The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1936-05-01
-FOUR GOVERNORS

mas OeI1u1CC4y SoSSSS@A@~@~A ~
clusion" policy some time ago. His
attitude has been somewhat scorn-
full of all labor. This exclusion
policy, however, was not altogether
unfavorable to, or exclusive Of, the
sugar beet industry Of that state,
where they contemplate forcing
so-calIed "reliefers" involuntarlly
into the beet fields.
II Is a matter of record that
Governor Johnson, Of Colorado
last season, threatened the exclu-
sion of the Mexican workers from
the beet fields in the state and
contemplated their deportation to
Mexico. The affair was taken up |
lat the instigation Of the dlssatls-
field beet workers and their orga-
nizations, through the Consular
Dept.) with administration off
Gals of the government OF Mexico.
Gov. Johnson's bluff amounted to
nothing when his departments were
notified that the Mexican govern
ment would retaliate, ian eye for
an eve, etc." by sending back to
the U.S.A. a non-citizen for every
so-calIed alien deported from the
state of Colorado.
Now, 1896, Gov. Johnson has
swung the other way. Untavor-
able publicity has forced him TO
guard the state against INDECENT
! Door and itenerant beet workers.
| Il is not evident yet whether this
authority will be used for the To-
fcal workers or against them.
Governor Holt of Montana is on
the fence and he doesn't know just
which wav to fall. His declara-
tions are FOR the workers; FOR
the farmers, and FOR the Sugar
company. alternatiyely. Concerted
efforts have forced him to sponsor
a statewide investigation under
the auspices of the State Labor
Commission. These efforts have
checked the coalition which was
formed early in the year to force
all reliefers into the beet fields
during the month Of April.
COMPANY WANTS
CHEAP LABOR
Evidence was submitted to these
officials that out Of state laborer'
were being brought in while re
ports recently released by thu
MRS office of Montana show tina
there are 1928 residents Of MnO
tana who are qualified for that
type of work. While the investi
CATION was being made, this Labo
Commission assured the workers
graciously that their demand
were very reasonable and that
everything would be done to gran
them. The same commission ais
assured the farmers that ther
would be no shortage Of labor, a
thew would either get them from
the MRS or the WPA. At tn
same time, the same commissio
was assuring the sugar Interest
that Gin an emergency" the
could import idle wheat farmer
from the Dakotas to aid them
handling the crop. They refer
these Russian German farmer
from Dakota as very dependab
workers. Experience has prove
that this class of people are qui
willing to do a lot of hard wo,
for very little money. When t.
season is over, they either retu
home or are stranded in Montar
Ipenniless.
GOV. Hollis
WISE SCHEME
Gov. Holt has just announc:
that he has devised a schen
whereby workers brought into t
state of Montana would have
sufficient part Of their earning
withheld by the Sugar company
pay their transportation out of
state when the season was owe
thereby avoiding the dumping
non-residents into Montana.
The whole Executive Departing
of Wyoming is up in the air. ]
dirty work in that State is
being done to date by the G
ernor's office. The responsible
for the situation is being assun
, jointly by the State Director
the WPA and the state branch
the MRS.
These groups have called a me
ing for the immediate futI
These agencies propose to M
with the growers and the Su
company officials, to determ
!. what shall be done. However,
Dor was conveniently LEFT o
! Of the conference.
= The State Direction. of the w