Montana labor news., 1934-03-29
HAPPENINGS
IN CONGRESS
(By Hon. Joseph p. Monaghan.)
Pay Cuts and Veterans Benefits.

The Senate action of restoring the
Federal employees pay cut and veter-
ans allowances came before the House
Wednesday. House leaders wanted to
send the bill to conference for a ON
promise which would result in restora-
ton of only ten per cent of the Fed
eral pay cut and seventy-five per cent
of the veterans benefits, but this move
was defeated and the House received
the measure under open discussion.
The proposed compromise amend
ments, and an amendment providing
that the ten per cent increase apply
also to congressmen's salaries were
offered. A vote for the bill as it then
stood was a vote to increase congress
sional salaries and also a vote to de-
crease the veterans benefits. | am
proud to say | voted for a decreased
allowance to the veterans.
However, the threatening cloud of
a presidential veto, and the plans
of increased congressional salaries re-
suited in passage of the bill with the
reduced benefits, and now it goes to
a conference with the Senate.
We cannot see any justification for
a vote to increase ones salary
when that same vote would reduce the
allowance to crippled and MANNED vet
Grams or their widows and orphans. |
believe the veterans are entitled to
full benefits and | would vote to pass
such a measure over the presidential
veto. When the President is right /
shall continue to support him; when
| believe he is wrong | shall continue
to depart from him, remembering the
sage advice of Lincoln: "Stand with
a man when he is right; depart from
him when he is wrong"
Copper Code.
Hearings on the copper code were
held Tuesday at the United States
Chamber of Commerce Building. Be-
ing called upon by Deputy Admins
traitor King, | pointed out that codes
can only aid the mass of people by
putting purchasing power in their
hands. Consequently a code is good
only insofar as it puts men back to
work and it is only by putting men back
to work in all industries that we can
hope for a restored prosperity. There
fore, it is my earnest hope that the
copper code, when adopted, will regu-
late hours and wage that more men
will be reemployed at increased wages.
This will help along the road leading
to a t%hirty-hour week, which is one
of the ultimate goals of permanent
American prosperity.
Copper on the Fort Peck Project.
In connection with the cables and
extension lines from the Fort Peck
Project, | contacted Maj. Gen. Mark
ham, Chief of Army Engineers, who
has the final say as to the contracts.
In endeavoring to promote the use of
Montana products in connection with
the Project, | argued that since the
policy Of the war department was to
patronize local merchants in the pur-
chase of materials incident to c. c. c.
camps and other government activi-
ties, this policy also should be appli-
ed to Fort Peck, especially in view of
the fact that Montana was charged
with all the monies to be spent on
Fort Peck, although many other states
are benefited by the project.
barrow VS.. Johnson.
1t is very worthy of note that Clar-
ence Darrow was appointed by the
President to the Board of Review of
the N. R. A. 1t is believed the small
business men will find in him a power
full champion of their cause. Before