davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Montana labor news., 1933-09-07

first speaker on the Labor Day pro-
gram advocated the S0-hour week as
the only means of taking up the slack
in unemployment. He stated that
hours under codes submitted, will do
little toward relieving unemployment
but that the move toward shortened
hours and increased wages was a great
step in the right direction. The Con-
gresham also stated that in his opin-
ion, the MIRA was passed by Con-
gress in order to stave off the nation
al 30-hour week bill.
Congressman Monaghan also stated
that unless labor did receive its just
share in the fruits of its production,
American democracy would be a fail
ure. He, like Senator Wheeler, stated
that the success Of the MIRA alone
determined the survival of American
institutions. In his remarks he said
that industrial leaders were showing
a great reluctancy in backing the NRA
program. They are not as patriotic
now as they were in 1917 for in 1917
they made millions by urging young
men to go out to die and kill. Now
that there are no millions to be had
their patriotism is on the wane.
Monaghan's program for recovery
includes the redistribution of wealth,
reconciliation of silver, the 3O-hour
week and old age pensions, along with
the complete abolition of child labor.
In closing, Monaghan urged Butte
unions to continue their work of or
%ganization and warned them to be
doubly cautious in case prosperity
should once return.
Whitley Acts as Chairman.
In the absence Of President Malloy,
Chas. Whiteley acted as chairman OF
the Labor Day gathering. In his in
troduetory remarks, Whiteley quoted
President William Green as stating
that Labor needed men like Wheeler
in the Senate regardless of personal
feelings on the part of workers to the
Senator as an individual" In reply
ing, Wheeler spoke a great truth,
when he stated that "No man in the
Senate owes more to labor than l do"
He thanked labor for the support
given him in all his political strug-
giles.
Montana labor news., 1933-09-07
Electrical Workers Pro-
test Telephone Code
Helena, Mont. Aug. %. 1893.

Helena, Mont, Aug. 20, 1888.
Honorable Gen. Hugh S. Johnson,
Administrator of the N. R. A.,
Washington, D. G.
Honorable General Johnson:
We wish at this time to herewith
formally enter a protest to the pro-
posed modification of the Presidents
Unemployment Agreement or the N.
|. r. A. for the benefit of the Bell
System Telephone Companies and in
particular as such modification ap-
plies to this Company's subsidiaries in
the State of Montana, namely the
Mountain States Tel. and Tel. Com
pany on the following grounds:
That this company is basing their
rate of pay on a per hour schedule and
are failing to recognize the eddict of
the act resulting in a lower weekly
salary to the majority and possibly
all of their employees, surely con-
trary to all purposes and intent. Per-
hitting discrimination as to the ap-
plication of maximum hours which
would continue a severe injustice that
cannot be relieved through any other
medium than that provided by your
good act, we hold that maximum hours
and minimum pay per week are the
life blood of the very act and that any
evasion of the application of either
one of these restrictions is contrary
to the success of the act.
We also wish to notify you that we
hold ourselves ready, and desire the
opportunity, to present the employ
ee's angle before any code is made
final or is permitted to be effective
whether it be a permanent or tempo
rary code. Temporary code referred
to will cause lower wages per week
than existed in 1929 and more I'M
favorable working conditions, hence
a review of the situation is manda-
tory.
Respectfully submitted,
Special Convention of the Montana
State Federation of Labor.
By JAMES d. GRAHAM,
President.
Montana labor news., 1933-09-07

The 1888 Labor Day celebration
was one of the best ever observed in
the City of Butte. On Sunday, the
Montana Standard stated that "Or-
ganized Labor PROPOSES to cele-
brate the holiday under the New Deal
with AT LEAST A SUGGESTION of
the old-time spirit" leaps are ours).
After reading such a sneering refer
ence to Labor's annual celebration it
was a pleasure to see so much of the
fighting labor spirit manifested in the
applause given the radical statements
made by the speakers on that day. A
new spirit seems to be growing in the
ranks of labor in Butte; a spirit that
won't be trifled with or downed with
sneers if conditions do not improve
in Butte during the next year.
Thanks to Committee.
The success of the occasion was due
to the t%ireless efforts of the Labor
Day Committee. Special thanks
should be given Bill Palmer for Sc
curing the splendid and numerous
prizes given for the sports events, to
Lena Mattausch and Bridget Shea for
~appeasing the appetites of the COM
mittee, and to Leonard Ripper for the
fine list Of sports events. These
four worked like troupers the entire
day, doing their best to make the cele-
bration the success that it was.
Miners Win.
The main event on the sports pro-
gram was a tug-of-war between the
Miners Union and a picked team from
the labor movement as a whole. The
Miners walked away with the event
without even working up a sweat.
From the way they went at it they
must have been p~racticing for a week.
The main trouble with the opposing
team was that a large percentage Of
the members were from the Building
Trades. The Building Trades men,
bers said that they haven't eaten for
the three years of the depression and
have become too thin for tug-of-war
teams. They hope to be able to add
a few pounds by next year.
Montana labor news., 1933-09-07
Mine, Mill and Smelter
Workers

