The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1935-12-20
Wings
OVER
Washingtn

A whole flock of chickens came
fluttering home to roost when the
ghost of the Blue Eagle returned
for a moment to haunt the News
paper Guild.
Gen. Hugh S. Johnson, listed in
Who's Who, as Soldier lawyer,
and manufacturer" started crab
bing one day to a Washington col
umniSt about the way the copy for
his own column is handled. The
newspaper man suggested that
If the general had grievances
about conditions, he should join
the Guild. Johnson's application
was duly handed in soon after.
But the working reporters and
copy desk men who predominant
in the Washington Guild had
grave doubts about the generals
eligibility for union membership.
1t Is a moot point whether John
son can be classified as a news
paper man in the first place, since
the major field of his activities
and interests lies elsewhere.
More decisive, however, in de-
termining the two-to-one vote
whereby the Guild, after long de-
bate at a well-attended meeting
rejected the generals application,
was tn clause in the constitution
which reads: "No person whose
interests are deemed to lie with
the employer as against the in
terests of the employees shall be
eligible for membership"
AS former NRA administrator,
Johnson has a record that all who
-gn may read. And Washington
reporters did not have to do mu,.il
running 70 refresh their memories
about his record in regard to the
, Newspaper cads
Former Vice Pres. Buck Of tire
National Guild, who personally
handled most of the negotiations
with johnson at the time, told the
story in detail, particularly in re-
gard to the Newspaper Industrial
Board. He was convinced, as were
most of his listeners, that it al
igned the former Blue Eagle
keeper with the publishers rather
than with their employees.
JOuett Shouse, the Democratic
Party's gift to Big Business has a
shorter record with his Liberty
League but is working fast to
catch up.
-oOo-
The transientS are next to re-
ceive attention. Although federal
transient relief has been cut off
nothing has been substituted fol-
it in Baltimore says a social work
er who has specialized in transient
relief in that city. About 90
transients a day are applying for
relief to different agencies in the
city, ne says, and about all they
can get is a chance to sleep on the
floor in the Jail. Out in the
Jungle" by the railroads. thew
are building up a little town of
some hundred huts.
The states and cities will do
nothing, or as little as possible
for the transients, the Baltimore
man paints out. The mayors fca,
that if they provide any kind OF
decent relief it will attract trans
tents from other cities. With this
feeling prevalent. the federal row.
eminent is Sinking what is clear.
ly its responsibility, he saws, DIV
cuttln off transient relief.
-oOo-
Besides unemployables and
transients, there are hundreds II
thousands Of other jobless who
are being left in the lurch bv the
governments insistance on end.
ing direct relief. When federal
direct relief was cut off, saws one
delegate, there were hundreds of
thousands of families IN New
York alone who were on the verge
of applying for relief but had moi
yet done so. The WPA program
offers jobs only to those who have
been on the relief rolls What is
going to happen to the huge mum,
bers of jobless who have not beer
on relief, or those who Join the
ranks of the unemployed from now
on?