn't make any payments on the house, and I went behind--you know, there's three months' payments. And on the things that I had in the home, that I owed on, I went behind in all of those things. And some of the things--some of the things--it hurts me to say it--but we lost them. That was a good thing for me, in a sense, and it was good for my men in a sense--for 22 years. Because I learned a lesson then that strikes--they weren't the Utopia that people thought they were, or the answer--to what people thought they were. Or, there was not much glamour to them, that those younger people think, that's attached to a strike. They think it's glamourous .... That was '47. In 1954 (Freeman) got defeat? ed. (That's seven years, after he lost that strike. How do you explain that? You were a coal miner un? der him. Why did he stay in?) Seven years? Well, I'm go? ing to tell you. He was a very intelli? gent fellow. Freeman. Very intelligent leader. And I'd say that, in those days, probably--there was nobody ran against him, that was qualified to defeat him. (That's not good enough.) No, I know. But Harold C. M. Gordon Vice President and General Manager of Dominion Coa GLENGARRY HIGHLAND SATURDAY AUG 2, 1997 Individual ' Piping, Drumming, Highland Dancing, Massed Bands OFFICIAL OPENING 12:45 P.M. Heavyweight Sports Track & Field Tug-of-War MAXVILLE, ONTARIO NORTH AMERICAN PIPE BAND CHAMPIONSHIPS PRE-GAMES TATTOO FRIDAY, AUGUST 1, 1997 7:30 p.m. For information contact Connie Blaney, Box 341, Maxville, Ont KOC 1T0 Ph. (613) 527-2876Fax: (613) 527-1594 Ot Serving Those with a Hearing Problem Since 1961 • Newest in Hearing Aid Technology arion HEARING AID CENTRE LTD. Shearing instrument specialists AUDIOLOGIST 173 ESPLANADE - SYDNEY • 539-5881 17 COMMERCIAL ST - GLACE BAY • 849-8656 IF NO ANSWER CALL 539-5881 1-800-565-5881 • David Moffatt, B.Sc, M.Sc, Aud.(C), Audiologist • Coady Marsh, B.Sc, B.I., P.Eng., B.BA, BC-HIS • Glenn Basso, B.BA, BC-HIS -Dianne MacLean, B.A., BC-HIS N.S. Hearing & Speech Clinics If you have a pre? scription or a rec? ommendation from a Hearing & Speech Clinic, we will be happy to serve yo?. We have served thousands who have come through clin? ics and physicians. Workers' Cempensatlon for Hearing Loss When you receive your letter from Workers' Compensa? tion Board (WCB), take it to OTARION and we will look after it from there. We are familiar with them, and know what to do. War Veterans YourDVATaps cards are accepted at Otarion. Monthly Port Hawkesbury Clinic > 6 1 - 1 9 9 7 36 YEARS OF EXCELLENCE

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