Montana labor news., 1936-02-13
Of Public
Opinion Challenged
By Townsend Club

In spite Of the intensely cold weather.
there was a good attendance at the
meeting Of Townsend Club No. |, on
February 9Th at the ~"
The principal topic Of discussion was
the poll on the Townsend Plan con-
Quoted by the American Institute of
Public Opinion, and reported in a re-
cent issue Of The Anaconda Standard.
as well as many other newspapers of
the country. In discussing the ques-
ton, different members brought out the
following:
One car but question the fairness of
sending out one or two hundred thou
sand ballots for the purpose of testing
the opinions Of more than one hundred
twenty-five millions OF people in the
United States, or of four hundred bal
lots distributed among the citizens of
Montana. Not one Of the two thou
sand members of the Townsend Clubs
in Butte, so far as can be learned, ever
received or saw one of these ballots, one
hall OF which are supposed to have been
sent by mail and the other half to have
been delivered by personal representa-
tives.
The American Institute of Public
Opinion purports to reflect and report
curren opinion on important questions,
but in reality it seeks to influence and
shape public opinion. The reported
poll on the Townsend Plan is SO mac
curate and SO misleading as to cast
grave doubts upon all the activities OF
the Institute. From all over the
country comes the steady swell of re-
sentiment at the attempt to minimize the
Importance of the Plan in the hopes
and aspirations Of the people. It's pub
lished figures are undoubtedly the re-
suit OF wish thinking" rather than a
serious and honest attempt to achieve
a correct and informative compilation
OF the true or even approximate per
centages.
The claim that only three and eight
tenths per cent of the people of the
country are in favor of the plan is i'm
mediately belied by the fact that in the
fire-proof storage vaults in Los An
geles and Washington, the Townsend
Authorities have petitions carrying sig
natures numbering many times that
percentage. I twas stated in Califor-
MIA only thirteen per cent OF the voters
favor the Plan. One year ago, by ac-
tual count, l,650,000 voters in California
had petitioned Congress to enact the
Plan. Unquestionably the
states Of Washington and Oregon, from
a percentage standpoint, are as strong
as California, with Colorado and Flor
following closely.
In the Third COMPRESSION district in
Michigan, the actual numerical
strength was tested at the polls and
this, after all, is a very much more de-
pendable barometer than anything the
Institute might compile. The result Of
Michigan election indicated seventy
per cent in favor of the Plan, a much
per cent by actual test than the
Institute was willing to give any OF the
Western States where the movement is
Montana has approximately $4,000
Club members and new clubs are being
formed every day. Butte Club No. /
has almost reached its limit Of 1000
members; Club No. 2 is we'll on its way
to the same goal, and Club No. 8 and
4 are increasing their membership
A new Meaderville M cQueen
Club has been formed recently with a
list of officers that insures its stability
and success. New clubs have recently
been formed in Melrose, Twin Bridges,
Whitehall and Walkerville. It is safe
to say that, considering the rapid in
crease in membership of the Townsend
Clubs, and the efficiency that comes
with experience, the results of the 1886
elections will give the Institute good
reason for revising its figures.