Great Falls daily tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1895-1921, 1920-05-06
BUTTE STRIKE 4 REVOLUTION
TO S0vIET|zE MINES, IS BOAST
Shooting Obtain $40
Day They'll Walk Out Again for More Till Theyve Absorbed Prop
Aim Tire Out Capasc Ownership by Slowing Up Outputs

Sellars. who testified he was a MEM
Der Of tie Northwest Defense commit
tee and paid official Of the I. w. W..
frankly told Coroner John Doran and
jury that the aim Of his organization was
to secure, through direct action, all in
dustrial property for the workers and,
in the meantime, to slow down produc-
ton of every kind throughout the cOun-
try.
Selars said that he had been q
member of the l. W. w. since 1905.
that his membership had lapsed and that
he had rejoined at Denver and that he
had taken prominent part in the strike
at Park City. Utah.
s- Isn't A Minor.
He added that he was a member OF
the local strike committee, that he was
not a miner and had never been iii a
mine and that all Of the IA picketers
shot in the riots of April 81 were men,
bers Of the l. w. W. He himself was
in the crowd on Anaconda road at the
time Of the shooting and heard the sher-
ifs appeal to the men to disperse. He
heard the first shots fired, but did not
know who fired them.
Sellars thought the shooting contintfed
for ten minutes: other witnesses said
that the shooting covered period Of
q few hours. The witness said that he
saw pickets struck down with the butts
of guns. but could give the name of none
he saw injured in that way.
Strike First, Settle Later.
Sellars said that the strike was or
dered by the local l.. w. w. on the
night of April 49, to take effect the
following morning and that no notice
had been given to the mining companies
and that no demands would be made
upon them following the policy of the
/. w. w. to strike first and settle later
He admitted frankly that it was the aim
of his organization to secure control Of
the mines.
Our attitude and ultimate aim he
said in reply to a question. .'is to take
over all properties in the interests OF
humanity
The witness said that if the strikers
obtained SO day they would then
agitate for higher wages and that they
would never be satisfied until they had
taken over the properties for the work
he added.
Workers Over Country In Game.
"The policy of the l. w. W. all over
the country is to slow down produc-
tion and to produce as little as possible.
The workers all over the country are
going along in this line Of policy. l
have advocated slowing down on the
job and to refuse to speed up for bonus
or under the contract system"
The witness gave details OF the local
strike organization and told how it had
been planned to picket the road lead
ing to the mines in the afternoon of
April q. The witness was asked where
he voted.
Doesn't Believe in Ballot.
Il don't believe In voting" he said.
Il believe in direct action
Edward Hayes, local organizer for the
the I. w. W.. stated that parts of the
of the United States can
not be criticized, but that so many por-
tions of it are enforced only in the in
terests Of the master classes that it is
hard to say good word for any of il.
"You know what happened when we
exercised our constitutional right Of free
on Anaconda road April 21,'
he said, as an illustration.
The witness stated that he was en-
ployed by the government in 1918 in
questions by Attorney Frank Walker,
Sheriff J. X. O'Rourke.
elected the admission that his duties
consisted of breaking rock at the Leav-
enworth penitentiary, because l had
learned to think for myself"
What did the government term this
ability to think for yourse1f?' asked At
torney Walker.
Works Month At 4 Time.
'Desertion from the United States
army" replied the witness. who later
said he had served IL months, being
convicted in Ell Paso, Texas.
Prior to 1913, the witness said, he
divided his time between Bisbee, Ari-
zona. and Butte, but that 'he made the
in any one state and worked after re-
turning from this trip for three months
in the shipyards at Seattle.
The first shot in the clash on Anacon-
da road was fired by mine guard, ac-
corting to Hayes, who said he did not
know the guard.
Identifies Man With AiIbl. /
Scllars and Embree both stated that
they could not identify the person who
began the shooting. Hayes stated that
he heard the sheriff order the crowd to
disperse, but that I'VE told him We paid
taxes and had a right to know it the
Of the United States did
not say we could stay there" He stated
that shortly before the shooting started.
a Carload of thugs went through the
crowd and later bunch of sluggefe,i
some Of whom didn't have guns, came
out of the group of guards and started
the strikers
Mike Miller. a miner and member
Of the I. W. w. exhibited piece Of
lead which he said was extracted from
his right arm where be Vas struck |
while running down Anaconda road. He
identified the bailiff Of another court
Ilaaartment as one Of the men he had
seeh carrying rifle on the bill. The
bailiff interrupted to say that he was
n North Dakota when the shooting took
place and the witness then apclosised,