Montana labor news., 1932-04-28
FREE POTATOES
(By WALT HOLIDAY

NS "EEN NAANNN
We see Free Air" signs every now and then but not yet have any Gree
Potatoes" caught our observant eye.
A potato, you know, is almost as useful, when, lit comes to soup, a a
bean Q = a dozen beans, for that matter, and its weight and influence a $ a
first aid to IN empty stomach is greater by reason of it's greater avoirdupoi.
The potato is recognized as the king of the vegetable world, even by the
IRISH n though the irish have refused to recognize King George, to the
extent. of swearing their allegiance to him, at any rate they still take off
heir hts to King Potato. And when 1t comes mealtlme ana we sit down
to mashed potatoes or fried potatoes or potatoes boiled with the skins on
Or baked potatoes, most Of us are Irish and in our heart of hearts we
hail the great King King Potato.
And we might mention in passing that while the potato is unquedionaby
the king, there's a number of other mighty important vegetables. There's
the turnip for instance, and if anyone doesn't like nice, fresh turnips, it's
Jstt 90 bad And thu rhutabeggar' with lots OF butter and pepper-maybe
it isn't spelled correctly, but its the taste that counts. And carrots, boy, he
things they can make out of carrots. Nor must We forget the onion if
the potato is King, the onion Is the Grand Vlzer a the very least OF
course, lettuce, asparagus, radsh and other Injuries are thrown in for
good measure.
But what about it, All, that's what we're coming to, just a moment
please, a potato doesn't grow in a day-dOnt get excted-als well that
ends we'll
What about it, indeed? Haven't re plenty of virgin soil, in and about
Butte? We have. Haven't we acres of ground, idle; with the richest kind
of soil, fairly aching to grow something? We have. Haven't we some
nice, good men who own this property and re willing that it be used in an
emergency? We have. And haven't we some other nice, good men who
will furnish the water? Sure. And the seeds. You bet
Why not get busy, then, Pm asking and plant every n of these
acres in something we can eat next winter when 50 many unemployed will
be in need of something to eat and so many disappointed offhce-seekers
will be grumbing about their hard luck and about the pie" they didn't
get and be pleased with a potato, cooked or raw or any other way? Why
not, indeed?
That's Socialism, someone will say, o. Communism o Boshevsm Oh
some other ism and maybe it is at that-but if a man has a couple of hot
he hasn't any hot potatoes II cold potatoes II any other kind of potatoes, it
won't help him if someone pats him OF the back and calls him a good
can take the Manipulating if it comes to that pass and I'll take the spuds.
Not that you have to give up your politics to sec the advantage of having
a few spuds around the house, in the event they are needed. Vote for
Hoover or Roosevelt or Smith OF Alfalfa Bill vote for whomsoever you
please and IS often as you please, but don't forget spuds con out of a
garden and not out of a politicians pocket, not many at any rate, and if
they do there is apt to be a string attached to them. Plant the garden,
that's the important thing and play politics as a side issue.
Down around Los Angeles they are utilizing all sorts of vacant lots, w
where there's brush on them. The community is putting up some of the
cash to get the thing going too and after while they'll have food to throw
at the birds, though they probably won't throw it at the birds, they'll have
other uss for it. But isn't that a n idea? You know, we've had drives in
this town until the people re driven crazy with them, chest drives, hope
chest drives, swdned chest drives, community drives of all sorts and des-
crptons, but never yet a potato drive. Why not have one?
Why not start this thing going? 1t won't take much. We have idle men
to spare. We have idle water to spare. We have idle seeds to spare
We have idle machinery to spare. All we need is a little directive energy
and brains. Have we anything like that to spare? l believe we have.
Blu. the merchants will yell about it? They'll say w re going to put
them out of business, that we are competing with them?
We won't do it, if the merchants will sign up to give us what spuds We
need next winter, with the other vegetables thrown in. Sure we won't. All
we want or hope for or desire is to know that the "eas" are coming up
when the snowfakes are coming down.
Someone will say this is imaginative, fantastical, altuistc, but imprac-
teal, the dream of a diseased mind. Boy, maybe, but what about a dis
eased stomach, a full mind may be more desirable than a full stomach but
when both are empty the ultimate of misery is attained and with something
when the stomach is closed down and non-operatre for lack If nutrtive
material to work on.
All right, we'll stop talking foohshness, if you insist and talk sense. It's
summer time now The soil is breathing forth its creative powers. The
rain is sitting down, gently from the skies, above. The SUI is shining,
sometimes, in all his splendour. The ants are busy boarding up their next
winters food. The birds ar preparing their nests and fattenng up for
the storms to come. Even the worms are making some sort of preparation.
And man a you know, is supposed to be the noblest of Gods creations,
take another look at that supposed" man is supposed to be the noblest of
Gods creations, but is he, that's the important queston-and the way he acts
its dam doubtful.