The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1936-02-21
BY ROGER S. MURRAY
's Producers News
Helena Correspondent

Since the crash of October,
1929, a new POLITICAL game has
come to life in America-and that
Is the game of handling relief.
The game is played strongly in
Montana; since one out of every
four residents are on relief or re-
lief jobs, and like everywhere else
the gentlemen who deal out the
relief are for the most part luna
tics. do not use the word luna
tic maliciously, / use it literally
and to substantiate the statement
shall proceed to present few
high spots in relief history and its
political implications. ------
Recently we have had foisted
upon US new governor. Senator
Elmer Holt by name and who.
gives as his residence Miles City.
Workers and farmers are asking:
What kind of man is he? Is he
with US or with the bosses? Why
all this stink In the relief admin
istration since he became COVER
nor? What did he do and how did
he function when he was on the
relief commission and what does
he look ike2 @t'''.s -.@
Well since the last question ap-
pears to be the least important of
all let US proceed with it. If we
were to judge the governors APP
pearance by the corporation press
we would indeed be in a fog. For
example, / have before me q cor
poratiOn paper. see a cartoon Of
an old time westerner, q buck
aroo, a bull-whacker, over his bow
legs hang pair of chaps, on his
feet are high-heeled boots, on his
hips two guns and hanging tilted
precariously on the big empty
head is a ten-gallon hat, this they
would have US believe is the gov
ernor, which is not at all true. He
is a well groomed, well-fed, fat,
middle-aged gentleman who is not
a cowboy at all, but a land agent
for the tax-evading Northern Pa
cific railroad. Living lazy life he
is in the best of health but might
suffer a bit from dromomania
politically.
In his first breath upon land.
ing in the governors chair he as
sured US that politics would have
nothing to do with relief, and in
the next kicked up merry hell fol
new relief commission. He ther
told us he would appoint non
political relief commission, so hE
proceeded to appoint Charles P
Nevin, former mayor of Butte anC
former democratic central com
mitteeman of Silver Bow county
chairman Of the body. Mr.. Nevin
let it be understood has a pro
found respect for the Anaconds
Company. In q voice eight times
as loud against politics in relief
the new wearer of the guberna
torial ermine appointed Hon. Geo
rye P. Mason of Helena, thre'
time representative from Lewis 1
Clark county to membership o.
the commission. During all Of th
three terms in the legislature MI
Mason never once voted agains
the bosses. This is the non-politi
cal committee? Der Herr Mo-
Jesul
The latest proclamation fror
the governor is that we will hav
a working man relief administrs
tor. DR.. Joe Watson who solve
the crisis via the mattress factor
has been named but not OK'C
Nor will he be. At present the pol
itical wiseacres are combing Cd
state for a workngman lous
enough to fit in with the ganl
Up to date they have not foun
him. You may be sure, he will NJ
be Of the overall and callouseC
hand type when they do. Whe
they get him his salary will b
$4,000 per month.
The new governor and his n
lief commission met for the fir
time on the afternoon Of Feb.
At the present writing no one O
relief has suffered indigesttc
from over eating.
What did he do and how did !
function when he was on the n
lief commission While on the II
lief commission Mr.. Holt had q
reputation Of being q big-hearte
good-natured, happy-go-luclEy 81
plug that would give the relic
office TO the corporations IL the
asked for Il. It 10 rumored that !
was one Of that devil may cal