Montana labor news., 1938-06-09
RELIEF CASE
EXPOSES OFFICIALS

GREAT FALLS.-The Great Falls
relief case, which was purported to
be a prosecution of five leaders of
the Workers Alliance (Henry Muir
ray, VIM. Davey, Ray Richardson,
Jack Richardson and Lloyd Taylor
for their part in the distribution of
relief clothing together with 30
others last winter, has actually be-
come an Investigation of the distri-
button of relief in Cascade County.
In a courtroom, which has been
crowded every day of the trial,
County Attorney Greenan has tried
to sustain his charges of grand
larceny in defiance of the opinion
publicly stated by his superior, At
torney General Freebourn, that
there should be no prosecution. The
five Alliance leaders, who have re-
ceived the moral and financial sup
port of labor, farm and %fraternal or
CARNATIONS throughout the state, are
being ably defended by Harlow
Pease of Butte, Wellington D. Ran
kin of Helena and Emmett Angland
of Great Falls.
Greenan showed that the real
charges are not grand larceny" by
the questions he asked the prospec-
tive jurors; such as: Have you any
feeling against the Dept. of Public
Welfare?," Have you any COM
plants against the way relief is dis
tributed in the county," Are you
or have you ever been affiliated tc
the Workers Alliance?," Did you
collect or contribute any money tc
the defense fund of the defendants?,'
Have you signed any letter petition
or other writing urging the county
attorney to desist from prosecuting
the defendants?"
Anarchy of Relief Board
Wellington D. Rankin in his open
ing remarks stated that the defense
would prove that the Public Wei
fare Board have not been carrying
out their own rules and regulations
Cross-examination of the prosecu.
TONS witnesses, however, showed
that in most cases the Welfare
Boards had no rules and regulations
but proceeded in the spirit Of anar-
chy, making up rules as they wen
along.
Every one Of the prosecution
witnesses with one exception were
relief officials. The testimony ano
cross-examination of Fred Black
supervisor of Public Welfare in Cas-
cade County, established the fac
that the guide" established by the
State Welfare Board is in actua.
practice the maximum amount
allowed to those on relief although
it specifically states that it is to be
the minimum" The supervisor
testified that he works under the
direct Instructions of the County
Commissioners, but that these in
structions have never been put in
writing.
Edward Teddy, supervisor OF the
relief commodity office in Cascade
County, was the prosecutions lead
ing witness. He described the
demonstration which led to the dis
tribution of relief clothing after he
refused to give the clothing request
ed even by those who were certified
for relief. Under cross-examination
he admitted that he knew that the
clothing was in the office for nc
other reason than to be distributed
to those who needed them"
On the stand Clarke Grady, head
of the detective division Of the local
police department, admitted that he
did not go to the demonstration on
Dec. II when so requested by Teddy,
because he did not think there was
any crime being committed.
Dwight Lohn, former banker and
now Director of Commodity Distri-
button of the Montana Dept. of Vel
fare, was another prosecution wit
ness.
Describe Relief Conditions
The defense presented about Is
WPA and relief workers as wit
nesses, in addition to three of the
defendants, Their testimony put the
relief setup through a complete air