Montana labor news., 1937-09-16

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mitted by the dominating interests
controlling the government. The
imminence of working-class action
was an ever present and disturbing
menace to these exploiters. As early
as l845 the Working Mems Associa-
ton of New England adopted a reso-
luton condemning the system under
which they were being ground down.
In their resolution they said;
Whereas, we, the mechanics and
workingmen of New England are
convinced by the sad experience of
years that under the present ar
rangement of society labor is and
must be the slave of wealth; and
whereas, the producers Of all wealth
are deprived not merely of its en-
joyment, but also of the social and
civil rights which belong to human
ity and the race; and whereas, we
are convinced that reform of those
abuses must depend upon ourselves
only; and, whereas, we believe that
in intelligence alone is strength, we
hereby declare our object to be
union for power, power to bless
humanity, and to further this object
resolve ourselves into an associa-
ton"
Efforts at various stages of our
history were made to overcome the
system of exploitation of workers
and consumers prevailing in this
country, but it was not until the
collapse in 1929 that the people of
the Nation were brought to a realiza-
ton of the ruin that threatened the
country unless needed reforms were
inaugurated.
You all know the story of the
depression and the long period of
distress and suffering from which
the country is now gradually emerg-
ing under President Roosevelt and
the New Deal Administration. You
all know the story of the graft, cor
ruption, financial manipulation and
exploitation that took place during
that lush period preceding 1929
which our exploiters called the new
era
In that period the Nation was lit
orally looted and when the crash
came half the population was re-
duced to a state Of actual poverty
and distress, and many millions re-
duced to a state of practical starva-
ton. The Nation was aroused and
demanded a change. The entrenched
rulers Of the country at first denied
any relief and took the position that
the country should 60 through a
period of deflation without any aid
or assistance from the Government
except insofar as it might be rem
dered to the big financial industrial
interests of the country. The theory
being that if prosperity could be re-
stored by enormous loans to the
banking and industrial interests of
the nation, some of the profits there
from would trickle through to those
underneath who would thus be bene-
fitted. The people were not salts
fled. They demanded a new deal.
They threw out the existing gov
eminent and elected President
Roosevelt upon a new deal platform,
a platform of reform and recovery.
They demanded a fair share of the
profits of industry. They demand
ed a wider distribution of the wealth
of the nation; they demanded
economic reforms and social Sc
curity; they demanded a re-
~storation of employment and a
regulation of hours and wages; they
demanded banking reforms and safe
ty for their earnings; they demanded
that Labor should have the right to
organize and bargain collectively by
representatives of their own choos-
ing without interference from en-
ployers, In short, they demanded
that the iron heel Of their e~xploiters
should be taken off the necks of the
workers and farmers of the nation,
and that they should be given a
new deal.
The issue was submitted to the
people in the form of conflicting
political platforms. Franklin Roose-
welt as the candidate of the party
of the people pledged himself and
his administration to give the people
the reforms demanded. Herbert
Hoover as the opposing candidate,
stood by his conservative principles
and platform and defied the people
in their demands for Federal assist
ance and social and economic re-
forms. The country overwhelmingly
elected Franklin D. Roosevelt to the