Page 90 - William H. "Bull" Marah - Still Fighting

ISSUE : Issue 72

Published by Ronald Caplan on 1997/6/1

haven't got a writ, kick them off the property. And we used to laugh about it. (One time) up in Stellarton.... You're gospel--you've got to be careful. So, this time I got up, and I said, "It's your own fault, the whole works of you." Could have heard a pin drop, you know. "What do you mean?" "Well," I said, "All right, now, Mr. Chairman," and I said, "I want you to put this in your minute book--record it. Now," I said, "I know every one of you has sto? len an axe from the pit. 'Cause I did, too." We thought you were supposed to do that, and it wasn't a sin, anyway. Chuck? les. They owed you that! They were robbing us so much in the wages, we'd steal every? thing that wasn't nailed down! That was the philosophy. "Now. The first one of them that comes on your step in the morn? ing, hit him right on the forehead with the sharp end of the axe!" They were looking at me, you know. I said, "That's an order!" And they said, "What'11 happen to us?" I said, "The union'11 support you 100%. They're on your property. That's your private property. They're not supposed to be on your property. You'll defend yourself." Well, boy, that fellow (from the finance company) didn't go around there any more. The word got out very quick. Every one of them had the axe by the door. Now, that doesn't sound very sensi? ble. But it was causing an awful disturbance and an awful disruption, and an awful lot of problems. And it ended. That's all I was looking for, to end it! See? Now, they were looking for leadership. I gave them the lead? ership. Now, if they didn't have guts enough to get the axe out, I can't help that.... But the sad feature about it is (that it's not better known)--the fact that it's a damn good story. I never had a man idle from 1967 to 1980, that ever walked the

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