Montana labor news., 1936-02-13
Are Opposed
To Construction of
ArmOry Projects

A ring OF steel and DayOnets sur
rounding Butte was the description o.
the proposed construction of armorie.
in the state Of Montana under the
WPA, by one OF the delegates at the
Central Labor body Tuesday night. A
bitter condemnation of the state anc
government agencies responsible fol
the sponsoring and acceptance of these
projects was made. All Central Labor
councils in the state OF Montana will
be notified to oppose the erection Of
these national guard establishments
One of the delegates called the at
tention of the central labor body to ar
article which appeared in the loca.
papers concerning the construction oil
the military buildings and the article
follows:
HELENA, Feb. 10.-(AP)-ApprovaI
Of six civic center and armory projects
designed to house civic and national
guard activities in as many Montana
cities was announced today at Works
Progress Administration headquarters
here as one of the concluding acts OF
the administration Of Ray Hart, retir-
ing administrator.
The buildings will be constructed at
Billings, Helena, Great Falls, Living
ston, Kabspe1l and Glasgow at a total
cost of $365 500.
To insure immediate launching of the
work, a partial allotment of federal
funds has already been made here, Of
ficials said.
Of the total, 1901, 600 will be allo-
Gated from work relief funds, with the
remaining $64,500 supplied as spons-
or's contributions. In addition to CON
tributions in the form of money and
equipment each city furnished the site
upon which the armory is to be erected,
together with the cost of plans, sepci-
fi%cations and architects fees.
With the exception Of the Kalispell
center, which will incorporate a unique
stone and log building OF rustic design,
the building will be modenristic in ap-
pearance. Interiors consist of two
major parts, the armory and the civic
center.
Offices and quarters are to be plas-
tered and the main auditorium finished
in modernistic designs on the rough
concrete, officials said. Indirect light
ing and a Unit heating system will be
included.
The union members OF the state Of
Montana look with apprehension and
hostility to the establishment Of these
buildings. By no stretch OF the imagi-
nation can such enterprises be con-
strued as a means of defense against a
foreign invasion. The consensus Of
opinion is that they are being con
structed to protect the capitalists,
bankers and corporations from contin-
gencies arising through labor conflicts
which may arise in the future, insti-
gated by hunger, unemployment and
bitterness against a horrible system
which permits people to starve, in the
midst OF plenty.
The working people, not only in Mon
tana but throughout the United States,
YES, throughout the entire world have
come to suspicion the motives of their
government in regards to military af-
fairs. So often and over so long a pc
Rod Of time the army and even the
navy have been used TO crush the work
ing people, that now the people have
been taught that no longer are these
units OF government any longer friends
but deadly enemies. Police forces, the
judiciary, the militia, the national guard.
strike breaking agencies, are all CLASH
fled under the same category.
The unions want to know why it Is
necessary to build an armory in every
important city in the state of Montana.
Are those the only projects that can be
built Isn't there some other way in
which this money could be spent ex-
cept to have bayonets pointing their
potential death at humble and law
abiding people that merely ask for part
of the wealth which they have created?