300 Morning mine employees of
Mullan, Idaho, attended an enthusiast
tic organization meeting. 120 of the
miners signed the charter at that
meeting. Harley Morris, president of
the Wallace Trades and Labor Council
presided over the meeting.
Thomas H. Brown, Butte, president
of the Miners international union,
and Pat DeLory, Butte, an organizer
of the international Union of Mine,
Mill and Smelter Workers, were the
speakers. 1t was an orderly session,
marked by keen interest on the part
of the crowd as the two men explain
ed the various provisions of the MIRA
code and the part the American Fed
GRAFTON Of Labor is playing in the
drafting of codes for the many branch
es of American industry.
Says Days of Strikes Over.
"The day of strikes is over" said
Mr.. Brown in an opening plea to the
Morning workers to affiliate with the
miners organization. eve advocate
arbitration of labor disputes-strikes
only in extreme circumstances-and
it is only through organization that
arbitration of these disputes can be
accomplished.
Living conditions are rising and
wages must go up in accordance" he
continued, declaring that the "HooveI
vacuum cleaner cleaned us all before
| Roosevelt and the new deal went into
office"
Later he read briefly the codes sub
mitted by smeltermen and mechanics
of Anaconda, Helena, Butte and Great
Falls, Montana, and referred tC
the fact that 1S new miners locals
have been organized during the past
month. The smeltermen's and me
chanics' code proposes a six-hour day
and 30-hour week and overtime pay a.
the rate of one and one-half of regu
lar pay.
DeLory's talk centered on the
means by which the Mullan miners
could form their local union and h'
criticized independent organization
or company unions as of no value t
the workers.
Tells of NRA Objective.
"The NRA is not a joke" he said
ats detectives are to reduce working
hours and increase wages and that i
exactly what the various unions hav'
Montana labor news., 1933-09-07
Yellowstone Trades
and Labor Council

The Trades and Labor Council of
Billings is having a hard fight in get
ting things Strengthened out with the
local brewery. The work done in re-
conditioning the Brewery was done by
unfair labor. AS a result the plant
was put on the unfair list of the
Building Trades Council. The Brew
ers now want to organize the Brew
cry Workers, but nothing will be done
along those lines until affairs are
Strengthened out with the rest of the
labor Movement. The Brewery work.
ers have asked the Central Council
to aid them in the struggle and the
Council wired President Green for as
~sistance in ironing out the grievance.
The big bit of news from Yellow
stone county is the organization of a
Federal Labor Union in Billings. This
organization now has 500 members en-
rolled. The Bakers have also organ
lied and have applied to the A. F. of
L. for a charter. The Bartenders have
organized and have 80 members en-
rolled in their Union. The Barmaids
are affiliating with the Cooks and
Walters organization. Mrs. Daniels
of the Cooks and Walters asked the
Council to give that organization its
full support in its organization cam
paign.
Bro. Thompson of the Carpenters,
returning from the State Federation
Of Labor Convention, gave a stimulat-
ing report on the proceedings and
pledged to do all in his power to have
the local Carpenters affiliate with
the State Federation.
The Federal Labor Union protested
the code of the Bozeman Pea Work
ers and criticized labor for agreeing
to it. The Electrical workers and
Federal Labor union report that the
administration of relief in Billings is
very unfair to organized labor.
This is our first contribution to the
State Federation number of the Mon
tana Labor News and we hope to have
more next month.
Montana labor news., 1933-09-07

