Montana labor news., 1934-06-14
WELL SUPPLIED With BOMBS, MACHINE
GUNS AND AMMUNITION; MONTANA GUN
MAN QUITS WHEN HE SEES CHICAGO GANG
GUNMAN PAID OVER $50
FOR NINE SHIFTS

A former Gunman for the Anaconda
Company, who sickened of the social
ed soft job, appeared before the strike
committee and asked that his name be
removed from the list of Scabs and
Gunner. In appearing before the
Committee he gave some interesting
testimony regarding the Company
Gunner.
He reported that the gunner were
working twelve hour shifts. He had
worked nine shifts and for it received
$l50.25 or more than $l6.50 per day.
This amount of pay was a surprise for
he had been promised SO per day and
board and room. For this he had
little to do other than watch. He stat
ed that things went fairly well until the
Company began importing gunner
from Chicago. These men were equip
ped with grenades, gas bombs and
sawed off s%hot-guns. He stated that
they we're an ugly bunch and he had
no intention of running the chance of
getting killed, once that mob tore loose
regardless of the pay he received. He
further stated that the money was not
worth the loss of friendship he had
suffered since he took the job.
Names of Gunmen Guarded
The ex-gunman reported that the
names of the men acting as gunner
were kept more or less secret. The
men never had an opportunity to know
each other by name. Even though
they ate and lived together they were
hesitant in divulging their identities. The
men from Chicago were especially sec
retive as to their identities. He stated
that the conditions were rather depres-
sing and that with the group from
Chicago, nov stationed at the Leonard
one could not tell when these outsiders
might start serious trouble.
The witness also testified to the fact
that the Leonard was we'll stocked with
tear gas bombs, sawed off shot guns,
rifles and revolvers. He also stated
that there was an ample supply of am
munition' in case of trouble. When
asked if these were machine guns he
stated that he knew Of none. When
presented with the fact that Machine
guns were flashed on the pickets at
the Leonard he had no denial to make.
The workers have concrete evidence
that the mines are equipped with ma
chine guns and men who know how
to use them.
This is Protecting Property
Dan Kelley made much of the fact,
at the Gale Trial" that Scabs were
necessary to keep the mines from
flooding. Do they need machine guns
and sawed-off shot guns to run the
pumps? If these tools" are necessary
to keep the mines from flooding why
weren't the Union Engineers so equip
ped? Testimony was presented to
show that the Pickets made no efforts
to destroy Company Property. If no
such efforts have been made, why the
arsenal at the mines? One can only
draw the conclusion that if the Ana
conda Company cannot settle the strike
one way they intend to settle it as they
have done in the past. AS C%arrigan
testified, the same old Colonel is in
charge Of the gunner. This time he
has more efficient weapons and he is
no doubt itching to use his methods in
settling the strike. Imported gunner
from Chicago can best serve in such a
settlement for there are too many de-
cent people in Montana to enable
him to recruit a gang of killers from
this State. If life is lost the response
bility can be laid at the door Of the
Anaconda Company. The day is past
for shooting people into submission.
Butte workers are not out to destroy
property. Had they wanted to destroy
property they could have done it be-
fore they walked off the job. There
is no need for gunner and wartime
a%rsenals to protect mining property
from Butte strikers. Harry Gale miss
ed starting a bloody warfare bv the
narrowest margin. Probably the i'm
ported killers will be freezer on the
trigger and the streets OF Butte will
again run red with blood. If such be
the case the men who arm and paw
these men to kill must stand before the
bar OF public opinion for Judgment.