davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Montana labor news., 1939-03-02
OPEN FORUM

The Montana Labor News may or
may not agree with the sentiments
published under Open Forum and
assume no responsibility for state
ments made therein. The following
article is a reprint from the Miners
Voice, a local publication of the
Miners Union, and is published at
the request of the welfare committee
of the Miners Union.
Montana labor news., 1939-03-02
HAVE WE A LOCAL
DICTATOR HERE

Many people in this community
think of Fascism as some far off all
ment that only afflicts Europe but,
if they will only size up the local
situation, they may change their
minds about this matter.
We have, right here in Butte and
Silver Bow county, a man who
seems, on a small scale, to bear
many of the earmarks of a dictator.
This man is apparently assuming, or
trying to assume, the burden of all
the county's business.
Many people thought hat Mr..
Sullivan, dominant member of the
Board of County Commissioners,
was a pretty human sort of fellow
but now that dozens Of relief cases
have been appealed to the County
Welfare Board County Commits
sioners) from rulings of the County
Welfare % Administrator, many
people have changed their minds
Many people in need and turned
down by the Welfare Administrator,
have gone to Mr.. Sullivan, hoping
against hope that they would be
allowed needed food, fuel and cloth
ing, only to be heartlessly turned
down. This has happened so often
that the suspicion is growing that
the Welfare Administrator himself
would be less inhuman if it were not
for the influence Of the man who
dominates the County Commission
ers.
Not long ago, one of the deputies
of the county attorney, on request
of a delegation from the Workers
Alliance, went up with them to
appeal a case from the decision Of
the Welfare Administrator to the
County Welfare Board. This was
the case Of a family of three, who
had once had six boarders, some OF
them eating three meals a day with
them and some but two. Those who
took three daily meals paid $50
monthly and those who got but two
meals a day paid $40 monthly. How
ever, after the Leonard mine shut
down, the number of boarders had
dwindled to two, n taking three
meals a day and the other but two,
eyes, dear reader, the American
standard of living now means but
two meals a day for many of u.s.
So that the family had a total in
come of but $50 a month. The We'll
fare Board insisted that this was
ample to feed the two boarders well
enough to keep them as boarders
and to take care of all the family
needs. The readers need only to
think of their own family food, fuel
and shelter costs to know that this
is an utter impossibility.
However, the point in this story
is brought out most forcibly here,
when we tell, in all %earnestness, that
Dan D. went down to the county
attorneys office and told him (the
county attorney that the next time
a thing like that happened, he (Dan
D. would hold up the county attor-
ney's pay. This County Commits
sioner insisted that the county at
Continued on Page ~
Montana labor news., 1939-03-02
By A. F. of L. Weekly News Service.

The report of the Civil Liberties Committee of the United States Senate
on private police systems is a well documented study of the anti-labor
functions performed by company police in the employ of the Harlan
County Coal Operators Association, of Kentucky, the activities of sherffs
deputies in that county and the activities Of the police force of the Republic
Steel Corporation in its plants in Ohio, New York and Michigan.
The Civil Liberties Committee consists of Senator Robert NJ LaFolete,
Jr. of Wisconsin, chairman, and Senator Ebert D. Thomas of Utah.
Proceeding under its authority ITO investigate violations of the right of
free speech and assembly and interference with the right of labor to
organize and bargain collectively" the committee, following a thorough
inquiry, reached the following general conclusions regarding private
Montana labor news., 1939-03-02

The American standard OF
living must be maintained
in order that American in
stitutions may not be sub
ject to perils of discomfort.
Montana labor news., 1939-03-02

There can be no prosperity
without justly high wages.
Earnings Of working people
are the basis and index of
progress in any community.
Montana labor news., 1939-03-02

A request from John O'Brien of
222 West Gold street to be endorsed
as candidate for city treasurer on the
Democratic ticket was turned over
to the legislative committee.
Montana labor news., 1939-03-02

Edward J. Nichols of Deer Lodge,
Democratic candidate for Congress
in 1886 and candidate for Railroad
and Public Service Commissioner in
1888, was a visitor in Butte last
week. Mr.. Nichols is an officer of
the Machinists Union and a board
member of the Montana Federation
of Labor. While here, he conferred
with union officials in regard to
legislative matters and other prob
lens affecting labor. He is recog-
nized as one of the best labor
organizers in western Montana.
Montana labor news., 1939-03-02
INTERESTING news OF
CASCADE ASSEMBLY

