Montana labor news., 1933-05-11
"STARVE TO DEATH!"

A young came into the Editors office few Gays
ago with interesting story of the hearessness and ruth
essness of those in charge of administering relief in Sill
yer Bow County 1t is of the many tales we have lis
tened to- but different in that it shows callousness OF
heart and soul that should not be found in those VINO nave
the humanitarian task of relieving human misery ana
suffering
This young man, previous to the slump" in industry,
worked in the mines of Butte. He married young wife
and they happy. They had never known want and
misery The collapse and they were thrust upon
charity state thrust unwllngly upon many who goried
in their ability to work. This young man was also a
thinker who believed that the misery we were gong
through not necessary but result of an unbalanced
economic system He listened to speakers republican,
democrat socialist and communist explain their solution
of the problem. He joined no one group. He tired of
listening to pretty speeches. he thought that some action
should be taking place. He call for the unemployed
to march upon the state CAPITOL asking for unemployment
insurance and direct relief for the unemployed from state
and nation. He offered ride to Helena, and seeing
nothing that would destroy government in the demands
of the marchers he went along with them He, with the
Others received with the greatest of courtesy in Hell
ena No one there seemed to think the program ultra
radical When he returned to Butte he found it diff
ferent story.
When he returned to the city with the big heart and
open hand he told that there would be no relief for
him. In fact there would be relief for any of the hun
ger marchers" He argued that he not Communist
did not carry card, had never paid dues but went to
Helena with others of his class asking for certain economic
programs that might prevent repetition of presentday
conditions. His explanations useless He could
starve to death for all they cared.
Now his wife is ill. They need food and aid. Again
the young went to relief headquarters with plea.
He told them that hunger marchers getting relief and
some of them members of the Communist Party Young
Communist League. He was told these received relief
because the conditions different in their cases No
doubt for this young man no stoolpigeon. He was
then told that the board would reconsider his Their
decision was in so many words that he and his wife could
starve.
What condition to face in land "of the people, by
the people and for the people, This young and his
wife citizens They not revoutionists nor are
they worshppers at the shrine of Lenn and Stain They
believe in certain legislation that might benefit the poor
worker who struggles day after day ekeng out exist
ence They believe in legislation that will protect that
worker from the Unsuitable greed of exploiting class
For this they must stave For this they refused aid
from funds paid by the of America to relieve suf
fering in America How long will redblooded American
men and stand for such conditions Nowhere else
has the editor been able to discover conditions such
exist in Butte Nowhere has the editor corpora
tion able to dominate state to the extent that the
poraton has the power Of life and DEATH food and sava
ton that it has in Montana and Butte The corporation
in its blindness and greed may continue to glory in its
power but the day of reckoning will day and
the consequences with its and sufferings be
laid at its doors.