THE old-timers used to say quite emphatically, "Never judge a book by its cover!" But that is one rule that definitely does not apply to the book the Bermuda Industrial Union commissioned me to write on The History of the BIU.

Simply put, the book looks good. It is fabulous, in a class by itself. More than its good looks, its cover is almost sensuous even to touch, and a mere glance at any one of its 304 pages accentuates its irresistibility.

Bearing in mind that self-praise is no recommendation, I have no qualms speaking so superlatively about this book, because I am just its author. Unlike what we learn in Hebrews 12, verse 2 about the incomparable author and finisher being one and the same person.

It is the finishers of The History of the BIU who deserve the credit; and there are quite a number of them, highly skilled, talented finishers, and all my Bermudian compatriots who have done a world-class job that speaks for itself.

Foremost among them are the BIU itself, who are publishers; then there are the printers, the Bermuda Press Limited, headed by its general manager, Paget Wharton. He was, in his salad days, a shop steward in the BIU's printers' division. And far from being the least is young David Wellman, Jr., the owner and operator of Omax Graphics to whom credit goes for designing the book.

About this whole effort, my personal satisfaction will come if only one person tells me somewhere along the line that he or she could hardly put the book down once starting to read the text. Later for that!

The union has planned a cultural and social event for Monday coming to formally launch the book. All readers of this Island Notebook column are welcome to attend. There's no charge for admission. Fittingly, the literary features will be in the Dr. E.F. Gordon Memorial Hall, starting at six o'clock, with the social intercourse and refreshments afterwards in the hall above. Dr. Gordon is deemed to be the father of the organised labour movement in Bermuda.

NOW I have to confess being flattered when commissioned by BIU president Derrick Burgess, MP, and his General Council to write the book. They told me, they thought I had some special qualifications for the effort, having been a working journalist or contemporary historian who had lived with and recorded many of the events that shaped the BIU, and who had known personally and professionally many of the personalities in its evolution.

I did not attempt to challenge their assessment of me. I did assure them, however, that all things being equal, I would muster all the vigour, imagination, literary objectivity and ideological empathy to produce a history that would be factual, readable and saleable They got the message, set the deadline and I was happy to present them the manuscript well before the deadline.

From the outset, president Derrick stipulated uncompromisingly, that the total production, copy editing, indexing, styling, printing, distribution, whatever was going to be a totally local effort, as an expression of confidence in the men and women who make up the union's printers' division, and a demonstration of the union's faith in local industry.

The union's Education Officer, Collin Simmons, was assigned responsibility for securing bids from local industry. The bid from the Bermuda Press Limited was accepted and the first of a series of meetings with Mr. Wharton and his chosen designer, David Wellman, took place in the president's office.

Two days ago, it was Mr. Wharton's turn to call a meeting with president Derrick and the author. It was to present to Mr. Burgess the first copy to roll off the press. Mr. Burgess accepted the book with a grin, autographed it on behalf of the union and promptly turned it over to me. It was mine!

THE two of them then began talking as if I were a fly on the wall. I overheard Mr. Wharton say: "This is a first-class book, the union deserves no less than first-class. It will last 100 years. It has excited everyone who has seen it." Mr. Burgess responded: "We are really proud and excited about it too. We are proud that it was done here (except for the binding, that was done in Canada, and is a story in itself)."

Wharton to Burgess: "When you talk to your colleagues in Government, tell them to print more here." Burgess: "Yes, we have to save this industry. If this could be done here, why should we go overseas?"

Wharton: "In Barbados they have a policy where the Government prints everything for the tourist department. Barbados has a population of 200,000 people; there is some unemployment and they cannot afford the foreign exchange that would go out of the country for printing.

"In Bermuda we spend some $37 million to try getting people come to Bermuda and then we export the dollars for printing abroad. That does not make any economic sense. The economic impact of local printing would be substantial as the dollar would go around at least three times locally."

Burgess: "We made representations to the Government some years ago about saving the industry. It was a joint effort between the employers and the union. Because if we don't support the union we are going to lose jobs here and the implications would be severe to the taxpayer, who would have to pay more to sustain unemployed workers. If we save the industry, who knows interest overseas may want to have quality work done in Bermuda, such as this (book)."

Wharton: "We have tried over the years to get the Government to support our industry. We have seen a rationalisation happen, mostly through natural attrition and the increased use of better technology.

"Our technology in Bermuda is second to none and our employees are second to none. All credit I can give goes to organisations such as the BIU for their foresight and faith in the industry.

"We can buy anything for less from overseas, but that does not help our economy in the sense that people take pride in what they do in sustainable jobs, and you open doors for young people who cannot get into other areas, can get into the printing industry and make a career of it.

"I urge all enterprises to get their printing done locally. I do so not out of self-interest in my company, but for the printing industry generally."

Photo: Hot off the press, is what Paget Wharton (left), general manager of the Bermuda Press Ltd. told Derrick Burgess (right), president of the BIU, when handing him the first copy of The History of the Bermuda Industrial Union, authored by Ira Philip. Formal launching of the book is set for Monday next.