Montana labor news., 1936-01-30
UNITED STATES SENATE
January 10th, 1886

UNITED STATES SENATE
January 10th, 1886
Mr.. Harry J. Crimes, Secretary,
Silver Bow Trades and Labor Council,
Butte, Montana,
|Dear Mr.. Grimes:
l have your letter reaffirming the ac-
ton of your Council re 80 hour bill. l
am pleased to support this bill and you
may be sure that | will, as in past, keep
my promises.
| note that your Council has also
gone on record requesting my support
of the Townsend Old Age Plan. In an
swer I wish to say plainly, and without
any beating around the bush, that |
am for any old age pension plan which
Labor, as an organization, will endorse
and support after having given it a fair
and adequate study and analysis.
| have always regarded the enact
ment OF a sound and adequate Old Age
Pension Plan as the most important
question before the country. II Or
gained Labor, with its ability through
its experts and economists, will thorou-
ghly analyze the Townsend Plan and
approve it, | am sure that it will re-
ceive general support in the country.
| advocated in my primary campaign
the necessity of enacting an adequate
Old Age Pension System to relieve the
country OF the serious unemployment
conditions which have developed, as
well as doing belated justice to the old
people who had performed their full
duty in the ranks of workers.
In my judgment it is absolutely es-
sential from every standpoint ~ to re-
move from the ranks of toll those who
by reason of advanced age have lost
efficiency and ability to work and who
are entitled TO a generous measure Of
security in their old age; ~ to make
room for the millions Of young folks
who for sometime have been finding it
impossible to make a start in life; and
80 to aid in stimulating the return of
prosperity.
The Townsend Plan, involving an
appropriation for pensions, must orig
mate in the House and pass there be-
fore it can be acted upon in the Senate.
1t is being debated in the house now
and may have some changes in it be-
fore reaching here; but it is in the
House where action must be first had.
The Townsend Pension Plan has been
conceived and worked out by men of
the highest integrity and sincerity. Ii
may be necessary to amend it in some
particulars to overcome legal obstacles
after it has been carefully analysed. 1t
is only fair that labor should take moth
ling for granted and that it should scru-
tinize with the greatest care every law
which has such far-reaching effects, es-
p%ecially laws, the financing Of which
must necessarily fall upon the backs
of labor.
l think that labor is in a position to
be Of great help in solving this problem
which is gripping the minds of the peo-
pie. The National Labor Organizations
nave CApSllS, GSDllOllllSkSt dCkudllCS anu
st%atisticians, who are competent and
capable OF studying this question and
helping to solve it in the real interest
and welfare Of the masses. Person
ally, | will pledge my support to any
old age pension plan that labor endorses
as sound and workable.
My record is 100 per cent in support
of labor here. l voted for the prevail
ing wage scale against the Administra-
ton; | voted for the bonus and also
voted to override the Presidents veto
on it. | voted for the Wagner Labor
Disputes bill, the Guffey Coal bill and,
in fact, every measure in the interest
of labor, and will continue to support
labor in every measure, including old
age pensions, that comes here which is
in the real interest and welfare of the
workers,
Very truly yours,
TIM