Montana labor news., 1935-03-14
Sam SpiegeI Reports

Sam Spiegel, one of the men who
was endorsed by the Unions of Silver
Bow County last fall and who was
elected to the State Legislature, made
an extensive and exceedingly interest
ing report at last Tuesdays meeting.
MIR. Spiegel stated that Immediately
after the converting of the Session the
Liberal members of the House formed
a lockout of the 102 members in the
House, az of them represented in this
progressive group. He stated hat the
House passed most of the Liberal mea-
sures that were presented but that the
Senate was so reactionary that it killed
every Liberal Measure that was pre-
sented for consideration. The Senate
even double crossed each other in the
election of Holt as presiding officer, in
the last few minutes of the Session.
Some of the measures presented by
the Labor Delegates in the session in
cludes Abolition of Plan ii of the
workmen's Compensation Act; this was
killed in the Senate. Mr.. Spiegel
stated hat President Graham of the
State Federation of Labor cooperated
with the Liberal members in the House
and that all of these labor measures
were presented to Graham for his in
spection and advice. The Labor I'M
ions have tried very often to have this
Plan No. ii killed. 1t is the Insurance
feature of the Compensation Law,
l xsrkarn arnHt~uaa~ ara rwnrrl kbx~rnk
their employer in the Insurance Com
panies. 1t has been the history in these
cases that these Insurance Companies
try to cheat the injured workman out
of his compensation, hat is the rea-
son the Unions want this plan abol-
ished but, while it passed in the House
the rea~ctionary, ~aristrocratic, corpora
tion-ridden Senate killed the measure.
The measure Abolishing Contracts
on Public Works was also killed, and
also the lie increase in the gasoline
tax and House Bill 255 relating to
Mine Inspectors, this also was killed
in the Senate. The measure outlawing
injunctions and yellow-dog contracts,
after it was noticed was referred to the
judiciary committee and redrafted ac-
cording to the Wisconsin Laws, how
ever, it failed to become a law. Some
other measures which were introduced
by the Labor Delegates which failed
to become laws were A~bolishing Taxes
on Property with the Valuation of
$4,000 or less, and a measure to cancel
or abolish all the State Statutes relat-
ing to criminal syndicalism, also one
providing for a moratorium on the pay
ment of the bonded indebtedness Of
municipalities, and a tax on Coal pro-
duced in the strip mines, this was also
killed, and to Legalize Gambling.
Spiegel stated that if this latter bill
had passed it would have provided at
least one million dollars in Revenue.
Mr.. Spiegel also referred to the Liq-
uor Bill which would have provided a
couple million dollars in revenue if it
had passed. Sam said that the Labor
Representatives worked very hard and
were very conciencious in the efforts
to secure some decent legislation, but
that it was simply impossible to over
come the blind, and stupid, reactionary
tactics of the Senate.
Following the report of MIR. SPiegel,
Earl Simmons addressed the Council
and spoke of the efforts Of labor to
get some remedial measures passed
but hat the Senate had too much pow
err; In this connection he paid a COM
pliment to Harry Meyers of Silver Bow
County and said that Harry had gone
down the line for everything that la
Dor wanted.
The one thing that labor should con-
centrate its forces upon for the i'm
mediate future is the total abolition of
the State Senate. This group of Com
pany dominated ~vassals has lone more
to injure labor and to retard it than
all other forces put together. 1t will
take a referendum of s per cent of the
voters of two-fifths of the counties to
bring this matter to the Initiative Stage
However, it doesn't appear to be an
insuperable job and the sooner that
labor ARISES in its power and strikes
or e~xtinguishes this feature out of the
Motnana Constitution the sooner it
will be on the path to it's own liberia
ton.
WASHINGTON. IT, (FP) - Federal