Montana labor news., 1938-12-29
JUDAS MAKES AWAY
WITH OUR SILVER
Flight of Secretary S~abotages
Progress of Union.
(From Miners Voice.

(From Miners Voice.
Now that the auditors report is
completed we can give some anthem
tic information as to the actual state
of the union treasury since Walter
Smith betrayed our trust and went
south with a stable portion of the
unions funds. To get right down
to brass tacks -after wading
through the mass of figures and de-
tail in the auditors report we learn
that Smith made off with 81, 1927
of the unions money. This is a
large sum and far too much for
comfort, yet it is not a serious blow
to the treasury. Five thousand dol
lars of this loss is covered by a bond
given by our former financial secre-
tary to secure the faithful perform
ance of his duties while in office.
So the union is out $2,1 1927. Too
much to lose but far, far from
Gripping the treasury or the union.
We still have the building fund of
$4,000 intact in the First National
bank. Now, when you hear a lot
of wild rumors about the secretary
making off with $4,000 or some
other fantastic sum you r in a
position to correct EN-. You know
that the total amount is $7,168.27
and the net loss to the union
$2,168.27.
Union Still Sound
We know that company stool
pigeons and other ignorant, if well
meaning, individuals are busy
spreading the propaganda that the
union is rotten, has betrayed the
miners, etc. When you hear these
things stop and think a bit. Just
because we have found one traitor,
one rat, among a membership of
over four thousand does not make
the union unsound, You, my
Brothers, are the union; you make
the union what it is; and ] know
that you, Brothers, taken collective
ly and allowing for a stool pigeon
and a weak sister here and there,
are fundamentally right thinking,
right acting, and possessed of
enough moral stamina (guts) to
make this Miners Union the force
for betterment of the working class
which it is and will be in the future.
The union treasury is sound and
with a sound, right thinking, mill
tant rank and file the union is now
stronger, after having gotten rid of
this rat in our midst, than it was
before.
Whenever you knock the union
you are knocking yourself, Brother,
and tearing down the best and only
instrument we have for lettering
our conditions. YOU make the
union what it is.
Two and Two Makes Four
Now that the robbery of our
treasury has passed into history, it
might be we'll to look back over
the past and size up the present
situation to see, if possible, if there
were any influences behind the
scenes or if it was just another case
of human weakness triumphing over
human greatness. So that the in
dividual may be in a better position
to see and understand what influ-
ences might have been operating
behind the scenes, the writer adj
vises all members of the union to
buy and read "The Labor Spy
Racket" by Leo Huberman. This
is an inexpensive book (35c) but,
he believes, it will shed some light
on the past actions of Walter Smith
and the present situation in the
union.
Sizing Up the Situation
But let us look back and see what
we can see anyway. Remember
when notice of our election contest
was served on the union? Remem-
Der that at the time Smith had
known for a week or more that the
contest would be filed yet was not
concerned with sealing the ballot
boxes till the night the contest was
entered? Then, again, you no doubt
remember that the recount showed
a substantial change in election re-
suits, so, considering that the ballot
boxes had been unprotected, a new
vote was ordered. Then December
1st, Smith began collecting one dol
lar dues, regardless Of what month
the dues were for. An international
amendment, effective December 1st,
set a minimum of one dollar for
local dues but this was not meant
to be retroactive as enforced by
Smith. Then, finally Smith dis
appears with the major portion Of
Continued on Page A.