The Carbon County news. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1924-1931, 1928-11-01
RANKIN WILL BE
TOOL FOR NO ONE
WHILE GOVERNOR
lContinued from page D

by UNFAIR LABOR by one Of the most
deadly enemies the unions IN the state
has-Jaeoby and Son of Helena.
Labor has not forgotten how
Judge Erickson broke the strike with
his famous injunction of the several
hundred men that occurred a few
years ago on the Saltwater, Big Fork,
Flathead and Fortine rivers and the
big mill of the Somers Lumber COM
pany, together with the factories and
plants. The men struck against in
tolerable sanitary conditions of the
bunk houses in which the men were
forced to sleep like packed sardines
and charged with exorbitant prices for
the bunk houses and board out of
proportion to the wages paid. The
prevailing work day was Il or more
hours per day with wages ranging
from 81 to SO per day. The company
store in the company town of Somers
was another source of discomfort be-
cause the men were forced to trade
there and pay fancy prices for every
thing they got. The store was the
place where the last niekels which the
workers would have drawn on payday
was plugged out of them.
"The men demanded an increase
of so cents per day, elimination of
the abusive prices of the company
store and sanitary Improvement of
the bunk houses.
THE strikers, despite overtures of
the manager of the company of 10
cents per day increase, retained their
ranks unbroken for three weeks
though they were not organized. The
solidarity of the men made the COM
pany officials desperate and they ap-
piled for an injunction to the Flat
head district court and Judge John E.
Erickson, now company candidate for
governor on the democratic ticket,
gladly issued one of the most sweep
ing injunctions ever gotten out in the
state of Montana He enjoined the
strikers of doing everything every
other citizen had the right to do. They
were stopped of trying to counsel, in
duce, advise or talk to any of the
strike breakers that the company may
try to bring into Flathead county. He
would have enioined them of breath
ing air, if it would have been possible
to do so. He enjoined them Of gath
ering together in groups of two or
more on any of the roads leading to
the company plants and mill. Free
dom of assemblage, likewise was for
hidden them.
The strikers gained the admira-
Con of the citizens because Of the
Gripping, pitiful conditions Of labor
and life they were striking against
and the peaceable manner in which
the strike was conducted. There was
no violence of any kind. Yet Erickson
willingly issued the injunction on be-
half of the Somers Lumber company
to break the strike.
Erickson is supported by the
Anaconda Copper Mining company be
cause he is doing their bidding and
they know that if ever strike takes
place at the mines, smelters, or lum-
Der camps of the company, he would
be the chief strike breaker for them
When Erickson was made governor
of the state by the corporate interests
he was requested by the office Of the
State Federation of Labor to incor-
porate in his message to the legisla-
ture recommendation for reduction OF
the waiting period, increase of the
schedules of compensation. inclusion
of a section to provide compensation
for occupational diseases and other
minor improvements of the workmen's
compensation law.
Mr.. Erickson, not only ignored the
request and made no recommendation
to the legislature, but he did not ever
show the common courtesy to acknowl
edge the letter by which the request
was made. At the next legislative
session he likewise remained silent
made no recommendation for change!
because he did not suspect that the
workers of the state are dissatisfied
with the law, and are demanding The
law to be modified and bring up to tht
level of the compensation laws of the
progressive states.
| do not believe, he though there
were workers in the state who shoult
be paid any attention to. Now, how
ever, the election is on and Erickson
though a candidate of the big com
pany, is resorting to deception in tell
ing the workers what he will do fol
them if they forget the past and le
him be the tool of the Anaconda
Copper company in the governors
chair for another four years.
The people cannot any longer b.
deceived by his empty promises. They
have watched him and found hin
lacking the qualities required of {
governor. They have come to realize
the impressive achievements Of Wei
lington D. Rankin as an attorney anC
the brilliant record established by hin
while serving the state as attorney
general, associate justice Of the su
preme court -and-now United States
district attorney. His independence
ability, mental, physical and mora