Montana labor news., 1932-12-29
DEMANDS ACTION
WEALTH IN u. S.
Senator Huey Long Confers
With President Elect.

ly had a conference at Warm
Springs with President-elect Roose-
welt, for whose nomination he fought,
followed up the reading of Presi-
dent Hoover's standpat message in
the Senate Dec. 6 by a speech in
which he demanded prompt action to
carry out the principle on which
Roosevelt, as he said, was elected
the decentralization of wealth in
this country.
"If the Democratic leaders in this
chamber are still hostile to that
principle, as they were when they
were trying to defeat Gov. Roose-
welt for the nomination." Long de-
clared, off they have not changed
their attitude as they would be fully
justified in doing, in view Of the
overwhelming endorsement given this
principle by the voters last month,
then we must have new and loyal
leadership here. If Democratic party
leadership which will organize and
carry forward this battle of the right
of the people to food and clothing
and shelter cannot be found on this
side, then | summon all progressives,
all liberals in this body, Republi-
cans and Democrats alike, to rally
under the banner of the Senator
from Nebraska. The people have
absolute confidence in the leader
ship of Senator Norris"
Reading from Roosevelt's speech
in Atlanta last May, Long showed
that the president-elect was even
then declaring that the millions Of
destitute unemployed would not al
ways stand still and starve in the
presence of supplies of food which
they could not buy.
GAS long ago as May, Governor
Roosevelt foresaw the Hunger
March," Long commented. "The peo-
pie of this country have a right to
demand action of Congress, and to-
day they are demanding action. We
have waited long enough for a DEM
ocratic leadership in the Senate which
will start to translate into laws the
pledges which we have made to the
people. The time has come for ac-
ton"
He read from Roosevelt's speeches
in San Francisco, Columbus and
other cities during the campaign,
the candidates references to the mis-
rule of the United States by "a fl
nancial oligarchy," and the require
ment of the times that "the problem
Of distributing wealth more equitab-
ly" be solved. Roosevelt said that
1--WE find the concentrated economic
power in the hands of a few. I.
while millions of Americans are out
of work"
"We don't hear a word from the
Republican or Democratic leaders
here, to indicate that they are under
taking to carry out the task of re-
distributing buying power" the Lou
isiana senator exclaimed. "We do
not expect to hear a word from them,
unless they have undergone con-
version since the last session adj
journed. We who worked for the
nomination of Governor Roosevelt,
and were called red radicals-the
Dell Wheeler-Long group were
fighting for the principle of abol-
ition of concentration of wealth in
this country in a few hands. We
hear whispers that the leaders who
opposed Roosevelt's nomination are
to try to isolate us, to shut us out
Of the party. Now is the time for
a decision by the party. If we can
not have leadership that will support
our pledge to the people on this is
sue of wealth distribution, then let
lis take the leadership of the sena-
tor from Nebraska. He did more
for the nomination of the president
elect than any member of the Demo-
cratic party"
Long denounced Hoover's proposal
of a sales tex, and called for higher
income and inheritance taxes, in the
higher brackets, together with a
shorter workday which will balance
production against buying power.
A. for the party harmony"
pres ched by such standpatters as
Rol inson Of Arkansas, Harrison of
Mississippi and Walsh Of Massa-
Continued on Page Fourl