Montana labor news., 1937-10-14
Waqes.Hours Measure Stirs
Conflict al ALL. Convention
| ORGANIZED ACTION IN
| KEENEY- ROWE CASE

The national office of the Ameri-
can Federation of Teachers is dis
tributing throughout Montana and
the entire nation a petition and
copies are going to every Central
Trades Assembly and local union in
Montana. When these petitions are
signed and returned to the secretary
of the Keeney Defense Committee,
they will be used to effect the re-
instatement of Professor Keeney and
the return of Professor Rowe to his
former status.
The Keeney Defense Committee is
joining with the international Amer
lean Federation of Teachers by cir
cularizing the unions of Montana
asking that they compel the press
of their communities to give the
Keeney-Rowe case adequate publici-
ty and that they support the K. D, c.
financially SO that the case will be
concluded successfully. The X. D. C..
will distribute a pamphlet on the
Keeney-Rowe case before it reaches
the state supreme court. The finan-
cial support of the unions and other
liberals in Montana and the nation
will enable a wider distribution of
the pamphlet. The K. D. c. hopes
by this means to acquaint the voters
and taxpayers of the state with all
the important facts pertaining to the
situation on the campus of Montana
State University.
All labor forces in the state have
united on this issue. They expect
to see the reactionary leaders in
education defeated so that the stu
dents at Montana State University
and elsewhere in the state are free
to learn the basic facts of contempor-
ary life. This means a complete
understanding of the labor move
ment, that is, the forces that are
hindering or promoting the rapid
| advances workers are making in
every industry throughout the
length and breadth of the United
States. This victory will encourage
all classes of teachers in Montana to
| organize unions of their own choos-
ing thereby giving labor the full
support it deserves. The petition
follows:
Protect Democratic Rights at
State University!
Resolution of protest against des-
potic action of Governor Ayers,
President George Finlay Simmons,
University of Montana and appoint
ed members of Montana Board of
Education in dismissing Librarian
Philip o. Keeney and Furnishing Pro-
fessor J. P. Rowe.
WHEREAS, Professor Philip o.
Keeney, for six years full professor
and head librarian at the University
of Montana, was refused a contract
after he had taken the lead in or
ganizing teachers union, and after
he had become widely known for
his fight against censorship in the
library; and
WHEREAS, Professor J. P. Rowe,
having been elected president Of the
University Teachers Union, was
placed on a month-to-month salary
basis, instead Of having his contract
renewed as it has been every year
for thirty years; and
WHEREAS, the contract every
University of Montana faculty mem
Der signs states that any full or as
sociate professor whose contract has
been renewed for three consecutive
years is automatically on permanent
tenure and entitled to an investiga-
ton by his peers and hearing be-
fore dismissal; and
| WHEREAS, no such investigation
or hearing has been held; and
| WHEREAS, the Attorney General
of the State of Montana has ruled
that no professor can legally be dis
missed without the investigation ano
hearing provided for in his contract
THEREFORE BE 1T RESOLVED
that we the undersigned citizens Of
the State respect
fully petition the Montana Courts tc
order that Professors Keeney and
Rowe be restored to their original
status without prejudice to either.