Montana labor news., 1935-04-25
Trucking Concerns
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the railroads to get back Oh the rails
where they belong, but failed.
The commission took the above &C
ton in disregard of the fact that the
Union here, particularly the Teamsters'
Union, protested by letter to the Com
mission, to granting OF permits to out
of-the-state concerns, as they do not
employ local Union drivers.
Statistics prove that the taxes paid
bv railroads to the state are negligible
as compared to the taxes paid by local
men in the trucking industry. This,
with all other facts, herein related, we
would like to know by what reason or
logic foreign exploiters can come here
to the exclusion OF local operators, rob,
and plumber our people of their just
rights. Believe ii or not, this is just
exactly what our former railroad COM
mission aided in doing.
So dissatisfied with the concerns are
many of the shippers Of Montana, par
ticularly Butte-to Helena, that they
have formed a cooperative shipping
line, hauling their WI products and
refusing to deal with the ones estab-
Ished from out of the state. One
reputable merchant refuses to receive
shipments from either the Great
Northern trucks or the so-called Mon
tana Motor Freight. In each case he
sends them back to their initial termi-
nal with instructions to route them on
the cooperative line, known as the
Distributors Auto Freight. So effec-
tive has the cooperative plan been
that it has partially defeated the at
tempted monopolizing of the shipping
industry in Montana by out-ot-the-
state concerns. The former commits
sion attempted to enjoin them hauling
their W wares, arguing that they had
the absolute sectional right OF trans
portation. but in a decision written
by Judge Angstman, now attorney for
the present Railway Commission, and
c%oncurred in unanimously by the other
justices. the Supreme Court held, the
plan was legal and may continue with
out interference of the Commission.
This was a splendid victory for the
people of Montana and the Unions.
If thew cannot get legal permits now,
they have a perfect right to operate
under this plan, and no doubt will con-
tinue to do so.
We in voicing the sentiment OF La
Dor, we hope the present Commission
will see "the handwriting on the wall
in regard to these transportation per
mits and not force cooperative con-
Germs to organize as did the individuals
on the former Commission.
The progress of the present Commits
sion has been one of splendid record
and it is hoped by organized Labor
that Mr.. Wilds' application, which has
been re-filed, will be granted so he
may compete against foreign mer-
~cenaries that now have unlimited privi-
leges. Then, perhaps, the Distributors
Auto Freight will see fit to discontinue
operations, but not until then.
In conclusion, there is another ap-
plication. The Montana Labor News
as the voice of labor in Silver Bow
County is observing with interest,
which is the one Of the Wisdom Mail
Stage, ~contending for the right to
transport property from Butte to and
from Wisdom. This enterprise having
always been fair to labor and an EN-
ployer of local union drivers. The de-
mand has been so urgent that this stage
transport property, due to the fact,
that all other means up to the present
has been inadequate and unreliable.
But the mail must go through. 1t will
be a great benefit to the Big Hole
Basin if said permit is granted, and
which we believe it should be, from the
standpoint of unionism, employment
and service to the people of the COM
munities concerned.
There are many other facts and
proofs which could be stated on the
initial subject of this article, many
more injustices of the past. We hope
and believe we have finally secured Of
ficials true to their trust and who will
favor Montana citizens, who will pro-
We'd employment for union labor Of
Montana and ever remembering the
slogan, Keep Montana Money in
Montana"