Montana labor news., 1937-02-25
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they want TO 90 back to the IL ond IA hours Of the
last century. but that is identicdllY what the House
and Senate ore doing this year. The Senate hos
acted adversely on nearly every progressive mea-
sure thot hos come before them for consideration.
The Senate killed the Department OF Labor measure,
repeal of Pldn No. 2 of the compensation law.
If these men who sit in thdt chamber SO complo-
Gently could only realize what suffering. Whot
trouble. whut deprivation hos occurred to children.
women. widows and men injured in industry
through the sinister operation Of plan 3. it doesn't
seem humanity possible that they would have killed
this measure. To be charitable TO the Senate let
us say thut they didn't understand.
The Senate killed the $2.500.O0 exemption on
homes. and the short train bill that was desired by
the railroad organizations. The Senate killed Sen
ate Bill No. 8. This measure Wds designed to have
utilities submit reports for both rate and tax pur-
poses. 1t was q reasonable measure. it wds q Just
measure.
Looking down from the gallery on to the smooth
working machinery Of the Senate. one is impressed
with the SNUG self-suficiencY of that body. They
seem to have this feeling: | an sitting on top of the
world. | am q great character. If q thought ever
occurred to them about the distress and the dgonY
OF the poor people. it is not noticeable in their de-
l~iberations except with q very few Of them. 1t wds
the Senate that killed the measure providing for
the payment of union scale Of Wdges on all public
works in the state Of Montana. This measure repre-
sented just q little advancement. 1t wouldn't have
hurt anyone severely, it would have increased the
purchasing power of the people, but the heart and
mind OF the middle ages cont see thdt. It is not
necessary to enumerdte any further actions taken
on measures. Those olreddy acted on ore suff-
cient to label the present Montana Senate as one
Of the most reoctiondrY ever to sit in the capitol
building.
The House hos shown flashes of liberulity, but
only flashes. the House killed the Miners 8 hour
collar to collar measure. 1t seems almost incom-
pTehensible, thdt the miners who have created
fabulous wealth for the state of Montana and who
in the redtion of that wealth hove suffered the
dgonizing fortunes Of miners consumption, should
be deprived OF one hour more of sunlight by stupid
and ungrdteful House of Representatives.
A Leopard cont change its spots. yet the people
Of Montana ore still hoping that out Of the wreck
age streWn from one end Of the Capitol building
to the other will be sdlvdged enough liberal leqis-
lation TO purtlY pay for the expenses incurred by
the election ond by the session.
Blind. unreasoning greed caused the depression
Of the last six years. 1t was ~precipituted by IL black
years of governmental low mdking and ddminis-
tration. The some selfish psychology thdt is shown
in the Montana Legislature hos caused the suffer
ing to the common people dnd the embarrassment
and insolvency Of many Of the corporations, but
they 90 blindlY on pulling down the temple wdlls
about their heads.
Important bills ore yet to be considered and acted
upon. including unemployment compensation, qnd
many others. The hope is general thut both the
House and the senate may pdrtidlly redeem ON
otherwise black record by passing these measures.
There ore some splendid and f~orseeing representa-
tives in the House and q few courageous and liberal
members in the Senate; they should notbe forgotten.
-BLEWETT.