davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1934-11-23
Relief Office Grants
Committees Demands
After Heated Argument
Peddler Convicted
Because Food Stirs
Hunger of Children

NEW YORK.-It is unwise
to let half-starved school chill
dren get the smell of food while
they are in classrooms.
So Magistrate Mark Rudich
(Democrat) ruled the other day
in giving suspended sentence
to Abe Goldman, aged so, con-
victed of selling hot sweet po-
tatoes in front of public school
141, Brooklyn.
Sternly reprimanding the
ged food vendor, Magistrate
tudich said: "The aroma from
sweet potatoes may enter the
classrooms and make the chill
dren hungry, causing them to
think of their stomachs instead
of their studies. So keep away
from schools"
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1934-11-23
To Teach Farmers to Grow
Half a Blade Where
One Grew Before

Sheridan and Daniels Counties
are entering into cooperative agree
ments with the Montana extension
service for the employment of full
time county agents, who will have
their headquarters at Plentywood
and Scobey, respectively, it is re-
ported.
In the past, county agents were
employed to teach farmers etc
grow two blades of grass where
one grew before" For this work
the county had to pay around
$4,000 per year until farmers got
sick of it and had the agent re
moved in Sheridan county.
In the meantime, the Roosevelt
administration has discovered tina
farmers are growing "too many
blades of grass, and as result
it has developed policy of cut
ting down the production of farr
products so that now it will b
the object of the county agents t
teach farmers to grow half blad
where one grew before.
The official announcement state
that county agents will be en-
ployed to comply with the me-
federal set-up relative to handlin
the drought relief situation. "Dul
J ing the emergency period" I'll
statement reads, "they will act &
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1934-11-23
SPIVAK'S ARTICLES
ON NAH ACTIVITIES
START NEXT WEEK

Through courtesy of the
New Masses, working class
weekly magazine, the PrOduc-
ers News has been given per-
mission to reprint the remark
able articles by John Spivak,
well known journalist and aI-
thor of Georgia Niger"
These articles, dOcumented,
with irrefutable proof for ev-
cry statement made, show the
existence in this country of a
widespread anti-semitic move
ment, growing rapidly as the
fascist forces become more
bold, amanating from and en-
cOuraged by officials in lofty
places in government, business
and universities.
The articles have caused a
sensation wherever they were
read. The first articles of the
series will appear in next
weeks issue of the Producers
News. Nobody should fail to
read and study these articles,
for they give irrefutable proof
of the fascist trend in this
country.
Use this opportunity to
spread the Producers News!
Have friends and neighbOrs
read Spivak's stories, and if
they like them, have them sub
scribe to the Producers News,
the only working class news
paper in Montana.
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1934-11-23
RATHER JAIL THAN
S. OAK. POOR FARM
By M. A. SHARP

BRISTOL, S. D.-The conditions
which exist at the Day county poor
farm may be judged by the ac-
tons of two Of the inmates.
Last summer John Anderson,
known as "Omaha John," an aged
worker. was taken to the poor
farm. He remained a short time
and then ran away and came back
to Bristol where he drank a bottle
of carbolic acid and died.
Recently, it is reported, another
inmate went to Webster, the coun'
ty seat, and demanded the right
to stay in Jail, with the threat
that he would break windows.
This seems to be a rotten re
ward to workers who have giveI
a lifetime of labor to America
"the richest nation on earth.
It shows the decay of the profl
system and the necessity Of a col
lective system and farmers an
workers government.
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1934-11-23

them. This request was refused
as being against the rules"
"Why don't you have enough to
go around?" the spokesman asked.
"They just can't get around to
make them," was Mrs. Cobb's an
swer. GLOW can that Beg" asked
Laursen. "Isnt there a surplus
of cotton and other material and
of labor as well?" She did not
know. eve have to abide by GER
tain rules" was the answer.
Throughout the argument the
committee presented the COM
plants and demands firmly and at
the beginning even politely. The
head of the relief office, however,
was constantly trying to provoke
the committee, to ridicule its
spokesman and to treat them gen
orally like school children. But
Mrs. Cobb did not get very far
:. with this attitude and with the
particular grin on her face.
Genius Laursen first asked her
whether or not he had treated her
, like a gentleman. She had to adj
, nit that he had. He then ex-
plaihed: 81 am not going to treat
you that way any longer if you
, insist on handling us like children.
And then he told her plenty. He
explained to her, and loud enough
that not only the entire COMMITTEES
but also all case workers presen
e could hear, that her attitude show
: ed a rather Glow grade of intelli
y gence." EITHER one of us mus
y be crazy and I'm sure it is not my
1 SELF" he said. He told her tina
e he had never run across a perso
e yet who should be as ashamed 0
r herself as she should be for treat
y ing people on relief the way sh
L did.
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1934-11-23
REPUB. SENATOR
HELPS ORGANIZE
DEMOCRAT CLUB
Standpat Republicans Feel
Kind of ''Disap-
pointed"

