The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1935-11-29
CHARLES E. TAYLOR
Editor and Manager
HOW THE PRESS FUNCTIONS-ITS
REWARD

The mOnied interests of the country
have no better defenders than the press
which they control. Occasionally an effort
is made, through some legislative act, to
force the plutocrats to bear part of the bur
den which is always levied on the backs of
the farmers and workers. This is enough
to start the big dailies beating the TOM
toms OF propaganda to prove the injustice
of the legislative act under consideration.
Thousands of tons of paper and barrels of
ink and brain-Sweat are unloaded upon a
suffering public to arouse sentiment in IA
vor of Big Business. eff profits are inter-
Tered with the country will go to the dogs;
the sacred institution of the home and fam
lily will sink into state of degeneration,
and our bOaSted civilization will fall into
the dark cavern of barbariSm," all of
which plainly means that the courts are
fOrewarned that when a disturbing legis-
lative act is to be "teSted" judicial thumbs
are to be turned down on its constitution
ally. And the courts understanding their
line invariably say to the press, I'VE second
your motion; this act, if permitted to be-
come law would be menace to our sacred
institutions" And Big Business is given
another breathing SPELL
In the matter of fighting against such
legislative acts, the press, as a rule, leans
very heavily on dignity. 1t would not do
to be rude or vulgar or become too bitter
against the representative who in a mo-
ment of forgetfulness introduced and
fought for this measure. He is catalogued
of course, as one to be watched, but the
odds are 10 to l that tomorrow he will be
making apologies for having taken such a
10 will 10 Ha&+
the lobbyists of capitalism get to his ear.
And the great numbers of our law makers
do much better when they learn that It
is a mistake to neglect their pocketbook-
they readily learn what profits mean, and
set themselves to the task of receiving
some of them.
The farmers and workers, while not full
ly awake to their political consciousness.
have a vague sense of the political skull
duggery which is carried out by the press
and the courts, so in a spirit of indigna-
nation they have recourse to the strike
WeapOn-a demonstration of their own
strength-to. insure for themselves and
their families a better standard of living.
Again we witness the role of the press. The
dignity that was observed in opposing ode
trimentaP' legislation to their masters is
now thrown aside and bestial attack is
leveled against the oppressed workers and
farmers. 1t cries out for the enforcement
OF law and order" which in essence means
the blood of the workers. Thugs are Sc
cured from every den of the underworld,
weapons of destruction are placed in their
hands, and in conjunction with the police
they rush to the scene of demonstration for
improved living conditions and there the
strikers have to face an attack of guns.
bayOnets and tear gas.
In some places minneapolis for in
stancel, these murderous gunner are beat
en- back, but not the press. With immunity
it howlS the louder for the intervention of
state troops. The workers., unarmed, can
not resist force whose mission in life is
to destroy life at the behest of their mont
Cd rulers, and under these conditions they
are forced back to suffer the same iniust:c-
es. Occasionally some concessions are won.
But does the press let up on its campaign 2
Not so. The frame-up on the leaders of
worklngclaSs demonstrations is plastered
all over the front pages of the big dailies
Of the country. The lust of persecution is
not stated and the courts are again forwarn-
ed when these leaders are brought to trial
on framed-up charges. A study in the case
OF Tom Mooney and Billings and Norman
Mini and many others will reveal the blood
SIAAOh IAAebb SA1oIS USIW66n the press
and the corrupt courts of the state of Cali
fornia.
And in addition to the efforts of the big
dallles we have to consider the role PLAYED
ny our rural weekly newspapers. Taking
their line from the larger pack they "yip''
and 'yowl" about the menace to our sacred
institutions whatever they may be. The
same unsated blood-lust is in evidence, but
they lack the ability of their big brothers
IN the cities to set the mobs in motion a.
galnst the farmers. They do, however,
IKE to display their full-blown ignorance
Now and then you viii hear the remark es-
pecially when the workers in the CITY have
gained the sympathy of the masses against
their oppressors, 1T Is a shame that these
manufacturing concerns do not move into
our town (any town win do for an examplel
where they could carry on their business IN
peace and pay big. dividends and wages -
Such vQnnQPfnU ohaVxym n