Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1937-04-01
GETTING DOWN TO
"BKASS
THE RABBLE ROUSER

OF more concern by far to "sit-
down strikers" In WPA ranks than
any possible increase In pay is the
moral influence of racketeering bull
lies and unprincipled propagandists
who, with their soap-box appeals,
lead unsuspecting unfOrtunates In
marches such as the one that
brought some h~undred-ffty strikers
to the headquarters of the Montana
Public Welfare board in Helena. II
was the unexpected privilege OF the
writer to witness this demonstra-
ton, as we happened to be in the old
Jewish synagogue NOW the home of
the state welfare activities) at the
time. The secretary to the admins
traitor had no more than finished
telling our delegation about a recent
similar occurrence when word flashed
through the halls, Here they
GOMEZ"
The march had been timed for ar
rival at the headquarters while the
new board. just recently appointed
by the governor, was gathered for
its opening session with Mr.. Brand
jord, the new administrator. Head
quarters had been clipped off" So.
two uniformed members of the city
police force were on hand early
'just in case" Even a few gas
bombs were made available. Both
front and back doors were closely
guarded. Even before the demon
strators' arrival. admittance could
only be gained after proper identi-
fication and permission from some.
n of authority. 1t vas really hard
to reconcile ones self to such a sit
uatiOn, but In response to any sur
prised inquiries, we are promptly re
minded that the experience of a few
weeks before had forced the admin
istrative group to be on their guard
against any such recurrence.
The procession marched down the
street behind chattering leaders and
with a determined step. There was
no band; the crowd was orderly and
gave no impression of belligerency
With banners interspersed through
its ranks, the procession reminded
o%nlookers of typical MAY day" pa
rades in New York. They bore such
inscriptions as I'VE Want Jobs-Not
Relief" (most Of them had been
working on WPA projects in the city
of Great Falls-idle now only
through their w choosing). "Tur.
key for CCC; Liver pate for U.s.
Pension fo4 outage, .-ot d Dole
(half the crowd vas under twenty
most of the other half under forty
"6-Hour Day" (Which would prob.
ably be about five hours too many
for the Captains Repeal the
Crime Syndicalism'-(wonder how
many of the $50 knew what thi.
meant don't;) and on the hat:
and other wearing apparel of prac-
tically every one, the golden, gilt
tering label, Back the Sit-Dowr
S~trikersl" More than half the grouI
were mere children, many of then
in their teens-too young to under
stand what they were there for. A!
they ~congregated on the front step!
of the building the administrator:
secretary, a fearless and capable
Irish girl with four years experience
in her present position, was sum
moned. She went outside to tall
with the spokesman, listened pa
tiently and ~courteously to their de
mands. They wanted to see ths
board" They were firmly told tina
a committee of three would be per
mitted to enter and present theil
cases to the board by appointment
demonstrations for a greater num-
Der brought no compromise. Final
ly, after about three hours of peace
full siege a conference with the ad-
ministrator and his board, a similar
visit to the old high school building
where WPA was housed, demobiliz-
alton was effected, and with trans
portation given back to Great Falls
the strike" was over.
A racket? one need no more than
look into the records of some of the
leaders and spokesman of the grouI
to find the answer. Ray Gray, one oil
the champions, who halls from
Great Falls, we were informed, was
a walking delegate for the Team,
STEERS union, and received a check
every month from Communist head
quarters in New York city. Sounds
like old times, doesn't it?) And, on
top of that, he was being paid $135
a month by PWA as a skilled labor
er. Joe Gray, probably a brother
was another one of the rabble rous.
ers. He was a walking delegate
for the Painters union, although II
had been impossible for him to
pass the examination" required for
a journeyman painter on several
tests. Otto Reddig, another leader
had certainly been a strong bene-
ficiary from the medical department.
of FERA. His wife had had five OPP
erations in three years." probably
sort O. like the whether you need
ii or not" monthly bath. All her
children too had shared in the pro-
Continued on page five)