REPUBLICAN SENATOR = -
Many of the staunch republican
voters in the county will be some
what disappointed when they learn
that Lars Angvick, the senator
they have just reelected after a
hard fight with the democrats, has
been very active in helping organ
ize a democratic women's organ
ization. He was one of the main
speakers at the first meeting of
the democratic women held at the
American Legion hall Saturday,
Nov. 10.
It is supposed that Angvick has
helped in this work mainly out OF
gratitude" for his reelection, but
a number of republicans have al
ready uttered their dissatisfaction.
They would have rather liked to
see if "their" senator would have
ORGANIZED a republican women's
club. But politicians are tickle.
The club was organized to pro-
mote and support the democratic
marty in the county and nation
r. was named "The Democratic
Women of Sheridan County" MRS
III. J. Gibbons of Reserve was elect
al chairwoman and Mrs. Ed Pow
ers of Medicine Lake became coun
ty secretary.
We understand that the MAI
nurpose of the club is to popular
lie Roosevelt's starvation prograi.
ard to convince the women
sheridan county that the pollcy
food destruction at a time "ne
millions of people are starving,
one Of the most advanced an
4 most progressive" steps ever -
: dertaken by any administrator
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1934-11-23
Mushroom Town at
Fort Peck Has Already
Outgrown Plentywood

Wheeler, the new mushroom
town at the Fort Peck dam, has
already population larger than
that of Plentywood. The town
started its existence about July
and is now inhabited by about
1900 people and the number is
increasing daily.
Twenty blocks are solidly set
tied with many more buildings
scattered in the outlying sections
Buildings of all shapes and sizes
have been erected or moved into
town. manv being nothing but no.
vels. The town has ALREADY its owr
school building and a power anC
lioht plant is contemplated to b,
erected soon.
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1934-11-23
QUESTIONABLE ON
RELIEF IS ISSUED
BY LOCAL U. FL.
Farmers Urged to Return
List of Queries
at Once

In order to get more concrete
and detailed picture of the relief
situation in Sheridan county, the
United Farmers League is putting
cut a QUESTIONABLE for farmers
and workers on relief to fill out
and return at once.
The returned missionaries will
provide the organization with suf-
ficient material, it is hoped, to put
forward very definite demands be-
hind which pressure can be devel-
oped to have them granted. It is
necessary that a large number OF
farmers on relief return the lists
of questions, for that will place the
U.F.L. in a position where it also
can fight better against discrim
nation, misuse of power on the
part of the case workers, etc.
! It is important, however, thai
the questionnaires be filled ou
honestly and truthfully without ex
aggerations. The conditions ar,
bad enough as they are. Mos
people have to make several trip
to the relief station before the,
can get results. One man living
IS miles from here made thre
trips in one month, travelling 81
. miles.
The United Farmers Leagu
states that all returned lists wi
J be treated confidentially and wi
be used only for the purpose Z
E fighting for better relief cond
tions. The league urges all IA
$ mers and workers to fill out IL
list of questions, which appears
another column Of this issue
f the Producers News, and return
). at once to United Farmers Leagu
r Box 673, Pier tvwood, Mont.
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1934-11-23
IN. D. Farmers Union Local
Joins Criticism on the AAA

Iutely dead to all problems that
are confronting the farmer today
However, it is regrettable that it
contains nothing which would re-
suit into some determined action
on the part of the local. AS it
is, the document will soon be for
gotten until such time when an
other resolution is to be passed.
Resolutions Only Futile
Farmers belonging to the union
are suffering just as much under
the drought, the crisis and the
general farming conditions under
capitalism as farmers belonging to
the United Farmers League or the
ICON inred on page q
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1934-11-23
Mattresses Are Buried
In Office Ba emit
While Children Freeze
a Only Had Better Straw 1t Wouldn't Be So Bad,
Widow With Ten Children States; Hun
dreds of Mattresses Needed

