Montana labor news., 1936-05-07
Gov. Holt Refuses To
Protect Montana labor
Condones Importation of Labor.
(By L. C. DENAYEJ9 esident)
Yellowstone Trades Labor
Assembl =


ported? v
Is it true that nor Holt has
been informed OF II dation and has
refused to take act stop such i'm
portation OF labo The answer to
these questions is 5.
Labor is now coming into the state
from North Dakota, California, New
Mexico, and perhaps other states to
work in the sugar beet fields adjacent
to Billings.
This situation is taking place today
and yet our Governor is serving big
business when he lightly dismisses the
subject with the statement that Mon
tana labor is getting the preference
Holt's Commissioner of Agriculture,
A. P. Bruce, was sent to Billings to in
vestigate and after comforting with the
| Sugar Company officials he reported
to Holt, "Rumors beet workers being
imported not the true facts Billings
Gazette, April "a, 1880
1t is very easy to prove that Bruce's
report is false, it is not difficult to show
| that the Governor knows it is false by
drawing conclusions from Hollis sub
sequent statements. thereafter partly
quoted.)
What Are the Facts?
First, let us reproduce a true copy OF
a hand-bill printed in SPANISH now
before us that has been scattered
throughout Spanish and Mexican set
Elements in New Mexico and Cahfor-
MIA. Il is translated as follows
"Many Mexican families are
needed in states of Montana and
Wyoming to work in the beet
fields. The wages for this work
are as follows;
Blocking and thinning, $3.50 per
acre.
First hoeing, $3.50 per acre.
Wedding, S1.5O per acre.
Topping (12 ton per acre., rs
cents ton, net.
Topping leach additional ton
above l2), go cents ton, net.
Moving of families from here to
farm is free to all workers, also
board. Shipment will be made the
18th of April and later. For
further information and registra-
ton see the Employment Agency:
1872 N. Main Street
Los Angeles, Calf.
Telephone No. Mutual 1876
Robert Beach Agent"
CETONTn 4ba Crao+ NMaetar, C,,ro-
Company recently sent a representative
to North Dakota to employ Russians
for the beet fields.
These two facts should be sufficient,
BUT II
THIRD, the further fact is that
shipments Of beet labor have recently
arrived, and are NOW arriving in
Billings from California and New Mex
leo. Any fair and reasonable investi-
cation will prove this statement to be
true. Governor Holt admits it.
FOURTH, the final proof OF the
statement Of Mr.. Holt himself, taken
from a press dispatch in the Billings
Gazette, April "a, 1886, is as follows:
Governor Holt said he had in mind
a plan that would require labor agen-
cies that import laborers from outside
to deduct sufficient money from the
workers pay-check to transport them
back to where they came from at the
end Of the beet harvest. WE ABB
SOLUTELY ARE NOT GOING TO
ALLOW. ANY IMPORTED LABOR
ERS TO BECOME PERMANENT
WARDS OF MONTANA" he EN-
phasized.
# the Governor is taking steps to see
that beet labor is exported when the
harvest is over, it is obvious that he
not only KNOWS, but that he CON
BONES its Importation, ever though
it deprives Montana citizens OF a job.
Further evidence should be unneces-
sary.
What Is Behind 1t?
The Great Western Sugar Company
OF Billings is behind this importation
Of labor. They plan on importing 1,500
laborers to work at the starvation
wages offered which is BELOW THE
INCOME OF THOSE ON RELIEF.
The fact is that the present ~organiza-
ton Of sugar beet labor will not work
for the starvation wages offered Of
$21. so per acre. And because Montana
citizens will not work for such a wage,
outside labor-women and children
will be brought in to displace them.
Our W citizens can stay Oh relief or
WPA.
Wages Offered-$30.80 Per Month.
The circular reproduced offers $21.50
per acre. The average new worker
can handle 81 acres. 1t requires about
OF months time to complete the job,
Hence the average worker will make
$204.25. If two members OF a family
work it means S40S.50. After the sea-
son is over there is but little demand
for the labor in other channels. Hence
they must earn enough during the beet
season to keep them during the re-