The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1936-03-27

aCOr wheeler mad sacrificed the III
terests Of the public by voting t
lease the Flathead Power site t
the Montana Power Co., and hoy
he had violated the laboring man.
confidence by recommending tn
appointment of Ray Hart as WPL
Administrator for Montana, there
by causing labor in this stat,
much trouble and requiring labo
men and organizations to carry OF
n unceasing struggle to secure
justice under the WPA admin
stration.
"8HAM BATTLE" OVER
HARRIS APPOINTMENT
In this issue l shall expose the
"sham battle" of Senator Murray
In his PROGRESSED attempt t.
prevent Harris confirmation, why
the "sham battle" was staged, and
some OF the steps that labor found
it necessary to take before Hart
was finally eliminated.
When labor organizations dis
covered that President Roosevelt
had, on the recommendation of
Wheeler, sent Harris name to the
Senate for northumberland ap-
pointments require the confirma-
ton of the Senate almost every
labor organization in the state
Immediately entered a protests
against Hart receiving the appoint
ment.
Senator Murray, the reader will
recall, was elected for the short
term to fill the vacancy caused by
the death of Senator Walsh. Con-
sequently Murray must come up
for reelection in 1885.
Now Senator Murray would need
quite a number of votes in 1896 if
ne were to be elected and since the
labor vote is large in Montana,
here was a good opportunity to Sc
cure them by staging a sham bat
tie on the confirmation Of Ray
Hart. It may even be possible
that the strategy had been planned
jointly by Wheeler and Murray to
give Murray this opportunity. At
any rate it was announced in the
papers that Murray would oppose
Harris confirmation and the labor
press of Montana gave Murray
several columns of good advertis-
ing (free) as a result.
However when Harris name came
up for a vote in the Senate, Sen
ator Murray's sole contribution to
the debate was "Mr. President. |
object"
/ have termed this a sham hat
tie for that is the only manner in
which it can be adequately de-
scrlbed, for this reason: Senator
Murray is certainly familiar with
the rules Of the United States
Senate and he therefore knows Tor
II ne does not he should not be in
the Senate) that one Senator by
lew words can absolutely prevent
the confirmation of any nominee.
There is a rule of the United
States Senate (unwritten) which
IS termed the courtesy rule, which
IS that If one member of that body
rises to his feet and says: "Mr.
PRESIDENT, the nominee is per-
sonally objectionable to me-" chat
nomination, no matter how desir.
able will not be confirmed.
All then, that Senator Murray
heed to have done to prevent the
confirmation of Hart as WPA adj
nlnlstrator was to have said 'Mr.
PRESIDENT, because of the non1i-
lees attitude toward labor in Mon
ana, he is personally objection
Ible to me-" Just seventeen words J
md laboring men and organiza-
ions would have been saved manv (
nJustlces and months of struggle S
Which was necessary before Hart
inally decided that his retail bust ]
less required his immediate at {
ention." t
You may ask why all the elaD.
rate hullabaloo in the newspapers
nd the eulogies of Murray in the 7
abor press, and / answer that this
7as just another method of fool
1g the public, allowing Murray to
ose as friend and benefactor of
aDor and incidentally round up
nough labor votes to send him
ack to the Senate so that he can t
Dol the public some more. t
AT any rate Hart was confirmed G
nd Immediately labor's troubles 3
yer wage scales and conditions \
egan to make their appearances s.
ne scale in Butte was reduced
ON ~ cents per hour on COM Il
on labor to 6715 cents under the
PA. The scale IN Musselshell 81
'unty was reduced from 621s t