Producers News. We are sure
there are many more like it and
perhaps worse cases.
A family at Archer had been
promised two mattresses some
time ago but has not received any
so far. Even case workers were
convinced that such things were
needed, for the children were sleep
ing on rags and old clothing.
A Raymond family has no mat
tress in the house.
Mrs. Juve OF Dooley, a widow
with two children, does not possess
a bed spring. A mattress that is
actually falling to pieces is placed
on boards.
! Five children of the Rebo family
at Dooley are sleeping in one bee
upon mattress composed of rags
The rest of the family is no bet.
ter off. There is q need for sew
eral mattresses.
! The ten children of a widow a
Archer are sleeping upon stray
sacks. The straw is three or fou
years old, is turning into powde
and getting rotten. eff l only ha,
enough and better straw, it would
: MT be so bad," the widow says.
These conditions exist, but tn
relief administration is doing no
: thing to better them. Relativel
. few mattresses have been shippe
: in the county, by far not enoug
: to satisfy the need. And thes
: mattresses then are buried in
] basement because cease worker
have not yet investigated"
Several hundred mattresses al
( needed in the county, as demande
e by the U.F.L. This demand wi
= be raised again and again by IL
h farmers and workers until it h.
e been granted.
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1934-11-23
H. S. Band Concert on
Wednesday, Nov. 18th

Group A of the Plentywood high
school band is giving a concert on
Wednesday, Nov. %, at 8:15 p. M,
at the high school auditorium.
A full and entertaining program
is being offered. In between the
selections played by the band, the
saxaphon quartette and trumpet
trio will play special pieces. A
one-act comedy will be put On the
stage by the public speaking class
Admission of Is and % cents
will be charged. The proceeds Of
the concert will be used to equiv
the band with new music and othel
necessities.
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1934-11-23

OODD WHO SCdCSQ CIldC Size was TIE
head of the office. She was Every
glad" to consider the cases.
Gonius Laursen, spokesman for
the committee, demanded grocery
and clothing order for the JUL
family of Plentywood. Harry JUL
had been told that he had to work
out his grocery order first and
clothing was refused fatty.
Laursen explained that the fam
lily had no winter clothing and that
such clothing certainly was even
more needed if JUL was to dc
outside work.
eff he has to work hard enough
he can keep warm with what he
has," was the opinion of the we'll
fed and well-clothed relief head
Mrs. Cobb. In spite of this pro.
vocation, the spokesman for the
committee quietly continued hiI
argument. Being a farmer, HI
asked: Wouldn't you even equil
horse with the things needed be
fore you put it to work?"
The answer was the excuse tina
no provisions were made for sue
cases and that she chad to see tn
case worker who had handled tn
case"
After the final argument, Juu
was granted his grocery order an
he also received clothing order.
} Receipts Finally Unnecessary
The Hardersen family had bee
refused grocery order becauS
they had received a delayed allo
ment check from last year earl
this August. In November the
\. were ordered to show receipts
how this money was spent or ell
no groceries. The committ'
demanded that the grocery ord
be granted as recommended
the case worker without the eN
dence of receipts. After a heat
argument the demand was graz
ed.
q When the committee demand
! immediate distribution of mattre'
+ es to certain families in despers
4 need, it was informed that on Nc
: day all the mattresses on hand h
q been given out. Laursen demar
~ ed list of those who had receiv
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1934-11-23

