Montana labor news., 1937-09-09

of these Withdrawals were filed with
the Secretary Of State on the two
measures. This of course left an
ample number to place the county
in the Is per cent column. If the
rest of the counties had been as
active as Silver Bow County, there
would be no question as to the re-
suit. However, all was not sunshine
and roses in this county either.
County Officials Attempt to Disfran-
chise Voters and Deny Them the
Right of Petition
Despite the fact that very few
voters in Silver Bow County refused
to sign these petitions when ap-
preached; and despite the fact that
the Peoples Government League had
enjoined the County Clerk and Re-
corder from destroying the registra-
ton records SO that the petitions
could be checked for the purpose of
c%ertification; it was found that the
County Attorney, John K. Claxton,
and the County Clerk and Recorder,
Adds A. McGrath, had evidently
allied themselves with the Ayers
state machine, and used every effort
to slow the League up in its certifi-
cation of the petitions. Their atti-
tude was hard to understand by
members of organized labor who
were interested in multiplying the two
un-American measures. 1t was only
recently at the last primary anc
general elections, that these two
gentlemen professed their love fol
Labor and asked for its endorsement
so that they could be elected to the
offices to which they aspired.
At the last convention Of the Mon.
tana State Federation of Labor, thi
campaign to nullify House Bill No
IS and Senate Bill No. II yer en-
dorsed. The labor unions got bacl
of the campaign and the Butte Min
ers Union contributed literally L
the state fund, and also placed three
of their members under salary t.
secure signatures. Many of the othel
unions circulated these petition.
among their members and SCORED
almost 100 per cent of their mem
bership.
When it came time to certify thes'
signatures, the secretary Of the PEG
pies Government League was shunt
ed backward and forward from thu
County Attorneys office to the Clerl
and Recorders office under the sub
terfuge that the law was not clea.
on the subject. 1t took a committel
of labor officials in company will
the secretary to remind the twr
gentlemen that Labor was not in
%jocular mood. An opinion was thel
rendered by the County Attorne.
holding that the signatures could b
certified by referring to the old reg
istration lists, but this opinion di,
not seem to satisfy the County Clerl
and Recorder, who, after the with
drawal of the labor committee, be
came very dictatorial and arrogan
in his attitude toward the ~secretar.
of the Peoples Government Leagu
and insisted that it was necessary TO
him to be guided by ar opinion fror
the office of the Attorney Genera
An opinion was Immediately sen
. for and the Attorney General he'll
: that either the new or old lists coul
be used for the purpose Of certifica
ton. Again the Clerk and Recorde
refused to be guided by this opinion
which to all intents and purposes
the law until reversed by the court
It was therefore necessary for tn
officials of the Peoples Governmer
League to request that the Miner
Union appoint a committee to az
company them to the Clerk and Re
corder's office to certify the pet
tions. A committee of five was al
pointed and their presence evidentl
had a very salutary effect on tn
Clerk and Recorder, who certifie
as many as he had time to SO certit
before the deadline and left the n
mainder in the hands of the officer
of the League to certify themselvC
as provided for in the Revised Code
of Montana.
The committee from the But
Miners Union expressed their di
pleasure at the attitude which II
County Clerk and Recorder, Add
A. McGrath, and the County Alto.
ney, John K. Claxton, had taken
the premises and adjourned to tt
office of William B. Frame, attorne,
at-law, where the proper affidavit
covering the matter were draw
Following are several affidavit
which were necessary in order TIL
the officers of the League could ce
tify the remainder of the petitions
the office of the Secretary of Sta
before the deadline.
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