with a maximum work-week of 48
hours. Towns of less than $500 pop
ulation, which towns are not part Of
a larger trade area, are exempt from
regulation of both wages and hours.
Accounting, clerical, office and sales
employees of contractors, except out
side statesmen, are to get a 40-hour
week.
In preparation for argument of the
various divisional codes in the build
ing industry, when hearings occur af-
ter Labor Day, the American Fedora
ton of Labor, through its Building
Trades Department, is studying en-
ployment figures, wage levels, and
various other elements of the prob
lem. Four members of its research
staff have been at work on the basic
material. Boris Shushkin, economist,
has been assigned to the building in
dustry code, at the request of M. J.
McDonough, president of the depart
ment. This departure from the ira
ditional attitude of the building trades
unions toward technical experts is in
fluenced in part by the gains made
by the International Ladies' Garment
Makers and the Amalgamated Cloth
ing Workers in their struggles over
the codes for their industries. Both
unions employed the best technical
assistance available. The building
trades hold also the potential force
used by the unions in the garment
trades-readiness to strike if the bosses
prove obdurate. There has been lit
tie talk in recent months of a building
trades tieup, because there has beer
virtually no construction. But the
unions are standing pat on the de.
mand that wages paid on government.
financed projects shall likewise b.
paid on privately-financed jobs.
Montana labor news., 1933-09-07
Electrical Workers
HALF-WAGES OFFERED IN ELEC.
TRICAL CONSTRUCTION CODE

WASHINGTON-(FP) - Officials
of the international Brotherhood OF
Electrical Workers are preparing to
vigorously combat the code for the
electrical contracting division of the
construction industry, when that pro-
posal comes up for hearings before
the N. R. A. in September. They will
point out the offer of wage rates of
Sc to go cents an hour for men hav-
ing 3 years experience as wiremeni
fixture installers, maintenance and
repair men. Under the direction OF
Congress, the Public Works Admin
istration has ruled that wages for this
kind Of work on jobs financed by fed
eral funds shall be from 81 to S1.2C
an hour. And they will treat as in
sulting the proposal that workers EN-
ployed on transmission and distribu-
ton work shall be paid from 30 tC
40 cents an hour.
There is, of course, a saving clause
in the code, to the effect that these
wages are to apply where higher rates
have not been established by collec.
tive bargaining. But the Nationa.
Electrical Contractors Association
which makes the proposal, was in,
strumental last year in breaking W
the only group of building contract.
ors who dealt with the union on 9
friendly basis. Swope of Genera
Electric is the guiding genius behinC
this code, and he maintains a company
union.
The further wage clauses in thi;
code are understood to represenr
Swope's idea of adequate distribution
of buying power. They call for {
minimum wage of from 80 to 40 cents
an hour for process workers who re
pair electrical motors, generators
transformers and similar equipment
80 to 40 cents an hour for unskille(
labor; $12 to SIS a week for clerica
employees and others not specified
And the 35-hour week as an averag,
for any calendar month is proposed
Montana labor news., 1933-09-07
Monaghan States That 30-Hour Week Is Neces-
sary to Take Up Slack in Unemployment; Both
Predict Dire Calamities for Nation if NRA Fails.

With some of the fervor that mark
ed his campaign with Bob LaFollette,
Wheeler tore into the bankers and in
dustrial leaders that are wrecking the
civilization we have been building for
centuries, in his Labor Day Message
at Columbia Gardens. Senator Wheel
err stated in the course of his remarks
that "Al Capone was a gentleman
compared to Charlie Mitchell" and his
breed. In his address Wheeler show
ed how our industrial leaders, through
their greed and concentration of
wealth have brought this nation to as
disastrous a condition as he found in
postwar Austria and Germany. He
pointed out that these men controlled
the destinies, moral as well as eco
nomic of the masses of this nation as
a whole. He also stated that a Sen
ator's vote could be determined before
hand on any given issue by finding
out the major industry of his state.
The Senator left the implication that
his vote could not be determined in
that way but nevertheless he omitted
the names of Ryan and Kelly in his
condemnations, at least he omitted
them in name.
Senator Wheeler in reply to the
opening remarks of Chairman Chas.
Whiteley, stated that he was not
thinking Of the next election for if
the Presidents NRA program failed
there might not be a next election.
Both Wheeler and Monaghan stated,
in no uncertain terms, that the NRA
was the last stand of capitalism, not
only in America but in the entire
world, and that it behooved u in
dustrial leaders to make some sacri-
flee in aiding the program if they
hoped to salvage even a shred of their
wealth. According to Wheeler, what
happened in Russia will happen in
America, at any moment. Wheeler's
program for the salvation of American
democracy includes the restoration Of
the buying power to the masses
through the redistribution of wealth
and the reconciliation of silver
Wheeler spoke at great length on his
silver program.
Monaghan On 3O-HOur Week.
Congressman Joe Monaghan, the
Montana labor news., 1933-09-07
PART III.
HOW DOES MIRA AFFECT OWN
ERS AND EMPLOYERS?
Does il eliminate competition?