-. mare than a week several
H. 81 mattresses have been
's|ored in the basement OF
~ !. -plief office while many fami-
-. =. IN the county sleep on rotten
~ .-.tg m boards or simply on the
floor.
Farmers and workers have been
Tho relief office really begging
=. mattresses. They were told
. Il. a case worker had to inves-
r., first and that the mattresses
.snId not be handed out. Several
sniIies were told this only yes
.srdav.. after the mattresses had
horn in store for more than IL
days.
To many farmers it seems t.
10 malice with forethought, or al
hast a terrible lack of Organiza
6on on the part of the relief of
fire 30 have loads of mattresses
hurled in a basement while work
srs' and farmers children freez,
for the lack of them. There Ger
tainly was plenty of opportunit.
for case workers, if they had t.
INVESTIGATE, 70 make this investi
cstio- all summer long. Why wa
+ net done? Only a lame excus
,sn he Ghe answer, for in variou
demonstrations the United Farm
rs League has pointed out tn
need for mattresses emphaticall!
For raore than 10 days the mat
tesses. were lying in the cellar il
,t,ad Of people lying on the mat
heeses. Case workers even faile
10 complete their investigations
during this time.
To illustrate the ruthlessness {
The relief administration, we lil
To point to a few cases of de
Terate reed for mattresses whiC
have. come to the attention of t.
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1934-11-23
Mimi. Farmers Union
Will Meet With Joint
Committee on DrOuth
State Convention Appoints Committee to Work Out
Drought Relief Action With FN.C.A., Mime
sofa Holiday and U.F.L.

MOORHEAD, Minn.-The Farm
ers Union of Minnesota, meeting
here in state convention on Octo-
Der 20, voted to appoint a COM
mittee to meet with the joint COM
mittee of the Farmers National
Committee for Action and of the
Minnesota division of the Nation
al Holiday Association to plan
joint struggles for drought relief.
The action was taken in response
to the proposal made to the con-
vention by the joint committee.
Another proposal made to the
convention by James Flower, state
secretary of the United Farmers
League of Minnesota, was like
wise referred to the appointed
committee.
The prospect now is for a joint
meeting of the representatives OF
the Farmers National Committee
for Action, the Farmers Union, the
Minnesota Holiday Association and
the United Farmers League to in
volve all their members in action
for drought relief.
/ Farmers Destitute
In making the proposal for un
I ity, Flower declared that Gin wide
spread drought areas the majorit!
> Of farmers are unable to NEE
their necessary living expenses 0.
the cost of feed in the coming
winter.
"Under cover of the AAA, farm
1 ers are being deprived of the yer,
means of existence. Hundreds o
thousands are being put out o
: commercial production for year
g to come. At the same time sub
: sistence farms are being develop
: ed in this triple-headed monste
that talks of "over- production,
Such a program can only lead
starvation of millions of worker
and farmers in America.
VI "Of just as great importance
our daily lives is the threat
: fascist actions from all sides an
rs the huge war preparations beir
or made at the present time. \
G. worker or farmer is in favor
war and the resultant slaught
N of millions of the youth Of Il
al nation.
or "The joint experiences and t
ne action of both organizations" co
ok tinued Flower, "can be used in
tie determined effort to better o
immediate economic conditions a,
Ter to repel the sinister and horrii
IN threat Of fascism."
sht Four Lines of Action
Eat Flower then outlined the pom
on which he felt agreement a
re- struggle could be achieved. The
rem were:
ca, 1. Jointly organized strugg
for relief for farm families q
fit livestock.
;ol- 2. Mass resistance to shel
and sales, evictions or foreciosul
AGAINST the subsistence farms
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1934-11-23
Sheridan, Daniels Counties
to Employ County Agents

county drought service directors in
conjunction with feed and seed re-
quirements, and also as represent
atives of the U. S. department of
agriculture in matters pertaining
to agricultural development and
adjustment"
It is expected that so far as
the adjustment" is concerned.
their job will be somewhat more
difficult than it has been in the
past. Farmers may take the al
lotment checks, but still they are
not fools enough not to see that
the policy of crop destruction in
the face of starving millions is
simply criminal. And it will be
hard for even the most learned
county agent to convince them diff
ferently.
Carl H. Peterson of Bozeman,
VINO IS mere representing the ag-
rlcultural adjustment administra-
ton in cattle and purchase pro
gram, states that the new agents
will arrive as soon as suitable mer
are available.
Mr.. Peterson is closing the cattle
and sheep buying program as rap
idly as pending cases can be clear
ed and checks be distributed. 4
total of 1874 ewes were purchase,
in Sheridan county. The pelt
from 572 condemned ewes will b.
received at Plentywood Friday
: Nov. %, after which vouchers vii
be forwarded to Denver for paw
; ment.
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1934-11-23
MOONEY Wins
WRIT In THE u. s.
SUPREME COURT
Mass Pressure Urged fol
His Immediate
Liberation