0llIEA4 GAAAaAAOf AlllClC lllCs
with the Ludwig Garage have beer
settled by the Painters Union anc
the Cascade Trades and Labor
Assembly. The Roofers Union have
also settled their trouble with thi.
company.
Senator Wheeler mentioned thai
he intended to support Thoma.
Amlie as a member of the Inter.
state Commerce Commission. Amlit
has drawn a lot of fire from the
reactionaries around the country ii
his proposed appointment to thi,
position. Senator Murray also stated
that he would give consideration tc
the nomination of Amlie.
The Powell County Trades ano
Labor Council at Deer Lodge called
the attention of the Great Falls
unions that Representative Stromnes
had continually voted against labor
measures. No action was taken or
the communication.
=
The Gallatin Trades and Labor
Assembly at Bozeman are interested
in the controversy of the Home Oil
Company. Secretary Whitmore ha:
furnished them with the history Of
the case.
Congressman O'Connor mentioned
in a letter that he had voted against
further appropriation for the Dies
Committee.
Lawrence Nelson has been sub
mitted by the Labor Day committee
as chairman for the 1889 celebration
Mr.. Steinmetz was recommended as
assistant chairman.
=
The campaign to organize the en-
ployees of the Home Oil Company
is still going on. It is hoped some
day that all Of these men will be
taken into the unions and the
trouble settled.
Several hundred signatures have
been secured on petitions to provide
for an election as to whether or not
the voters are favorable to a site on
Central Avenue for a civic center.
1t was reported at the Trades and
Labor body that 300 signatures are
necessary by Monday afternoon,
February 9th, if action was to be
had.
Three members of the railroad
brotherhoods addressed the assembly
and expressed some opposition to
the action of the assembly taken
some weeks ago condemning the
number of hours which the railroad
men were working. No action was
taken.
= =
A committee consisting of Martin,
Clark, Hartwig, Thompson, and
Kessler were appointed to make
arrangements for a proposed visit OF
Miss Bauer to Great Falls. Miss
Bauer is connected with the United
States Housing Authority.
y
Delegate Hartwig reported that the
Great Falls Brewery was putting
forth its best efforts to break their
agreement with the Home Oil Com
pany. He also reported that the
Brown Derby plant at Pocatello had
gone broke and had closed up. He
thanked the local unions for the
assistance rendered them in this
controversy.
Montana labor news., 1939-03-02
Civil Rights Abridged

Civil Rights Abridged
"The experiences in Harlan coun-
ty, KY, and in the industrial COM
munities where Republic Steel Cor
poration operates, indicate clearly
that where private police systems
are used as instruments of anti
union policy, they (a) abridge and
violate the civil liberties of workers
and other individuals; (b) violate
the rights Of labor guaranteed by
Federal statutes; (c) result in riots
and bloodshed, causing loss of life
and injury to persons and property;
and (d) endanger the public safety.
Union Organization Prevented
"On the economic front, the use
of private police systems as agents
in employers anti-union policy,
cause Reorganization of markets and
Interruptions in the free flow of
commerce. The ruthless and brutal
activities of armed private guards
to prevent union organization (a)
give unfair competitive advantage
to those employers who Cypress
labor; (b) create bitterness between
labor and management; (c) lead to
strikes; and (d) cause Interruptions
in the flow of commerce.
"The use of private deputies in an
anti-union campaign is inimical to
the maintenance of orderly repre-
sentative government. It leads to
(a) private usurpation of public
authority; (b) corruption Of public
officials; (c) oppression of large
groups of citizens under the author
ity of the state; and I'D p%erversion
of representative government"
Legislative Recommendations
To remedy these evils the COM
mittee made the following legisla-
tive recommendations to Congress:
"The functions of private police
systems must be restricted to the
protection Of plant and property.
Employers using the channels of
interstate commerce should not be
permitted to spread and perpetuate
a system Of depressing the civil
rights guaranteed by the Federal
Constitution and Federal legislation.
When company controlled police
systems cover several states and
affect the activities of thousands of
workers, it is the place of the Fed
eral government to intervene.
Company Police Must Be Curbed
SIN the interest of industrial peace
and the uninterrupted functioning
of the natural economic system, it is
necessary that Federal action con-
fine company police systems to their
proper duty of protecting plant and
property.
TN recommending legislation to
correct the evils of company police
systems the committee is scrupulous
not to interfere with the right of the
employer to police his premises or
employ persons for the legitimate
functions of protection.
The committee does not feel that
at this time the Congress should
undertake detailed regulation of the
personnel and conduct of the police
systems of employers. Rather it
should define those practices which
have led to the infringement Of civil
liberties and industrial disorder and
make their commission an offense.
in only one respect does it seem
advisable to regulate the personnel
Continued on Page ~
Montana labor news., 1939-03-02

