Montana labor news., 1934-04-26
HAPPENINGS
IN CONGRESS
(By Hon. Joseph P. Monaghan.)
THE PRESIDENT RETURNS

THE PRESIDENT RETURNS
Growing the enthusiastic recep-
tions that have greeted the Chief Elk
ecutive wherever the train stopped all
the way from Miami to Washington
was the wholehearted reception given
Friday by the members of Congress
who, headed by the U. S. Marine band.
marched from the steps of the East
Plaza of the Capitol to the Union
Station.
The President greeting us made q
very clever speech in which he humor-
ously suggested an early adjournment
81 address particularly you young
members of both bodies," he said
when | say that the weather here is
very inviting in the summer time. II
is really a delightful experience to be
in Washington in July, when it gets
not more than 10 in the shade with
no humidity. | hope you will stay be.
cause | really want you to be here
during that pleasant July weather"
He also said that he had hoped t.
get some publicity on the fish that he
caught, but instead, he said, 81 found
that yon members of Congress here
in Washington during my absence
seem to be getting Writ and Writ
That is one way of discrediting the
libels of the new deal; laugh then
off.
Wage Increases.
Although it might be of uncertain
consequence, it is worthy of note that
10 per cent wage increases were an
nounced by the following private in
dustries on April 5;
Bridgeport Brass Company, Of
Bridgeport, Connecticut, 1900 employ
ees; international Silver Company
Meriden, Connecticut, 1000 employ
ees; Carborundum Company, Niagara
Falls, New York, 1000 employees
Armstrong Cork Company, Lancaster
Pennsylvania, 1000 employees; anC
Estate Stove Company, Hamilton
OilO' l,VOO elhpAOySess
Following so closely upon the gov.
ernment's restoration of 10 per cent
there can be little doubt that the re,
lationship is one of cause and effect
The possibility of prompt action is ,
feature of the smaller businesses, ant
the firms | have mentioned as well al
the many others that have taken sim
liar action deserve high commenda
ton for their support of the only sen
sible recovery program. More wages
mean more purchasing power, ant
more purchasing power is the sinequi
non Of prosperity. Small businesses
by their cooperation with the govern
ment have proved themselves the bull
wark against defeatism and the cor
n%erstone Of national recovery. 1t il
to be expected that action by the un
wieldy giant corporations will be care
fully studied and slow Of accomplish
ment; high-salaried and bonus-fatten
ed officers and millionaire coupon
clippers will delay the action as mucl
as possible. Little excuse remains
however, now that government ha
shown the way.
Illinois Primaries.
Congress was in a condition of ma,
and hilarious excitement when tn,
news of the victory at the polls il
Illinois was announced. The victor,
was overwhelming and the remarkabl
fact about it was that those who vote,
to override the Presidents veto wer,
elected as unanimously as those VIII
failed to do so. This was good new
in every respect. 1t showed not onl,
that the people are in favor of tn,
Roosevelt program but that they like
wise are not looking specifically upol
the record of any mar who honestl,
votes differently than the president
providing he has supported the presi
dent in most major issues. 1t is ais,
to be noted that those Democrats VIII
feared they would lose out because o
their inability to get political Jobs TO
their friends came through without
scratch. An able Washington cor
respondent writes as follows:
Unto every corner of the Capito
Building has crept the rumor that tn
inns were to be punished this yeai
Instead of that the first primary o
election year, providing one of tn
most severe tests conceivable, ha
demonstrated that the ms and tn