Montana labor news., 1937-07-22

kEENtY MUyI Be REINJlAIED

AS a representative OF the national office OF the American
Federation OF Teachers, l should Like to take this occasion OF
thanking you in behalf of our organization Tor your splendid
story on the keeney case IN the July 10th edition OF the Mon
tana Labor News. Our organization has locals in every part
of the United States which are rapidly being informed OF the
facts connected with this case. Montana will soon again be in
the limeLght of the educational world and its labor movement
is going to stand out-as the labor movement usually does-asI
the first champions of justice and progress.
This case is perfectly clear. A man who has successfully
filled his position for several years, who has won recognition
in his field, who has the respect of his students and colleagues
who has been praised by his administration, takes initiative in
the organization Of a local of the teachers union and is told
the next week that his contract will not be continued. mol
amount Of skill in connecting postfacto lies and SANDERS can
make a case of a situation as clear as that.
AS far as l can tell from the investigation that have made,
there is nothing against MIR. Keeney but his general progressive|
attitude and his attempt to organize teachers. Since progress
slve forces are generally on the march ana since the right to-
organize is recognized by everybody, MIR. Keeneys enemies
have a difficult task before them. They must make it appear
to the public that his union activities and his progressive ideas
had nothing to do with his dismissal But this would not serve
their main purpose of preventing unionization Of teachers if
they failed to make it clear to other teatners at the University
that his dismissal was only due to his union activities. AL
that these enemies can do, then, is to be MISUNDERSTANDING
no public hearing, expunging the records, making it appear
that there are facts that cannot be revealed, etc.
By such a device of .innuendo, they hope to make it appear
to the public that there is something secretly wrong with their
victim which they cannot bring into the open, and at the same
time make it clear to the other teachers-who know Nh. Keeney
who know that such hidden faults do not eXst-that his
dismissal was for union activities.
In striking at the IeacherS Union, the enemies Oh trade
tunionism and progress have a double motivation. In the first
place they think they are striking the labor movement at its
weakest point. They are banking on the prevalent belief that
teachers are by nature shy and retcent and hence the easiest
victims Of intimidation. Th American Federation OF Teachers
is rapidly proving to people that this belief is erroneous. With
the support of organized labor it is going to prove it beyond
dispute to the people of Montana before this Keeney case is
over. The other motivation for attacking the teachers, is that
the reactionares recognize that the successful unonization of
teachers is going to prove one of the strongest weapons in the
hands of the labor movement. They know that one of the
strongest instrumentalties in the hands of reaction is the sup
preston Of facts. They know that the strength and independ-|
.ence that teachers will feel once they are organized with other
workers, will naturally allow them to teach the truth. Once
the unbiased, objective truth is taught in our schools, our edu-
cational system can no longer serve the forces of reaction as it
has SO long in the past.
Reaction in Montana could have chosen no better person
that Phillip 0. Keeney to serve the above ends. Probably more
than anyone else in Montana educational circles, he has stood
for progressive scientific education; education that is tied up
organically with the current historical problems that he knows
his students will be faced with on leaving school. Further
more, he did more than just teach, according to this doctrine
he took the unforgivable step Of trying to make such a type of
teaching permanently possible for his colleagues. To do this
he took the only step he knew OF, which is the only step there
is. He took the initiative in organizing a local Of the American
Federation of Teachers at his institution. A week later he was
notified that his contract for the following years would not be
reaffirmed.
Although my investigation of this case is not yet exhausted,
lit is hard to see how any new evidence can change the signifi-
canoe of this bald fact: Mr.. Keeney was well known as a pro-
|gressive, he took the lead in organizing his fellow teachers and
was Immediately discharged. On the basis of these facts, it is
my belief that Montana labor could not do better than to throw
the whole weight of their movement to assure Mr.. Keeneys re-
In asking for this support and in thanking or
Iganized labor for past support, the teachers feel that they are
|doing no more than asking Montana labor to protect itself. If
IMontanas reactionary forces get away with this brazen act, no
trade union can be sure that it will not be next. Keeney must
Ibe renstated.
HERBERT ]. PHILLIP Local 4O1, FIT.
M LIorLor+ T pL1Iirc FROM tho TTniverctiv IF Wacbipotop