Admiral Byrd took ice boxes with
him to the south polar regions to
keep his provisions from freezing
too solid.
Montana labor news., 1939-03-02
EVILS OF PRIVATE POLICE SYSTEMS
EXPOSED BY LAF0LLETTE COMMITTEE

Senate Civil Liberties Group Holds That These Agencies Are
Frequently Used by Employers to Destroy Trade Unions and
Pervert Representative Government; Legislation Is Planned
to Protect Civil Rights, Restrict Company Police and Prohibit
Labor Espionage.
Montana labor news., 1939-03-02

If a million dollars in gold were
made into a single coin it would
weigh about 1875 pounds.
Montana labor news., 1939-03-02

Wherever there is a human being
there is an opportunity for a kind
ness.-Seneca.
Evening star., 1939-07-07

icy-determining functions vested in
the Board of Commissioners, and
the judicial functions vested in the
courts, among IL administrative de-
partments, Finance, Industrial Re
lations, Personnel, Revenue, Law
Public Safety, Public Utilities, In
surance, Health. Public Works, Pub
lie Welfare and Recreation, under
the control of the administrator, and
two separate Establishments, De-
partments of Education and Libra
ries, under separate boards and out
side Of his control. In this article
also, general provisions applicable
to different departments are set up
The several departments and the
two separate establishments are
provided for in succeeding articles
The setting up of the schools anc
libraries under separate establish
ments involves a denial of some o1
the fundamental principles on which
any complete plan for a unified loca,
government, with centralized au.
thority and responsibility, is bouno
to rest. There is no adequate, logi.
cal or practical reason for making
exceptions in these cases. School.
and libraries render services which
form but parts of the aggregation o1
local government services which 8
properly constituted and comprehen-
sive local government is established
and eollipped tn render Thev to,1rh
upon and overlap other local gov.
ernment functions, health, welfare
recreation, police, traffic, at many
points. They are paid for from the
pockets of the same taxpayers. They
should be operated under plans
programs, budgets and supervision
Of activities in such ways as to fl
them as parts into system Of loca
government that will provide most
effectively and economically for the
sum total Of local government serv.
Evening star., 1939-07-07
D. &. Officials Push Plans
To Relieve Fiscal Crises
Checks O. KID for 5000 Aged and Blind;
School Lunches Are Kept Up

While the District budget for the
fiscal year 1910, which began seven
days ago. still lay deadlocked at the
Capitol, District oflcials went ahead
today with efforts to relieve the most
acute situations caused by the finan-
cial tieup.
Commissioner George Allen and
Maj. Daniel j. Donovan authorized
the issuance Of relief checks for the
full month Of July to 5000 aged, blind
and dependent children. The order
is based on a grant Of $l83, 500 is
from the Social Security Board yes
terday.
Commissioner Allen authorized
the purchase of milk for the $500
undernourished school children
whose free lunches were in danger
of being stopped today because of no
money to buy food Mr.. Allen said
he assured them adequate lunches.
The auditors office stood ready to
issue pension checks to 1000 retired
policemen, flremen and their widows
whose money was provided in de-
ficiency bill approved by the Presi-
dent June 30. The Treasury war
rant to issue the money has been
tied up In the financial jam attend
ing the end Of fiscal year.
$500 Families Getting Food.
The $500 families on general re-
lief were still receiving food supplies
from the Surplus Commodities Corp
to avert hunger.
Although large share of expenses
OF both District Court and United
States Court of Appeals is paid out
of District of Columbia revenues
those tribunals were functiunil.g as
usual, with no Interruption Of serv-
ice in sight.
Officials explained that 60 per cent
OF the expenses of District Court are
repaid from the District Ct Colum-
bia appropriation.
Joseph w. Stewart, clerk of the
United States Court Of Appeals, ex-
planned that 50 per cent OF .ne ex-
penses of that tribunal ar, repaid
by the District Ci Columbia.
Authorities today anticipated no
trouble because Of the tieup of off,
Evening star., 1939-07-07

