The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1929-06-28
MILITARISTSREA
FOR MACDONALD

Washington-(FP) = State De-
partment officials are convinced
that Premier Ramsay MacDonald's
talk with Ambassador Dawes Is
only a preliminary to his coming
to Washington in August, as pre-
dicted in the London press, to talk
naval reduction and freedom of the
seas with President Hoover. They
look upon the British Labor Party
chiefs visit as certainty.
The question now arises as 10
whether the Hoover administration,
made up of reactionaries, can SO
surround Macdonald while he is in !
America that Macdonald will be
unable to talk with spokesman of
progressive labor, of anti-militar-
ism, of civil liberties and of gen
eral social betterment when inside
the borders of the United States.
For bargaining purposes, the
Hoover administration would like
Macdonald to be impressed with
the pro-militarist sentiment here,
and with the obstacles to any step
toward naval reduction. Doubtless
heavy emphasis will be laid on the
need of navy yard and arsenal
workers for the jobs involved IN
the 15-cruiser construction pros
gram, and nothing will be said
about the trade unions eagerness
to have civilian work assigned to
these government plants in place
of war work.
Year after year the officers of
unions of men employed in the
navy yards have begged Congress
and the administration to turn ov-
er to these yards the construction
and repair of vessels for the coast
guard, the Shipping Board, etc.
More than $1OO,OOO,O00 a year Of
work now done at private contract
{ could be assigned the government
yards from the departments of the
e federal organizatino. This fact
will not be disclosed by Hoover to
the British premier, unless labor
unions first call it to his notice.
While London papers are de-
handing two cabled articles daily
from Washington, through press
association, on the American atti-
tude toward the proposed MacDon-
aid visit, the American press Is
giving the world-significance of the
idea slight attention. Macdonald
$ is coming to speak for the British
q workers who hate war and who
are determined to stake their i'm
e mediate political hopes on sacri-
n flee of the ancient British claim
: to control of neutral CONNER &c or
d the seas in time Of war.
r They know that this old claim Of
n special privilege was a breeder Of
wars, and that because the Tore!
r and Liberals cling to it as the Brit
} ish nation was forced to bend it!
|, back under a terrible burden O.
t naval costs. These costs wer,
g handed on to the British working
class, in low wages, long hours AM
,e high rents for miserable housing.
T. Macdonald comes to America a
I'd a leader of revolt against the pow
j. erty that has logically underlai
r British militarism. He will need~ev
cry bit of sympathetic demonstra
tion-not for himself but for cast
Le ing aside the military burdens O
: all peoples-that intelligent Ameri
IL leans can offer.
Hoover dislikes the cost of mill
es tarism, too. But Hoover thinks @
i'd its cost to big business. He is no:
st tile to socialism everywhere and
ne in no mood to do anything that wi
ed advance the political strength {
ne MacDonald's socialist party-moC
he crate though it is-in the heart {
de the British Commonwealth of n:
as tions. Hoover will try to make
ne naval reduction offer that will en-