WASHINGTON, Nov. 12.-Un-
able to ignore the rising demand
for the liberation of Tom Mooney,
the United States supreme court
today agreed to consider argu-
ments why Moneys lawyers
should not be permitted to file a
writ of habeas corpus.
This opens the way to permit
| the supreme court to consider the
case on its merits. Today's decis-
ion ordered Warden Holohan of
San Quentin penitentiary to show
cause within 40 days why Moneys
lawyers should not be permitted tc
file the writ.
Warden Holohan is named only
in a technical sense, for the op.
position to this latest defense move
will be organized by the Californi;
state officials, headed by the at
torney general, with the supper
of Governor Frank Merriam.
In his plea to the U. S. suprem
court, Mooney, through his attor
neys, asked that he be brought t.
Washington in an effort to con
vince the court that he was con
victed on perjured evidence.
The latest move to force Moon
ey's case into the U. S. suprem
court is based on the defense cor
tention that, while the highes
courts in California have admitte
/ that the famous labor leader wa
convicted on perjured evidence, tn
court was unable to order ne7
trial because no "errors" of a legs
character were committed durin
the trial itself.
Mass Pressure Necessary
Despite the partial legal victor
which Mooney made today as a n
suit of the supreme court decision
there is no strong likelihood tn;
: the legal moves will bring abol
: his release unless they are accon
panied by new wave of mass d
mands for his immediate liberI
ton.
= Since 1916, numerous governo
have refused to pardon Moone
l despite the fact that every impor
: ant prosecution witness in the ca
Il has been discredited as perjure
:, and ten of the jurors still livi1
1 have expressed the conviction tn
= Mooney was framed.
7 During the IS years that Moo
Z ey has been in prison, millions
Z workers throughout the world ha
80 demonstrated for his freedom.
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1934-11-23

any other method Of putting farm
ers out of production.
3. Defense of our civil rights
against terrorists and fascist
gangs. A determined opposition
to all fascist expressions on the
part of the government.
A. Mass opposition to the war
program of the Roosevelt admin
istration.
At the conclusion of his speech,
Flower was warmly applauded and
motion was made to incorporate
his words of greeting and united
struggle in the minutes.
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1934-11-23
But No Action Is Proposed
to Enforce the
Resolution

LEN0RA, N. DR. resolution
ritcising the AAA and demand
ing cost of production for all farm
Products Das passed here by the
Farmers Union local No. 201 at
It's last meeting Nov. 9. In very
general terms and without pro-
posing any specific action, the re-
solution joins the national presi-
dent Of tha Farmers Union in crit
ldsir g the AAA and promises to
support "his efforts to secure cost
Of production"
The resolution was sent to the
press and follows in full:
Resolution
Whereas, the agricultural adj
nStment act does not provide for
the cost of production of agricul-
ural products, and
Whereas, E. H. Everson, the ma
uOnal president of the Farmers
Union, has in public utterances and
IN an address before the Farmers
Union state convention at James
town, N. D., on October Is, 1884,
strongly criticized the said agri-
cultural adjustment act for not
making provision for the cost OF
Production of agricultural products
&d has put forth much effort ia
secure cost of production clause
Mthe said act,
Therefore, the Lenora Farmers
Union local No. 201, Griggs coun'
" North Dakota, in regular meet.
ing assembled, resolve to support
the said E. H. Everson in his crit
leSm Of the said act and to sup
port him in. his efforts to secur'
cost Of production clause in tn
SAD act, and that we go on recor'
SS demanding that congress amen'
vie said act so as to contain tn
cost Of production clause.
Further, be it resolved, that W
sunlre the fight put forth by tn
'a'e John A. Simpson for a cos
VI Production clause in the sal
sCt, and that we are in accor
WIN the stand of E. H. Everso
y following the footsteps of M
simpson and that we urge all fal
~efs Union state delegates to SUI
Putt the said E. H. Everson fl
ne presidency of the national Fa
sfficers.
further, resolved, to publ;
SaH resolution in all leading p
Dated this 9th day of Mover
Der, 1894.
Ienora Farmers Union /
cal No. POI, Griggs count
North Dakota.
II c. Brake, presidel
,, "B. Hans6C. secretary"
u nothing else, this resoluti
least shows that the Lenc
ers Union local is not abb