Montana labor news., 1934-08-09
The Anaconda Copper Mining
Company r Still Attempting
to Force Governor to Send in
the Troops.

the Troops.
The Anaconda Copper Mining Com
pany staged another beautiful show
on Granite Street to force the Cover
nor to send troops to Butte. They
had their windows filled with their
tools who gathered car numbers and
names to submit to the Governor as
evidence, realizing that they had no
concrete evidence to back up their past
requests. The Standard Ace Reporter
was on duty the whole afternoon so
that a good, likely story could be print
ed in the scandal sheets, called news
papers.
The Company set the bait for trouble
by bringing a load of gunner to Butte
and letting them ride around the street
to lead the %bystanders on. Knowing
the feeling Of the population Of Butte
toward the hired killers it was hoped
that something would start. TT did
when "Chuck" Staples, Lieutenant in
the Anaconda "army" started for the
Hennessy Building. Evidence of the
fact that Staples was in little danger
was shown when Staples had time en-
ough to take his gun out OF his hand
kerchief and flash it on the men. Had
he been in any real danger he would
have been man-handled before he had
a chance to draw his gun. This ru-
cous and loud shouting drew a still
larger crowd. The greater part of the
so-called mob was composed of young
fellows from II to q years of age.
They were egged on by older men,
most of them unknown to the strik-
ers. Members of the Strike Commit
tee, hearing Of the affair rushed to the
scene of action and told the group to
dispense. They were greeted with
jeers by many of those in the GROUP,
who were no doubt planted there by
the Anaconda Company to keep the
trouble aflame. Had it not been for
the suspected plants" Of the Com
pany the thing would have died down
in half an hour.
Fosters Car Overturned
The Company Official referred to,
whose car was overturned and fired
was Bert Foster, right hand man to
Colonel Stivers and at present chief
of the Company gunners. 1t is inter-
esting to note that the Anaconda Com
pany claims him as an official. Ac-
cording to reports coming to this Of
flee, Foster received his start as a
private detective" stool pigeon in the
Western Federation of Miners in Ida
no. He served as secretary of the
Union there, according to these re-
ports. Due to the success Of his work
in Idaho the Anaconda Company sec
ured the rights to his service. 1t is due
to the fact that the Anaconda Company
makes men of the calibre Of Stivers
and Foster, officials in the Corpora
ton that the present trouble is taking
place in Butte. Had men of honor
and integrity been given official posi-
tons there would be none Of dirty,
low work taking place today. Men Of
intelligence and decency could have
settled this strike inside of a month,
by using humane and honorable meth
DDS. But professional gunners and
stool pigeons never settled any labor
disorder.
Gunman Shoots Police Car
When the Foster car was overturn-
ed gunner lined the street with sawed
off shot guns, rifles and tear-gas
bombs. AS firefighters put out the
blaze members of the strike commit
tee kept the crowd back and prevented
any further disorder. There is no
evidence, other than the Standard Re-
porters testimony that rocks were
thrown at the firemen. Responsible
people, not connected with any Union
in the trouble have given testimony
that reported stoning of firemen did
not take place. The gunners, not hav-
ing any excuse to shoot we're at a loss
as to what to do when one of them
fired, what looked like a single barrel
ed shotgun at the police patrol shat
tering the windshield, but fortunately
missing the driver. The gunner who
fired the shot must have been some of
the imported talent OF the Anaconda
Company for he was not known to the
local men. He was of medium height,
light complexioned, wearing a musta-
che. Over his shoulders were slung
two canvas bags, which looked as if
they might contain bombs. The Ana
conda Company and the Montana Stan
dard might do a public service by tell
ing the public the name of the gun
ner for they are the only groups who
can supply this information. 1t looked
like a beautiful set-up to shoot some
one when the opportunity arrived but
the crowd prevented their doing so.
The hair-brained idiot who fired the
shot no doubt hoped to receive an in
crease in pay by appearing to earn his
pittance.
Same Stunt Tried Wednesday
The same trap was laid last Wednes-
day but due to the vigilance of the
Strike COMMITTEE trouble was averted.
A man, claiming to be a member of
the Miners Union was melting a group
of boys TO turn over another car which