Montana labor news., 1938-04-28
May DAY MEETING
TO Be HELD MAY 5
AT MINERS HALL
Mooney Case, Economic Issues
to Be Discussed by Local
Speakers.

falls on Sunday this year, the day
will be observed by a mass meeting
on May 5. A committee of the Miners
Union and delegates from the Ladies
Auxiliary and the Silver Bow Trades
and Labor Assembly met last Sun
day to work out plans for the meet
ing. It was decided to have several
well known local men speak on some
of the important issues confronting
the working class today. Although
the speakers have not been definite
ly decided upon at this time, Clar-
ence Blewett, editor of the Montana
Labor News, will act as chairman.
The committee will meet again
next Sunday in the Miners hall at
1890 p. m. to make final arrange
ments. A collection will be taken to
aid the fight for Tom MONEYS free
dom. Just now an effort is being
made by liberals in Congress to have
a hearing on the Murray-O' Council
memorial to the Governor of Cali
fornia demanding that he free Tom
Mooney. It is possible that Mooney
will be taken to Washington to testi-
fly IN his own behalf. In any event,
his case will eventually come before
the United States Supreme Court
and funds will be necessary
May Day Born in Struggle
Some people may ask in all sin
cefity, What is a May Day rally for
and what good does it do2" The day
has a definite place and significance,
just as Miners Unions Day, Labor
Day, Bastile Day in France and
others. It is a day on which the
workers review the history of the
struggle against oppression and ex-
p~loitation, and dedicate themselves
anew to the fight for freedom, JUS
tice and a decent social order. It is
a day when they recall with tender
memory the martyrs who fell at Hay
market, at Homestead, at Ludlow
and South Chicago. It is a day for
the rebirth and the revitalizing of
the revolutionary tradition of the
American people. And if the word
is distasteful, it may be recalled that
a fellow named Thomas Jefferson
thought there should be a revolution
every 20 years.
May Day in America is closely
linked with the struggle for the g.
hour day. 1t was So years ago, May
l, 1886, that the powerful united
front Of the Knights Of Labor, the
young A. F. of L., and the Socialists
organized the greatest nationwide
walkout in the history of American
labor up to that time. That glorious
fight was waged for a major politi-
cal demand-the 8-hour day. 1t can
be truthfully said that the fight was
epoch-making, for the modern labor
movement in the United States dates
from that general strike struggle.
After So years, the fight must still
go on, for the 8-hour day is not yet
in force all over the United States.
It was only two years ago that the
8-hour day was written into the CON
stitution of the state of Montana and
constant vigilance is necessary to see
that the law is obeyed.
Reaction Then AS Now
Every great upsurge of labor
brings a counter offensive from the
capitalists. There were no Wagner
Acts, no labor boards, no anti-injunc-
ton laws in 1885 and following the
great strike, the employers made a
~ferocious drive to smash the rising
labor unions. They were able to
slow down but not stop the onward
march. Exactly the anne thing is
happening today. With the soul
stirring growth of the c. I. O., with
labor struggles reaching a higher
political level than ever before, the
capitalists r well aware that their
days are numbered. Hence the bit
ter and determined offensive against
President Roosevelt and the New
Deal, against the Wagner Act and
the wage-hour bill and against every
measure that will benefit the COM
mon people. Millions are being spent
for propaganda and some of it is
taking effect. Who could have fore
told that a President who was elect
ed by the greatest majority in u
history, would be defeated in Con-
pgress by members of his own party2
Unless the workers r on the alert,
there is grave danger Of a wave of
reaction, such as followed Woodrow
Wilson in 1920.
The labor movement must take
up the challenge of the capitalist
forces, if it wants to retain its gains
and press forward to further achieve
ments.