Page 10 - William H. "Bull" Marah - Still Fighting

ISSUE : Issue 72

Published by Ronald Caplan on 1997/6/1

that's the only thing I can tell you. (Did you vote for him?) I voted for him be? fore the strike. (And after the strike?) No. Not if there was somebody around that I could vote against him. And I worked against him when Tom McLachlan was elected. And then I turned around and I defeated Tom McLachlan in the next election myself. But see, the days--so you'll understand it: Those days, I wasn't bothering too much with union politics. I'm going to tell you. I had a few fights with Freeman on the floors of the local unions after that. And it was after that that I became interested. So this probably was a good thing. It's an This summer, come to the biggest kitchen party ever held . . . THE STAN ROGERS FOLK FESTIVAL in Canso, Nova Scotia July 4 to 6, 1997 Featuring: Rawlins Cross Valdy J.P. Cormier Connie Kaldour John Allan Cameron Bruce Guthro Quartette Teresa Doyle Mae Moore Brakin' Tradition Ron Hynes . . . and many more talented artists For tickets and information phone 1-888-554-7826 ill wind that doesn't blow somebody some good. It blew me some good anyway. He figured that we'd win the strike, and he said we'd eat grass before we ever went back. We went back before we ate the grass! (But you got close to it.) Yeah, we were damn close to it. If we hadn't of been boot? legging coal, we'd have been eating grass. And after that--I'm trying to figure out-- Tom ran in '54. Now, I voted for Tom McLachlan and I helped Tom McLachlan. In fact, I was pretty instrumental at the time in knocking Freeman off.... (It seems to me, after the coal miners took such a beating, I don't know if you'd have been able to take them on strike.) Oh, I could have taken them out. (Oh, you think so.) Yes .... See, I was--going to blow my horn--but I had credibility. I was trustworthy. And I told them the truth. I put it right in their lap, whether they liked it or whether they didn't like it. Now, even the fellows that didn't like me, they voted for me. They didn't like me, they respected me. You know? And I made them respect me. I said, "I don't care if you like me at all. I couldn't care less. I've got a nice wife and family. But you're God damn well going to respect me." Now, I demanded that, from everybody. From Harold Gordon or E. B. Paul or Frank Doxey or Steve Rankin. Or--Jesus, I went through a lot. I dealt with all of the wheels--the whole works of them, you know. High school dropout! But you know, I Burton's Sunset Oasis HOUSEKEEPING MOTEL (OPEN YEAR ROUND) PACKAGES j '''' ''" ''' ' Double Pull-Out Chesterfield AVAILABLE / Fully Equipped Kitchen including Microwave • Toaster • Gas Barbecue for each unit • TV • VCF Phone: Laundromat (902) 383-2666 Overlooking beautiful Bay St. Lawrence harbour ] Fax:383-2669 and the Atlantic Ocean 1 Ron May pontiac buick gmc ltd. Serving Cape Breton Over 15 Years • Sale of New - Used - Cars - Trucks • Goodwrench Service • Body Shop • Parts Dept. 1 (902)539-6494 • 1-888-4R0NMAY • 1-888-476-6629 1 147 PRINCE STREET • SYDNEY 1 PONTIAC BI1I • K 1 GAAC TRUCKS || 1 RON MAY II iMr 1

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