Montana labor news., 1935-08-22
MORE ABOUT THE
HIGHWAY PATROL

nlUH TAlAUL
The Highway Patrol law of Oregon
had a clause in it that the patrol musi
not be used for strike-breaking pur-
poses. However, when the seamen and
longshoremen were on strike last year.
THE patrol was used to prevent picket
ing.
The recent session OF the Oregon
legislature repealed the section of the
Highway patrol law which prohibited
the patrol being used for strike-break-
ing purposes, and amended the law SC
that the patrol can be used in Oregon.
in times oil strike, the same as the reg
ular militia. This amendment is now
IN full force and effect in Oregon.
The patrol in Oregon is now equipp-
ed with sawed-oif shotguns and tear
gas bombs to be used in breaking UP
picketing in times OF strikes. The pa
troll has been very busy in Oregon dur
ing the recent strikes of sawmill and
lumber workers.
10 overcome some OF the objections
OF Montana organized labor against
the patrol the legislators favoring the
patrol law amended it by inserting the
following
Provided that such highway pa
trolmen shall have no authority and
are expressly forbidden to make
arrests in labor disputes or in
preventing violence in connection
with strikes, and shall not be per-
mitted to perform any duties
whatever in connection with la
Dor disputes, strikes or boycotts,
and shall not be permitted to N
gregate or act as a unit in one
county to suppress riots or pre-
serve the peace
Any future legislature has the power
to amend the Highway Patrol law BY
repeating the foregoing section
The question arises: How far
would such a section get in the courts
The patrolmen, under orders from
the governor, could be used for strike
breaking purposes the SAINT as they
have been used in other states, and
who is to prevent it? Organized labor
knows from past experience that when
it comes to using force to break strikes
there is no such thing as law and or
der.
The highway patrol is a peace and
semi-mihtary organization that can be
used at any time corporate interests
desire, to break strikes and smash the
heads OF pickets, And that is that
What happened in Wisconsin-La-
Follette's state-when the milk strike
took place? The highway patrol men
smashed the farmers picket linel
The same thing happened in other
states when the Farm Holiday declared
a strike on the delivery of farm pro-
duce,
What happened in Minnesota, when
the truck drivers were on strike? The
highway patrol men were on the job
fighting the truck drivers the same as
they fought the milk strike in Wis
consin,
There will be a convention OF high
way patrol commissioners held in
California during the early part Of
October, This convention is for the
purpose Of deyising ways and means
to carry on propaganda to have the
legislatures Of the various states pass
uniform highway patrol laws SO that
the patrol law OF the various states will
be in harmony with each other. We
can expect that the next session Of the
Legislature OF Montana will have a bill
introduced to make the Montana patrol
law as vicious as any nov in existence.
Two members OF the Montana high
way commission are authorized to at
the convention at the expense Of
Montana taxpayers.
Government By Commission.
The Highway Patrol Commission are
making rules and regulations for own
ers Of automobiles to conform to. By
what constitutional authority has the
commission the power to do this?
None whatever.
Like all bureaus the Highway Patrol
Commission will become autocratic and
d%ictatorial. It will issue orders and
the patrolmen will enforce them.
For example A patrohman made the
owner of a car parade up and down
the white line in the center OF the
highway to ascertain whether or not
he was sober.
By what authority has any patrol
man the power to- order any citizen &c
walk along a white line on the high
way?
By what authority has a patrolman
The power to order the owner of a car
vacate his car so that the patrol
nan can run the citizens car up and
the highway, in order that the
nonkey-wrench mechanic might satisfy
himself that the car was equipped with
The might OF bureaucracy
md Dictatorship gives the patrolman
he power.
Free and iberty-loving voters will
ign the petition for q referendum on
he patrol law.
-Rv TOM nTNWIDDTE