Montana labor news., 1934-10-04
DRIFTS And RAISES
(This column contributed by Butte
Miners Union No. y

conscious proletarians, the world over,
have been aiming for a number OF
years. Ever since Marx and Engels
%propounded the philosophy of the So
c~ialistic state, which they visualized as
being the next step in the cycle OF hui
man history, self-sacrificing souls have
preached and taught this doctrine, in
%cessantly, in order to educate the
horny-headed sons of toll, to a r%ealiza-
ton of their collective power.
The lesson has partly soaked in, but
not deep enough. A large percentage
of the working class are willing to join
and hold membership in a labor organ
ization, through which and by which,
they expect to improve their immediate
economic condition; but the vast ma
jority are unwilling to joint together
and pledge themselves to %unwavering
allegiance and support in a movement
that is designed TO make them masters
Of their economic destiny.
Let me say right here, that never
before in the history of II country,
has the necessity been so urgent, that
every man and women in this broad
land, in whose soul dwells a love for
Liberty and a hatred for Slavery in
any form, should organize and get to-
gether on a common platform to re-
sist the apostles and doctrines of fasc-
ism that are being spread and dissent
mated very industriously among the
people. In the East we have Al Smiths
Liberty League and Americas Inc. In
the West we have Herbert Hoover's
Liberalism. In the middle states and
the South we have Dir. True and the
Silver Shirts; each group working
upon the prejudices and predictions
Of certain sections of the people. This
is the biggest and apparently the most
determined movement towards a prob
able attempted dictatorship that this
country has yet experienced. If the
New Deal succeeds in keeping off the
skids for another two years, there
probably won't be any attempt made
to seize the machinery of government
until the next presidential election. If
the New Deal should go into a side
slip or a tail spin before that time and
bring about a chaotic condition COM
parable to that of Hoover's regime (;
then look out for a dictatorship of
Wall street, with all its consequent
horrors. Hitler's %saturnalia Of blood in
Germany would be a Sunday school
picnic compared to what we might ex-
pect. The first body Of people against
whom such a move would likely be di-
rected would be the members of or
gained labor, next would probably be
the members of organized agriculture.
The program would be to outlaw and
disband these organizations, probably
hang a few militant leaders and en-
slave the remainder.
When that time arrives, it behooves
every man in these two groups to be
prepared in so far as he may be able
to resist to the death any and all at
tempts that may be made along this
line. A late model rifle might not seem
a very effective argument against a
machine CUR nest, gas bombs or six
teen inch cannon, but | want to say
here and now that l would feel much
happier with such a weapon and say
a thousand rounds of ammunition than
to be dependent on rocks to stand of
the enemy.
II we be prepared, even to this ex-
tent, when these fascist groups at
tempt to execute their obvious inten-
tons, then the result of the mixup may
bring us nearer the goal mentioned
above, than we've ever been before
If we are not prepared, then, the re-
suit will be tragedy. One hundred
years of effort will be lost.
Last June %, President Roosevelt
appointed a committee to study thI
problem OF social insurance with The
purpose of applying it to unemploy.
ment, old age, sickness and maternity
He will no doubt present to the mex
congress a comprehensive plan for in
creasing the social security of our PEG
pie.
The United States is the most back
ward OF all civilized nations in thu
matter of social insurance and Their,
are several reasons. In the first place
this is the youngest industrial nation
We had unlimited resources to exploit
land to be settled and the capitals
system was expanding and able to pro
vide jobs for all but a small Fraction
Of the population. Therefore there wa
not the agitation for social Legislation
that developed in European countrie
as much as 100 years ago.
Then the employing class has Away
carried on a bitter opposition to a
measures intended to improve the eco
nomic security of the working clas:
This propaganda was spread thru tn
capitalist press, the schools and evei
the church. The American people wer
told they were strong, rugged ind
viduals who did not need social insur
ance such as Europeans had found t
be an economic necessity.
The capitalists fought against work
ers' compensation, against occupations
disease insurance and against the chill
labor amendment. Even today, Their
are four states which have no work
mems compensation law and onl
twenty states have approved the chill
labor amendment with thirty-six nee
essary to put it in force.
1t is a serious reflection on the so
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