Montana labor news., 1936-09-10
UNIONS CELEBRATE NATIONAL DAY
AT The FAMOUS COLUMBIA GARDENS

COMMENCING In lily dltCl llsOO
o'clock under a warm and kindly
sun, the Labor Day celebration,
planned by the Silver Bow Trades
and Labor Council, went on to its
conclusion without a hitch and to
the genuine enjoyment of nearly
5000 men, women, and children at
Columbia Gardens, Monday, Sept.
9th.
The committee in charge of the
sports program tried to arrange the
events so that there would be a
large element of fun and laughter,
and the outcome of their efforts
was very gratifying. The slipper
kicking contest for the women &C.
casioned the most comedy, and many
a joke and banter took place in a
contest in which the ome were
throwing rolling pins at a dummy.
The back to back race for the boys
also proved a comical event. The
horse shoe pitchers pitched bravely
on for several hours, even extending
the contest after all the other events
had finished. The American Legion
team and the Columbia Squires put
up a very interesting exhibition of
baseball which helped to put a lot
of color and interest into the picnic.
SPEAKERS WERE INTERESTING
A perfect system of simplifying
the voice of the speakers aided in
the general interest which was
shown in this part of the program.
Paul Erler was chairman of the
speaking.
He first introduced Mayor Charles
Hauswirth. Mr.. Hauswirth made a
very able talk. Carl Christensen,
secretary Of the Missoula Trades and
Labor Council was next introduced.
MIR. Christensen spoke of the need
of better and stronger labor organ
izations, and showed that labor I'M
ions are a constructive part of ths
social fabric of the nation. Butte
unions were fortunate in having a
man of this calibre to speak for
them.
Ed. O'Byrne, Montana's Labor
Commissioner, followed Christen-
sen in a Is minute talk in which he
packed facts and figures that should
be a lesson to every member of the
audience and a guide to their thou
ghts and conduct during this criti-
cal period Of the breaking down of
an old order. MIR. O'Byrne called
attention to some of the ways in
which labor is being displaced in
industry and stated statistics which
illustrate this subject very clearly.
He pointed to a portion of a report
released by the Department of La
Dor, Washington, d. c., which stat
ed among other things that produc-
ton in twenty different manufact-
uring establishments in the United
States had been stepped up go per
cent within two years, and during
the same time the number of peo-
pie employed in the same twenty
industries had been reduced by over
100000. He also quoted Professor
Tugwell of the Department of Agri-
culture, Washington, D. c., who re-
Gently stated that the number Of
people required in 1885 to produce
a certain amount of goods was 20
per cent below the number requir-
ed to produce the same amount of
goods in 1929. O'Byrne also quot
ed General Johnson, who in speak
ing on the same subject stated that
40 per cent fewer people were re-
quired to produce the same amount
of goods in 1886 than were requir-
ed in 1929. He pointed out that
even if General johnson was exag-
gerating and Professor Tugwell be
a little too conservative, that we
might take 80 per zen as the more
probable figure. 1t would mean that
where 100 people had been employ
ed in 1929, in 1886 only 10 per cent
of these people were employed.
GOLD MADE A GOOD TALK
Douglas Gold, Superintendent of
Schools, surprised not only the cas-
ual union member but also those
that call themselves leaders of the
trade union movement when he re-
marked that he had long been a
member of organized labor. MIR.
Gold clearly showed his understand
ing OF the philosophy of the trade
union movement in his talk, parti-
cularly in the sentiments express
ed by him relating to methods that
should be employed henceforth in
giving all young folks equal oppor-
tunities for education, either in ele-
mentary schools, High Schools or
Colleges. In his talk he also show
ed himself as being highly in favor
of adult education. The trade I'M
ion movement has quite an adequate
conception of the value of the adult
education programs but there is
much to be done yet.
The Silver Bow Trades and Labor
Council again expresses its sincere
appreciation to the following mer-
chants who SO generously and sin
cerely ~cooperated with the unions
in their Labor Day picnic.