Montana labor news., 1936-04-30


in Butte On Tuesday, April 18th. He
Arrived Over the Oregon Shortline
at 10 O'Clock A. M. and Left on the
Milwaukee for Missoula at 12:14 P.
M. He Spoke at Whitefish Tuesday
Evening.
A delegation of socialist and union
men, besides representatives Of the
daily papers, met him at the station
when the train pulled in. A few NOM
ents were spent, sitting in the depot,
in which he summed up his opinions
OF the conditions throughout the coun-
try and Of the impressions that he re-
ceived at various places on his tour.
Mr.. Thomas is a large man, but not
stout. He must be nearly 200 pounds
in weight and is over six feet in height,
rather gray, and a trifle pale. He
shows a fundamental knowledge of all
Of the outstanding events OF the coun-
try and also Of many minor activities
which would pass c the head Of the
usual observer. His actions denote a
very active mind and an active physical
body. His nature is one OF kindness
tingued with hostility to a capitalistic
system, that brings so much misery and
woe unto the common people of the
nation. His views in regards to capital
istic recovery are not very sanguine.
In one Of his cript utterances, the
famous leader said, The old deal fail
ed; the new deal is failing, and unless
we change and organize, we are head
ed for fascism or war. In spite OF all
the abuses of Roosevelt by big business
there has been a tremendous growth of
concentration and it is still going on"
In speaking Of the conditions in Cali
@fornia, Mr.. Thomas said, IS per cent
OF the very fertile valley lands is cor
poration farmed, thanks to foreclosures
and the use Of machinery" He seemed
to have less use if possible for the
Republicans than for the Democrats,
as he remarked, "The Republicans have
nothing to say, nothing worth listening
to and are in for a licking. The hous-
ing program also received a jolt in that
he described it as being three years
late and entirely inadequate Mr..
Thomas continued, Some say that the
Democrats have stolen our thunder,
we advocated many years ago the
things that they are partially doing
now" 81 would ike to see a coali-
ton" Mr.. Thomas remarked, referr-
ing to the combination of the farmer,
labor, communist, socialist compact.
Asked what he thought of Mr.. Sin
clair's plan, he did not seem to favor
it because he felt that nothing could be
achieved by trying to ride to victory
on the backs of either OF the old part
les such as was tried in California
under the Epic plan. In this connec-
ton, also he felt that production for
use for the unemployed, as advocated
down there, is o comprehensive
enough. He felt that production for
use should not be limited to the I'M
employed but should be universal.
The death of Mr.. Shoemaker and the
floggings which accompanied the kid
mapping at Tampa, Florida, Of Social
lists, some months ago, came in for Bit
ter rebuke as also other violations OF
civil liberties throughout the country.
Since January 1st l have been on
trips which took me to Florida, the
middle west, the south and south west
and | am now on my way East. From
a three weeks trip across the contin-
ent, these things stand out
Profits are up, and business condi-
tions are up, wages have stood still
and employment practically still. In
the end Of February this year, there
were SO per cent as many men em-
ployed in factories of the United States
as on the average in 1923 and 1925.
After this with the growing burden OF
debt, and we are headed straight for
a new and disastrous depression which
may perhaps be preceded by initiation.
Civil Liberties are losing ground. Our
workers should get together to fight
for them. Such situations as the slow
dragging Mooney case, the terror in
the cotton country, in Alabama and
Arkansas, the murder in Tampa, Flor
ida and the long continued military
law in Indiana, only recently suspend
ed, and SO en-.
Foreclosures and the coming Of
machinery, are increasing corporation
or large scale farming in the cotton
country, in the fruit and vegetable
country the west coast and elsewhere.
There is a healthy growth Of demand
for a general Farm and Labor party
which however | do not think will be
brought about prior to the 1886 cleo
ton, because Of the intention, which
I think is dangerously mistaken, OF
prominent trade u~nioists supporting
Roosevelt. Defeat the Republicans
that is like voting for Wilson, because
he kept us out Of war.
From what I have seen in the coun-
try, I think that Socialists are ready
to enter a coalition with the Farm and
Labor party but in the meanwhile are
getting ready for a real campaign.
This year as never before, we need to
learn that it is not a new or old deal
but new system that is our hope.
| want to congratulate the workers
of Butte for the immense organization
progress they have made since my last
visit.