Montana labor news., 1936-05-07
May Day Speakers Flay
War And Fascism

Union hall to celebrate MAY first as
international Labor Day. Several
ele%venth-hour upsets. with rain and
threatening skies as the deciding fac
tor, made it necessary to abandon the
announced plans for an open air meet
ing and parade to start from the cor
ner lot at Wyoming and Granite
streets. Alter an announcement there
by Chairman Arvo Fredericton Of the
Miners union and a short talk on
problems Of the Butte unemployed by
Elmer Frederickson of the Public
Works and Unemployed union the men
and women paraded to the hall to hear
speakers.
Donald Mundy, prominent leader in
Miners union activities, was intro
duced by the chairman as first speaker
on the program. Mundy spoke extern
sively Of the problems facing his or
ganization and stated in o general
terms his belief that capitalism was
doomed-could neither operate indus
tries nor furnish work or food to mil
lions of unemployed workers, bank
rupt farmers and small business men.
Further he pointed out that big bust
ness IS turning mere and more to Fas-
cist tactics of union busting, red-bait-
ing and actual organization of terrorist
groups to maintain their control of the
government and rulership over society.
To combat these tendencies and to Sc
cure a more abundant living for the
people who work to produce the ma
tons wealth he urged that the class
struggle be extended to the political
tield-into the very camp OF the bosses.
A political party with an anti-capitalist
program and based in trade unions and
farm organizations with support Of
sympathetic groups is a necessary step
forward and will be a mighty factor in
advancing to a Socialist economic sys-
TEN in America, he concluded.
Reid Robinson, Miners union presi-
dent and next speaker, delivered a
short but forcible appeal for o%rganiza-
ton to fight war and Fascism. He
pointed out that it was entirely pos
sible that Butte miners in their daily
work were digging out bullets that will
be fired at them and their fellow
workers in another war. Because no
single organization, whether labor, re-
ligious or political, can alone cope with
such dreadful possibilities he called
upon all present to join the American
League Against War and Fascism and
by concerted action OF all groups help
drive these twin menaces' to the peo-
pie from the face OF the earth. Rob
inson is a member of the national ex-
ecutive committee OF the League.
To Mayor Hauswirth, who spoke
alter Robinson, the Anaconda Copper
and Montana Power companies are
Public Enemies Number One. Few of
those present to hear his remarks
doubted the sincerity OF his opposition
to their constant bleeding OF the city
and state Of its wealth. By contrasting
the billions in profit taken from the
Butte hill to the poverty stricken con-
dition OF the city and especially the
homes of miners he reasoned that the
company had contributed ne~xt-to-noth-
ing to the community. To the many
w. P. A. workers present his exposure
OF the companies maneuvers to use the
meaghre w, P. A. funds to improve
their property had a special signifi-
canoe. In appearing on TIE May Day
program and declaring himself with
anything progressive" it was generally
felt by an appreciative audience that
he had taken a position to forward for
even many in the labor movement.
Last speaker on the program and
probably the most enthusiastically re-
ceived was William Andrews, Com
munist Party organizer for the state.
Andrews indicted the capitalist system
of economy both locally and nationally.
On them he placed the guilt for wide
spread unemployment and mass SUI
fering. Facts and figures from their
own journals were forcefully presented
as evidence. Locally the Anaconda
Copper Mining Company p~rofited to
the tune Of $58,000,0OO in 1916, On a
national scale; the number OF million
aires and multi-milhonaries trebled
during the war period" he declared.
Following a declaration that the only
way to stop the drive OF profit-hungry
imperialists to another world slaughter
to build a united front Farmer La
Dor party he pledged the full support
OF Communists in the task.
At the close OF the meeting it was
learned that record-smashing turnouts
for May First took place in all the
large cities of the country. May Day
is traditionally a day Of challenge and
demonstration OF working class
strength and unity. 1t is a hopeful
SIGN that Butte, with its militant ira
is coming to know the day as
such and in the future can be counted
on to parade in the streets with thou