cial funds for the municipality for
the new fiscal year, explaining that
the matter was largely one of book
keeping and the point has not yet
arrived where the sharing of ex-
pense by the District government
has become an acute problem
Out of d. J. Appropriation.
Expenses for the United States
marshal's office and for United
States Attorney David A. Pine and
his assistants and clerical force
come out of the Department of
Justice appropriation bill, officials
asserted.
At Police Court, Walter F. Bram-
hall, clerk, said the only effects are
that witness fees of rs cents per
day will not be paid for this month
and that two additional probation
officers provided for will not be ap-
pointed until passage of the bill.
Witness fees are being paid up to
the first of this month, he said
Otherwise, Mr.. Bramhall added, the
court Is continuing it's normal func-
tions.
But despite the uncertainty of the
District tax legislation, personal tax
returns must be filed during July,
the District tax assessors office re-
ported.
The Office said that, although tax
legislation is at present in an unset
tied condition, there has been no
suggestion made as to the revocation
Of the provision requiring tangible
personal property tax returns to be
filed during July.
Advance Fund Voted.
Advance of the Social Security
funds, which represent the amount
which will be due the District to
carry on the welfare program in
those categories for the quarter July
September. was voted at meeting
late yesterday, although the District
money to match these grants is still
tied up in the deadlocked District
appropriation bill at the Capitol.
The checks will be mailed out early
next week, according to Otto J. Cass
(See PLANS. Page A-17D
Evening star., 1939-07-07
Would Force Board to Serve
As Impartial Arbiter.

Under the proposed lineup, the
director would be in charge of ad-
ministration and the preparation
of cases for hearing by the board
He would be entirely free to conduct
these activities, as he would be
charged with doing, with an eye
single to the interests of the pub
lie. The board, thus freed from re-
sponSibility for administration and
for hearing cases prepared by its
own staff, would be in a position
to hear the cases presented to 1t
by the director and staff of the
department, with entire impartial
ity, and to judge the issues as be-
tween the interests of the public,
as presented in their best light by
the director and his staff and the
interests of the utilities as presented
by their representatives.
Examination and regulation of
insurance companies In the Dis
trict.
This would be a continuation of
the existing Department of Insur-
ance. The superintendent of insur-
ance as director of insurance, would
be the head of the department.
Administration of laws and Or
dinances relating to employment
and employe regulations in the
District.
Such functions of other agencies
would be transferred to the proposed
department, including specifically
those OF the Unemployment Com
pensation Board, the Minimum Wage
Board, and the Board of Adjustment
of Labor Disputes Of the District,
and the United States Employment
offices, and the Employees Compen-
sation Commission Of the United
States as to services with respect to
private employers in the District.
The department would be headed
by director of industrial relations
who would be required to be quail
fied administrator in labor relations
and employment matters. It would
also be provided with . Board Of
Evening star., 1939-07-07

To make effective the power ex-
pressly granted the District under
Article II to control its own finances
and financial affairs, declaration
Of policy Is included in Article Xxx,
that District funds, including Fed
eral contributions, shall be used
only for District purposes and
through the agencies and in the
manner provided in this bill.
In Article XXI, the bill includes
provisions for official bonds; for
transfers of unfinished business
with the transfers of functions pro.
vided for in the bill, with the agency
to which any functions are trans
ferred made successor in every way
to the agency from which such
functions are transferred; and for
(see REPORT, Page Aid
Evening star., 1939-07-07
Certain Administrative Units
Would Have Boards.

