Montana labor news., 1933-01-12

MATTHEW WOLL, President.
Following is the article mentioned
in the above correspondence
"BUY AMERICAN"
One of the constructive steps ini-
tiated by the labor movement to elm
mate the present depression and pro-
vide employment for Americas wage
workers is the national demand that
we spend our earning and u saw
ings for goods and commodities which
are the product of Americas workers,
industrial and agricultural.
We are a self-sustaining nation.
There are few commodities we use
that are not produced in volume with
in our own land.
Every dollar we spend unnecessarily
for goods or commodities produced
by the workers in foreign lands de-
prives Americas workers of an OPP
portunity of gainful employment.
The largest purchaser in our coun-
try is u own national Government.
Two years ago Americas Wage
Farmers Protective Conference, COM
posed of international unions of the
American Federation of Labor and
with which this organization is af-
filiated, unaided, successfully pre-
vailed upon Congress of the United
States to insert in each of the yearly
appropriation bills a requirement that
all purchases, where possible, without
limitation as to comparative costs,
should be the growth, production CT
manufacture of American labor.
The example set by our national
law makers, at the demand of Amer
ica's Wage Farmers Protective Con-
ference, has since been followed by
independent agencies Of our national
Government such as the requirement
Of the Reconstruction Finance Cor
poration that funds loaned by that
corporation shall be used for the pur-
chase of goods produced by American
labor. Similar requirements have
since been adopted by some states
and several cities. A notable case
being that of New York City wherein
the city government has decreed thar
all purchases for city use shall be the
product of American labor.
America will regain normal or pros
porous conditions only when Ameri-
cas- wage workers regain their lost
purchasing power.
Apparently there are but few who
have realized that through loss of en-
ployment opportunities our twelve
millions of unemployed wage workers
have been deprived of a purchasing
power far in excess of four hundreds
of millions of dollars each week.
Those who wish to make a substan-
tial contribution towards the elimina-
ton of u present depressing indus
trial and agricultural conditions can
do so by demanding that they be sup
piled with the products of American
workers, industrial and agricultural.
Our national Government has legal
ly led the way. We strongly suggest
that all join in prevailing upon all
agencies Of our state and local govern
ments that they refuse to permit the
expenditure of public funds for any
or commodity other than those
produced by Americas workers.
We can and should demand of our
local merchants that they follow the
lead Of our national law makers by
displaying and distributing articles
and commodities which are the prod
uct of Americas workers.
With the return of Americas unem-
wage workers to profitable en-
ployment with purchasing power in
creased by more han four hundreds
millions of dollars each week, we
will provide employment for all of
our workers in a very short time and
the distressful conditions now
existing among our wage earners and
farmers.
Let the slogan be: BUY AMERI-
CAN MADE GOODS-PUT AMER
GAS WORKERS AGAIN TO WORK.
We recommend that the following
language be inserted in all %appropria-
lions on public funds on the part of
state, city or other local subdivisions
Of our governmental bodies. In sub
stance this language has been insert
by the Congress of the United
States in most of the appropriation
now in force:
THAT in the expenditure of appro-
.'riations of (name of state, city, etc,