Montana labor news., 1936-04-09
MURRAY CAN DIDATE
FOR FULL TERM

ARRNNA1Af GNA1NH
Montana's junior representative in the
Upper House Of Congress, today an
~nounced that he would be a candidate
for reelection for the full six year term
at the Montana primary election July
10Th. Murray, who worked in the Butte
mines SO years ago, has risen to a prom
inent place in Montana affairs. He was
elected two years ago to fill the un-
expired term of the late famed Senator
Thomas J. Walsh.
The Senator indicated that he hoped,
if Congressional affairs permitted, to
make a hurried trip to Montana with
in a few weeks to personally file his
nominating petition.
Murray has been especially active in
behalf of liberal legislation and has
taken part in committee and floor ac-
tivities in behalf of labor, social, and
advanced economic legislation. His an
nouncement followed several days Of
conferences with national labor leaders,
farm heads, and social security spon-
sors.
The junior Montana Senator's rise to
prominence in the Capitol has been
phenomenal. He capped two years OF
untiring committee and floor work by
being named a short time ago acting
floor whip in place of the veteran j.
Hamilton Lewis of Illinois during the
%latter's temporary absence from the
Capitol. Never before has this post OF
being second in command of the ma
iority party membership been given a
"first termer". He holds membership
in four important Senate Committees
Foreign Relations, Education and La
Dor, Public Lands and Surveys, and
Post Offices and Post Roads.
Indicative of the former lawyer
miners standing with his Senate col
leagues was the fact that in his first
year he was named to membership in
two special Committe es-the Committee
to investigate the production, transpor-
tation. and marketing of wool, and the
committee to study the Railroad Re-
tirement System. Such distinction is
almost never granted a Senate member
in his first year. Murray's activity,
along with that OF his colleague, SEN
ator Wheeler, has given Montana front
rank in Senate Councils.
Murray is earnest, a hard worker,
and has earned the regard of his col
leagues on both sides. He and his wife
do not take active part in the numer-
II social functions that mark Wash
ington life. Instead, he has kept his
nose to the legislative grindstone ever
since his arrival in Washington, setting
records by never missing a roll call on
a major vote, V missing a meeting
of any of his four committees, having
been uniformly more successful than
any of his first year colleagues in main
tanning close contact with the various
Federal bureaus and departments and
thus securing breaks" for his State.
It was this cordial relationship that
has brought him the rating in Govern
ment Departments as a most vigorous
worker for Montana. Time and again
he has secured additional FERA and
WPA allotments for his state had or
ders revised which barred relief to
Montanans in certain cases; and his
persistent efforts in Washington ac-
count for extensive water conserva-
ton development which will, he feels,
prove a boon to Montana's agriculture.
Eastern n%ewspapermen have written
feature stories about his early life in
the Butte mining camp. His rise has
been used by Capitol writer's as an
analogy OF the possibilities of the West.
"Jim" Murray became "aces" with them
when, questioned for stories relating
to the Helena earthquakes, he explain
ed that for Montanans to share their
wherewithal with those in difficulty was
the expected thing to do and nothing
to write stories about.
Murray's statement announcing his
candidacy was short. I'm let my re-
cord speak for ITSELF, he told news
paper men who cornered him coming
off the Senate floor. "If the home
folks think I've done right, they'll sent
me back here again" To the Capito
correspondents who are accustomed tC
receiving a long statement of "princi'
pies and detectives" the Montanan''
simple announcement was news.
Among important legislation tina
Murray voted for were the various
farm measures designated to aid thu
farmer, the Veterans Bonus bill, tn,
Wagner Labor Relations Act, the CUT
fey Bituminous Coal bill, the Railroad
Retirement legislation, the bill reducing
interest on Federal Farm Loans, tn
Work Relief bill, and the new Sol
Conservation Act. He is rated a liberia
progressive in Senate Councils.
The Senator is the father Of six sons
One is a student at the Montana Schoc
Of Mines in Butte, a second will grad
uate this June from the University Q
Montana Law School, a third is work
ing on a New York newspaper, a fourt
is a practising attorney in San Fran
cisco, a fifth is a pre-medical studer
at the University Of Michigan, and tn
sixth attends a Montana High Schoo
The Senator's wife is a native Of tn
South and was educated in Washing
ton, d. c. She has lived in Montan
for t~hirty-six years and has a wild
circle OF friends throughout the Stat