Certain Of the administrative de-
partments, personnel, revenue, pub
llc utilities, industrial relations, pub
Tic welfare, public works and recrea-
ton, would be provided with boards,
some of them with two or more hay-
ing dlf1erent fields of jurisdiction of
subject matter within the scope of
functions Of the departments to
which they are attached.
The boards of administrative de-
partments would consist of members
appointed by the Board of Commits
Sloners, residents of the District, who
would be independent of the heads
OF the departments and the admins
traitor in the exercise of advisory.
plle-approving, fact-flnding and ap-
peal functions within their several
fields of jurisdiction. On the other
hand they would have no authority
to direct or control the acts OF the
heads of the departments or the
employees under their control.
The boards of administrative de-
partments would be intended to pro-
vide lay check on arbitrary or mis-
guided action by the expert heads of
the departments and to provide for
the making of decisions in important
matters of fact by means of impair
tlal deliberative groups having no
responsibility for the conduct of ad-
ministration.
Appointment of temporary in
formal committees from time to
time to deal with special problems
and make recommendations to the
administrative authorities would be
authorized. The life of any such
committee would be limited to one
year subject to extension, as needed,
Tor like periods. This is intended
to prevent the building up of a
multiplicity of such agencies of
more or less continuing character.
The administrative function s
would be divided among the several
departments on what is commonly
called a functional" basis.
The functional principle of organi-
zation is sound one. Properly ap-
piled it furnishes the only practical
basis for effective organization. In
its simples terms it means that
those activities should be brought to-
gether, under common direction,
that involve the same or closely re-
lated types of operations and proc
esses, calling for the same or closely
related kinds of training and skill
for their execution, and of such
nature that provision can be made
for integrating the various activities
grouped together and for carrying
Evening star., 1939-07-07
Board Of u and Chic
Replaces Congress
As Governing Body
Unified Agency Would
Give to District More
independence Of Action

The report prepared for House
consideration By Representative
Kennedy to erplqin his bill to
carry out the District reorgan-
ization plan tollo,Us, in part.
Evening star., 1939-07-07
Trivial District Affairs
Not Intended for Congress.


Not Intended for Congress.
This grant of powers, If the bill is
enacted into law, would involve ex-
ercise by Congress of its constitu-
tional power of exclusive legisla-
ton" over the District, not delega-
ton of any of that power. The
trainers of the Constitution obvi-
ously did not intend that Congress
should take time from national
affairs to legislate, by means of its
own processes, on every trivial detail
Of local government for the District
It seems clear that Congress, with
respect to its constitutional power OF
exclusive legislation over the Dis
trict, is in exactly the same position
as are the States with respect to
their inherent sovereign powers OF
legislation over the territories that
they embrance. 1t is well-accepteo
principle of constitutional law tina;
a State cannot delegate any part OF
its sovereign legislative power. But
this is held not to prevent it from
delegating to subordinate agencies
Of its own creation ordinance
making powers over purely local
government affairs, to be exercised
in accordance with law State gov
ernments also commonly do provide
Tor utilizing the services Of local
government officials in the execu-
tion of laws enacted by their Legis-
latures relating to matters not
purely local, over which they coulo
not delegate full power.
Neither State, with respect tc
the territory under its jurisdiction
nor Congress, with respect to the
District, can delegate such power,
Henderson daily dispatch., 1939-09-18
Russian ! Aid
To Germany
Discounted
Had Been Expected
Since Soviet German
Treaty Was Signed;
F utu're Relations
With Russia Is Big
Question at London.

London, Sept. 18.-(AP)-The
British government was represented
today as more than ever determined
to fight Germany to a finish despite
the new situation created by Rus
sia's invasion of Poland.
Just how important these new
complications would be was not i'm
mediately clear The government
continued to study the situation, but
remained silent, pending receipt of
more detailed information.
The possibility of action such as
Russian forces took against Poland
yesterday, informed sources said, had
been taken into account by Britain
and France from the moment the
German-Russian non-aggression pact
was signed on August "a.
Authoritative quarters said the
new development in no way altered
Britains belief there can be no peace
until the Nazi regime in Germany is
wiped out. The big question, how
ever, was Britain's future relations
with Soviet Russia.
Britain had from the charge of the
Polish Embassy here that Russia
violated the Polish frontier by an
"act OF direct aggression"