Montana labor news., 1939-02-23
THE KIDNAPPING AND
MURDER OF H. B. 1870

occupational disease compensate
under the Workmen's Compensation
Act, met the same fate as nearly all
other measures designed to benefit
labor. More deliberate sabotage was
used, however, to defeat this bill
than any other bill introduced dur
ing the entire session.
The first move to sidetrack the
bill was upon its introduction when
it was referred to the committee on
public health and sanitary affairs
instead of to the committee on work
mems compensation. Phil Goodwin
of Silver Bow is chairman of the
committee on public health and sani-
tary affairs. Phil has a way all his
own of handling measures drawn for
the benefit of the miners who he
claims elected him to the legislature.
Phil was apparently somewhat in
disposed at the time this particular
bill was referred to his committee
as the vice chairman on his COM
mittee moved the following day to
refer the bill to the committee on
workmen's compensation. The A. c.
M. henchmen Immediately offered
vociferous objections and being in
the overwhelming majority, sue
ceeded in retaining possession of the
bill. The fine hand of the A. c. M.
was easily discernible in this move.
From that time on H. B. 1870 was
cunningly hidden away-probably in
the pocket of the aforementioned
chairman of the committee on public
health-the gentleman from Silver
Bow, Mr.. Goodwin.
Phil was absent from the House
for a few days. When Mr.. Goodwin
had recovered from his unfortunate
in~disposition and again was able to
be around and cheer up the assembly
with his genial presence, the authors
of H. B. 1870, Mccarthy and Brown,
requested him for a public hearing
on the measure. The affable Phil
informed them that he had referred
the bill to a subcommittee composed
of several of the most intelligent and
philosophical gentlemen serving on
his committee. The chairman of this
subcommittee, a MI. Padbury of
Lewis and Clark, was then inter-
viewed and he very obligingly con-
sented to call a hearing on the bill
as soon as he had heard from other
interested parties in the neighbor-
hood of M%arysville and other obscure
points east and west. After think
ing the matter over and becoming
family suspicious of the proceedings
thus far, Robert and Denis decided
that if action was to be taken on
their bill it would have to be re-
moved from the solicitous custody
of the committee on public health,
so a motion was again made to re-
refer it to workmen's compensation.
The watch dogs of power and privi-
lege were again on the alert, how
ever, and succeeded easily in retain
ing possession of the precious docu-
ment. The chairman of the sub
committee was then again requested
to call a public hearing and after
some hedging he stated that he was
going to toss 1870 back to Goodwin.
Catching Philip in one of his few
lucid moments, the authors informed
him that time was fleeing and that
the buck had been passed long
enough, so at long last he agreed to
call a public hearing on Monday eve
ming, February 10. Accordingly, the
Butte Miners Union and other in
terested organizations and individ-
uals were notified of the time and
place and it seemed that everything
would be pulled off according to
schedule, but it developed that an
other snag had been struck. The
arrangements for the hearing had
been concluded on Thursday, Febru-
airy 9, and the date for same, Mon
day the 18th, had been set, far
enough ahead to allow plenty of
time for notification to all interested
parties, but on Saturday morning
your correspondent met Billy Rea
and AL Wilkinson in the lobby. They
appeared quite surprised that a
hearing had been called on H. B. 100
and vehemently protested at the
abruptness of the notice. Having
had long experience and thorough
training in the profession of lobby
ing, the surprise and indignation of
AL and Bill were excellently well
simulated and an informed observer
would never have thought they had
even before heard of H. B. 1870 much
less of having had any connection
with its kidnapping and enforced
seclusion. However, they agreed to.
make it Tuesday, the fourteenth,
noon to 3 p. m, and the hearing was
finally held on that date.
After the hearing immediate ac-
ton was requested but Goodwin had
apparently been stricken with an
other relapse and more delay was
encountered, but the committee on
public health and sanitary affairs
finally decided that they accom-
plished their purpose and slung it
over to the judiciary committee. This
was on the final day for transmits
sion to the Senate, so the august
judiciary committee turned in a
lengthy and learned report that the