Does il eliminate competition?
No. 1t eliminates certain kinds of
competition, such as selling below
cost, or bribing employees for infor-
nation. But business men are still
at liberty to engage in an industry in
which there is overproduction, and
even to increase plant capacity or
start new plants.
Will MIRA permit price fixing?
Selling below cost will be prohibited
and the actual fixing of prices will
be permitted in some cases, but not
to a general extent. However, when
employers get together, they don't
need a law to raise prices. They can
usually manage to agree. Witness
the recent activities of the tobacco
trust and the brokers.
What is the blanket code" pro.
posed by President Roosevelt?
The blanket code is an attempt tC
Immediately lower hours and estab.
fish a minimum wage in all industries
The administration is worried because
production is increasing faster thar
pay increases and there is not suffi
cient purchasing power to take care
of it. Also it will be impossible tC
set up codes for all industries during
the next few weeks.
Adherence to the code is purely
voluntary. No employer will be forced
into it by the government. 1t will
last only until January l, 1884. By
that time codes for each industry viii
be established.
The code is inadequate ami will no
accomplish its purpose, to increase
purchasing power. 1t does not set
very high minimum wage, twelve t,
fifteen dollars per week. 1t is really
a disguised spread the work" move
ment.
Does the blanket CODE prohibi
child labor?
In part. All children under four
teen are forbidden to work. Children
between the ages of fourteen and six
teen may work three hours a day i
their work does not interfere will
their schooling. But remember, thi
is a temporary code under a temper
airy law. We have no legal assur
nee that child labor is forever ban
ned in this country. The child labo
amendment must be ratified to brinI
this about.
more next week.
Montana labor news., 1933-09-07

been seeking for years and will con-
tinue to seek for the working man.
"You men have the damper on en-
ployers. They have to keep still.
They've got to comply with provisions
of the NRA. There can be no coer-
cion. It's your chance to organize.
There can be no discrimination against
men active in such organization work.
The NRA provides punishment of en-
ployers who discharge organizers"
In conclusion he said that 1900 of
the 2200 men on the mine payrolls in
Butte have joined and paid their first
months dues in the miners union re-
Gently formed there. Some 1000
others have signed membership APP
~plication cards but have not enrolled
in the union because they are now I'M
employed, he said.
Montana labor news., 1933-09-07
Building Trades
TEXT OF THE BUILDING TRADES
AGREEMENT FOR NRA-FIN-
ANCED JOBS

WASHINGTON-(FP)- Federated
Press publishes herewith the text of
the agreement signed with Secretary
Ickes, Administrator of Public Works,
by the Labor Wage Board set up by
the Building Trades Department of
the American Federation of Labor,
fixing hourly wage rates for common
and skilled labor wherever higher
rates do not already exist by virtue
of union agreements with employers.
AS accepted by the Special Board
for Public Works in resolution form
it reads:
a. Be it resolved that, for the
purpose Of determining wage rate on
all construction financed from funds
appropriated by the Administrator of
Public Works under the authority of
the National Recovery Act, the United
States shall be divided into three
zones as follows:
Southern Zone-South Carolina
Georgia, Florida, Arkansas, Alabama,
Mississippi, Louisiana, Arizona, Ok
lahoma, Texas and New Mexico.
Central Zone-Delaware, Maryland,
District of Columbia, Virginia, Ten
%nessee, North Carolina, West Virginia
Kentucky, Missouri, Kansas, Colorado.
Utah, Nevada, California;
Northern Zone-Maine, New Hamp-
shire, Vermont, Massachusetts,, Rhode
Island, Connecticut, New York, New
Jersey, Indiana, Wisconsin, Illinois,
Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Mime
sofa, Iowa, Nebraska, North Dakota,
South Dakota, Montana, Wyoming,
Idaho, Washington, Oregon.
"The hourly wage rates to be paid
on construction projects in these zones
shall not be less than the following;
Southern Zone-Skilled labor 81.
unskilled labor 40c;
"Central Zone-Skilled labor S1.10
unskilled labor 45c;
Northern Zone-Skilled labor S1.20
unskliled labor SOC.
"2. Be it further resolved that il
the event that the prevailing hourly
rate prescribed under collective agree
ments or understandings between or.
gained labor and employers on Apri
80, 1888, shall be above the minimum
set for any district within that zone
that agreed rate shall be the rate tt
be paid for employees on construction
Montana labor news., 1933-09-07
COUNCIL ENDORSES DUNCAN

