You can see how the State looks after me.'
A little later I had occasion to go through a great and beautiful city
between six and seven of a crisp morning. Milk and fish, vegetables,
etc., were being delivered to the silent houses by Chinese and Japanese.
Not a single white man was visible on that chilly job.
Later still a man came to see me, without too publicly giving his name.
He was in a small way of business, and told me (others had said much the
same thing) that if I gave him away his business would suffer. He talked
for half an hour on end.
'Am I to understand, then,' I said, 'that what you call Labour
absolutely dominates this part of the world?'
He nodded.
'That it is difficult to get skilled labour into here?'
'Difficult? My God, if I want to get an extra hand for my business - I
pay Union wages, of course - I have to arrange to get him here secretly.
I have to go out and meet him, accidental-like, down the line, and if
the Unions find out that he is coming, they, like as not, order him back
East, or turn him down across the Border.'
'Even if he has his Union ticket? Why?'
'They'll tell him that labour conditions are not good here. He knows
what that means. He'll turn back quick enough. I'm in a small way of
business, and I can't afford to take any chances fighting the Unions.'
'What would happen if you did?'
'D'you know what's happening across the Border? Men get blown up
there - with dynamite.'
'But this isn't across the Border?'
'It's a damn-sight too near to be pleasant. And witnesses get blown up,
too. You see, the Labour situation ain't run from our side the line.
It's worked from down under. You may have noticed men were rather
careful when they talked about it?'
'Yes, I noticed all that.'
'Well, it ain't a pleasant state of affairs. I don't say that the Unions
here would do anything to you - and please understand I'm all for the
rights of Labour myself. Labour has no better friend than me - I've been
a working man, though I've got a business of my own now. Don't run away
with any idea that I'm against Labour - will you?'
'Not in the least. I can see that. You merely find that Labour's a
little bit - er - inconsiderate, sometimes?'
'Look what happens across the Border! I suppose they've told you that
little fuss with the Japanese in Vancouver was worked from down under,
haven't they? I don't think our own people 'ud have done it by
themselves.'
'I've heard that several times. Is it quite sporting, do you think, to
lay the blame on another country?'
'You don't live here. But as I was saying - if we get rid of the Japs
to-day, we'll be told to get rid of some one else to-morrow. There's no
limit, sir, to what Labour wants. None!'
'I thought they only want a fair day's wage for a fair day's work?'
'That may do in the Old Country, but here they mean to boss the country.
They do.'
'And how does the country like it?'
'We're about sick of it. It don't matter much in flush
times - employers'll do most anything sooner than stop work - but when we
come to a pinch, you'll hear something. We're a rich land - in spite of
everything they make out - but we're held up at every turn by Labour.
Why, there's businesses on businesses which friends of mine - in a small
way like myself - want to start. Businesses in every direction - if they
was only allowed to start in. But they ain't.'
'That's a pity. Now, what do you think about the Japanese question?'
'I don't think. I know. Both political parties are playing up to the
Labour vote - if you understand what that means.'
I tried to understand.
'And neither side'll tell the truth - that if the Asiatic goes, this side
of the Continent'll drop out of sight, unless we get free white
immigration. And any party that proposed white immigration on a large
scale 'ud be snowed under next election. I'm telling you what
politicians think. Myself, I believe if a man stood up to Labour - not
that I've any feeling against Labour - and just talked sense, a lot of
people would follow him - quietly, of course. I believe he could even get
white immigration after a while. He'd lose the first election, of
course, but in the long run.... We're about sick of Labour. I wanted you
to know the truth.'
'Thank you. And you don't think any attempt to bring in white
immigration would succeed?'
'Not if it didn't suit Labour. You can try it if you like, and see what
happens.'
On that hint I made an experiment in another city. There were three men
of position, and importance, and affluence, each keenly interested in
the development of their land, each asserting that what the land needed
was white immigrants. And we four talked for two hours on the matter - up
and down and in circles. The one point on which those three men were
unanimous was, that whatever steps were taken to bring people into
British Columbia from England, by private recruiting or otherwise,
should be taken secretly. Otherwise the business of the people concerned
in the scheme would suffer.
At which point I dropped the Great Question of Asiatic Exclusion which
is Agitating all our Community; and I leave it to you, especially in
Australia and the Cape, to draw your own conclusions.
Externally, British Columbia appears to be the richest and the loveliest
section of the Continent. Over and above her own resources she has a
fair chance to secure an immense Asiatic trade, which she urgently
desires.
