The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1920-03-12

Revolt in Archangel
A Union for Free Speech
Sweden Radical but Unafraid
Aliens Without the Law
Our Increasing Disaster
A Good Trust and Bad Trust
Troubles of the Grain Gamblers
Many Hides and Few Shoes
Railroads Safely Back
White Collar Destitution
Coal Company Profits
Farmers of the Northwest have
been called all manner of hard names
for insisting that paper deals in grain
for future delivery was gambling in
a necessary of life and as such ought
to be prohibited. And now commits
sion firm in the Minneapolis Cham
her of Commerce has made the same
claim to escape paying some money
to little gambler, and Hennepin
county court has given the firm ver-
dict in its favor on this ground.
II am satisfied" declared the judge,
"from all the evidence in the case,
that the uncontradicted evidence
shows that these parties. were en-
gagged in gambling transaction"
Since most of the business of the
Minneapolis Chamber of Commerce
consists of these fictitious purchases
and sales, this court opinion gives
that body a legal status corresponding
to the opinion the farmers have long
had of it. 1t is doing an unlawful
business and is able to do so because
tools in important public offices re-
fuse to enforce the law or to provide
more appropriate laws than we now
have to protect the people against
the gamblers.
No one who does not possess actual
grain should be allowed to sell grain.
Enforcing such policy would still
make the protection of hedging,
which the country elevator and the
miller need, possible and it would
eliminate the gambling in futures.
Instead of steadying the market, as
is claimed in behalf Of the gamblers,
the gamblers do just the opposite,
When there is little surplus they
throw into the market vast amount
Of grain which does not exist, and
thus turn a small decline into a pan.
ic for the grain grower. When there
is a shortage "a thing generally dis:
covered after the farmers are sole
out) they make it 10 times worse BY
paper buying and holding off the
market. 1t is here that the consum
err gets caught.
Reports from many quarters fore
cast peace negotiations with Russia
Probably it is unsafe to expect any
thing definite to happen, however, un
til it happens. Diplomats have wa!
Of covering their tracks by dropping
hunts of just the opposite of wha
they intend to do. One report has i
that Poland, Finland, Letvia and Rou
mania are being advised to follow tn
example of Esthonia in making peace
In the meantime the military stu
alton shows more favorable develop
ments for the Russians. Troops o
the provisional government, left be
hind some months ago in the Archan
gel region, revolted before the Sovie
troops had reached Archangel an
they joined the Moscow government:
The economic significance of thi
new gain can not be appreciated ur
less we remember two facts. Europ
and the United States are desperatel
short of lumber. North Russia is flu
of virgin timber. By exploiting
properly the Soviet government coul
more than pay for all the manufa'
tured goods it might buy from tn
rest of the world. English and Frenc
business men had their eyes on tn
timber when the expedition was SCI
to ArchangeI to save war materla
which had some time before departe
for Petrograd.
While the conservative camp hs
been sending out stop signals again
interference with free speech and me
violence, a number Of labor leade:
and other progressive citizens hay
organized the American Civil Libe
ties union to make q direct fight
the issue.
By this the union does not mes
merely that it will call public atte
ton to abuses Of constitutional right
Where abuses occur it will endeav
to send speakers and free speech Q
ganizers to make test OF the ma
ter. Lawyers and other investigate
will be supplied where possible. l.
cal registrations which violate cons1
tutional provisions will be fought o
in court.
Such an organization with such!
field of work will undoubtedly be az
to perform most important patriot
service in the coming year. But t.
less it has to do the more fortuna
', small pe. Prospects are, hoWev'
that no matter how we'll support
the union is it will be able to
only the high spots.
The growing intensity OF our lndr
trial problems and the conseque
desire of the people for change
economic and political control tenn
the reactionaries to close the mout
Of the prophets by any means.
Sweden's coalition cabinet is {
pected to tumble down any day, a
when that happens the Socialists, W
constitute the largest parliaments
g4oup, will form the new one. =!
overturn might have been accompli:
ed by the Socialists some time q
had not Hjelmar Branting, the maj
ity leader, taken the position that
Conservatives should have a char