The Council went on record as
endorsing Ed. Duncan of the Elec-
trical Workers for the office of
arbitrator on the State Board of
Arbitration under the Wagner
Act. Duncan was one of five nom
inees chosen for this office at the
last State Federation Convention.
Montana labor news., 1933-09-07

projects financed from funds appro-
priated by the Administrator of Pub
lie Works under authority of the NRA.
"3. Be it further resolved that the
rates specified in Paragraphs ! and
2 shall be effective during the life
Of any contract financed from funds
(Continued on Page Four1
Montana labor news., 1933-09-07
Gold Creek Mining
Field Goes N. r. A.
SHORTER WAGES AND LONGER
HOURS FOR MINERS

Word from the Yuba Mining Com
pany's Camp at Gold Greek shows
how this California outfit works with
the President. Of course no code has
been adopted for the industry so they
cannot be accused of chiseling. I'm
[Continued on Page Fourl
Montana labor news., 1933-09-07

The Montana Labor News is follow
ing a policy of having the Central
Labor Councils send us material of in
terest. This is a direct call for sec
retaries to mail this matter here.
Montana labor news., 1933-09-07
N. |. r. A. PRIMER

Taken from "The National Indus
trial Recovery Act" by Sullivan,
Biemiller and Kruger, published
by the Socialist Party of America]
Montana labor news., 1933-09-07
COUNCIL ENDORSES vICKERS

The Council went on record as
endorsing John Vickers for the Of
flee of Federal Employment Agent
for Silver Bow County.
Montana labor news., 1933-09-07
LABOR DAY CELE-
BRATION HUGE
SUCCESS

Palmer, Mattausch and Shea Deserve
Special Credit; Committees Tire
less Efforts Repayed With Enthu-
siastic Crowd.
Montana labor news., 1933-09-07
no &c ,eoR'cAL soc,rr,

There can be no prosperity
without justly high wages.
Earnings of working people
are the basis and index Of
progress in any community
Montana labor news., 1933-09-07

The American standard of
living must be maintained
in order that American in
stitutions may not be sub
ject to perils of discomfort
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1933-12-29


Whether he will be able to do more
than Mr.. Welles in the way of restor-
ing peace and prosperity in Cuba is
a question.
Col. Carlos Mendieta, leading oppo-
sitionist, said that the strife, with no
end in sight, is keeping the island sunk
in economic bankruptcy and threat
ened by strikes. He said the nation
resents control by government
backed by army dictatorship and the
student directorate, composed of IL
youths with decidedly Communistic
leanings.
Ell Pals, the big Havana daily that
has been attacking Grau's government,
was put out of action by mob that
burned the building and smashed the
presses. Employees of the paper
fought with the crowd and six per-
sons were killed and several wounded.
President Grau announced that he
purposes to hold onto his Office until
May 20 next and will then give his
resignation to a constituent assembly
which will provide. for the election Of
a constitutional president.
At the Pan-American conference In
Montevideo Angel Giraudy, Cuban min
lister of labor, attacked the Cuban pol
icy of the United States. Failure to
recognize the Grau regime, he assert
ed, was actually Intervention, since It
was upholding minority group
against the wishes of the people and
propagating revolution
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1933-12-29
News Review of Current
Events the World Over
Weir's Conflict With National Labor Board-Johnson
Plans Realignment of Code Authorities Weles
Quits Cuba but Disorder Continues.
By EDWARD W. PICKARD

to be paid by the government before
the end of the year.
The secretary Endorsed controlled
imitation as a means of promoting So
cial justice through fairer distribution
of national income. But he reminded
farmers that depreciation of the dol
lar acts uneQually on different agri-
cultural products and of itself does
nothing to correct production malad-
justments.
Currency policies" Wallace said.
may stimulate our exports tempo
rarily, but should not lead us to think
worldwide demand exists for our
SURPRISES, unless sufficient changes
have been made in our tariffs to build
up increased foreign purchasing
power"
DRESIDENT ROOSEVELT let it be
4 known that the interdepartmental
committee on communications headed
by Secretary of Commerce Roper had
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1933-12-29

completed its study of
the matter and laid
its report before him.
This report will be
submitted to congress,
and may result in leg
islation for rigid gov
eminent regulation of
telegraph, telephone
and radio companies,
the reorganization of
the whole communica-
tions industry and
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