The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1934-12-21
Friday, December Il, 1894
Fight Discrimination!

Racause this is democratic country, the rules and
regulations of the relief administration state very definitely
that there shall be discrimination in the distribution Oh
relief Religious beliefs political opinion race or creed are
to make differences But these Statements uCUefeu
President Roosevelt and important relief officials
from Hopkins down to Butler and local administrators are
nothing but proclaimed for those people who like to
believe those things.
In fact there is plenty discrimination And those
who have eyes to see better look around.
For what reason DO workers go Snooplng around
to the neighbors of relief applicant trying to find out
something about his political opinion? Why does the relief
administration want to know how family voted on election
day whether woman has any aIIlnaCon WIN OF
is active in radical organization?
1t is bad enough when the official QUESTIONABLE contains
queries whether applicant married by parson or by
justice of the peace but why the administration is SO
anxious to know the political aftlaon OF person on rehe
is certainly more than they are willing to explain.
AS it is generally understood it is the object OF case
workers to find out how great the need for relief OF an
applicants family really is and with how little they might
get along. And already here If workers would
confne themselves to this simple question, there is plenty
II room for discrimination. If worker does not like
the nose of particular applicant he may be very much
inclined to find the need of the household not as great
it really is Any personal prejudice case worker might
have certainly plays important role in his dete1min-
alton of how much relief is needed
To investigate political opinions of applicants certainly
for such information the part of the administration must
have another purpose and the fact that workers try to
keep it secret, proves this statement.
The only reason can imagine for making such in
qures must be that the administration afraid of the
power of radical organizations. The officials know well
enough that in Sheridan county relief cannot be reduced
to the level that is prevailing in other counties all
the state and country Any such attempt would meet
with the organized and militant resistance the part
of the faremrs and workers of the county Time and
again this has been proved and time and again have such
attacks upon the living standard of relief families been
pulsed and defeated.
Through shopping and stoopigeoning and all the dirty
methods imaginable the administration is trying to break
the power and influence of radical organizations in this
county. But they will find themselves mistaken
Now than farmers and workers in the county
will stick together to protect their homes and shoulder to
shoulder they will fight for food and clothing their
families and feed for their animals Things becoming
steadily Feed loans being cut applicants for
relief being turned down and wherever possible at
tempts made to down the amount of relief given
The farmers of Sheridan county know from experience that
only through militant organization they fight these con-
ditions that are being forced upon them.
And after this exposure of the relief administration
dirty Vaccinations workers will find it far more diff
cult to get the desired information They will no longer
be able to trick farmers into answering questions unwt
ngy Even if they find some creatures who are low enough
to betry the interests of their negbor and of their class
such individuals may not feel too comfortable especially
when they learn that the wrath of entire community may
be upon them.
1t that workers go about their dirty worI
rather mechanically Why for instance should they han
in reports to their superiors concerning very weknow
Communists in the county stating "eighbors report tina
this farmer radical and active sympathizer of tn
Reds" Everybody in the county knows that those me-
more than sympahizers they have been acknowledge
as Communists and they advocate Communism whereeve
they hav opportunity. This mechanical way in which tn
workers their information shows that there
method behind their activity
Perhaps workers will pursue different tactic
to accomplish their ends But whatever they do we sha
be able to catch enough And if the administrator
likes the exposures let them hop to it. We win gladly nrc
vide the spotlight for them.
During election time enough has been said ABOUT tn
political corrupness of this relief administration It We
pointed out that relief funds used as brides for buyn
votes The stoopgeon activities in Sheridan county onl
provide added proof for these statements
Among American troubles patched Clothes scraps fc