davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-12-18
DRASTIC CHANGES F0RESEEN AS
NATION GEARS TO WAR PRODUCTION

speed-up. Profits are growing as the
pressure of defense-haste is translated
into cost-plus contracts with business
men.
The result is already apparent in
the growth of government costs. The
war preparations for the year 1871
were originally estimated to cost SILL
500, 900, 900 So rapidly have costs risen
that the figure has already been
stepped up to $4,000, 100000. An
other three months will see another
upward revision of the figure to meet
the rapidly rising costs.
The U. S. government is operating
at huge annual deficit. With ris-
ing costs the deficit will grow. Con-
gress will impose new taxes to meet
the emergency. These in turn will
raise costs. And SO the financial
merry-go-round will circle higher and
ever higher.
There are limits, of course. Limits
to deficits, borrowing, debts, taxes
and the rest Long before that limit
is reached, however, Initiation will
have gnawed its way into the vitals
of the economic structure, and the
country will be riding full tide for
a crash.
There is only one way of escape
from the initiation, bankruptcy, repu-
diation, and economic collapse Incl
dent to long war. That way begins
with tn abandonment of price-profit
economy; the CONSUMPTION of wealth;
the adoption Of unified economic
plan; the allotment of raw materials;
CONTINUED on Page Four
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-12-18

VCUdIS eS.
/. That big life insurance COM
panies for several years have elm
mated real competition at untold cost
TO the consuming public.
O. Some officers and directors of
insurance companies have engaged in
financial trickery with the funds of
their companies for personal gain.
8. Policy holders get incomplete
reports from their companies.
A. Election of officers and direc-
tors is almost entirely in the hands
of the officers and directors with
policy holders having little voice.
5. High pressure craftsmanship re-
sulting in lapsed policies costs the
public millions of dollars each year.
g. State and federal proposals for
legislation have been vigorously
fought by an effective lobby organized
by the insuring companies.
Z. Industrial insurance-the ten
cents a week kind sold to poor people
has created serious social problems
while reaping huge profits for the in
surance companies.
The seriousness of the charges is
brought home by the reports showing
of the size Of the insurance companies
which together constitute the greatest
single aggregation of wealth in the
country.
The assets of the country's legal re-
serve stock and mutual companies
now amount to over 2S billion dollars,
according to the report, and will prob
ably reach 40 billion by 1850.
They have over 124 million policies
outstanding with face value of Ill
billion dollars. Their annual income
is over five billion dollars or about
two billion less than the estimated
receipts of the U. S. government for
this fiscal year.
This tremendous collection of
wealth, the report notes, is well tied
together.
The five largest life insurance COM
panies have interlocking directorships
with 100 other insurance companies,
las banks or other financial institu-
Continued on Page Four)
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-12-18
By SCOTT NEARING

There are several peculiar things
about a war economy. In the first
place, it is based on the production,
not chiefly of consumption goods, but
of machinery of destruction that has
little or no use after hostilities cease.
The return of peace finds the in
dustrial mechanism geared high for
war production and unable to read
Just easily to peace demands. War
prosperity usually ends abruptly with
the end of the war, leaving depres-
sion in industry and great army of
demobilized soldiers and unemployed
munition makers seeking work. Under
the most favorable circumstances, the
shift from peace to war and back
again disrupts an economic system.
Even while war is in progress,
an economy is subject to sharp
changes in prices, In the cost of
living, in wages, in profits, and in
other relations between producer, dis
tributor, consumer, exploiter and
worker.
While the United States has not yet
entered the war, the disturbances in
cident to war economy have already
begu nto make themselves felt. The
prices of tin, copper, lead, zinc and
the rarer metals that enter into the
production of planes and the like are
as war losses deplete world
stocks.
Labor costs are rising with the
wage demands that must accompany
an increasing cost of living, and with
the overtime payments incident to
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-12-18
.Co-ops Salvagging
Wrecks of Private
Business, Carson

NEW YORK (FP) Private bust
ness failures have provided plants and
opportunities for successful co-opera-
tive enterprises in many parts of the
country, reported John Carson, Wash
ington representative of the Co-opera-
tive League of the U. S. A.
Talking to newspapermen here De-
cember upon his return from trip
through the midwest and central
states, Carson said he was impressed
to find furnishing co-operatives in
areas where he had looked for pow
erty and hardship
"Out in the town of Virginia, Mimi"
Carson said, there is fine little CO.
operative mortuary and chapel that
provides funerals with bronze collins
at S360-as compared with $500 and
up charged by commercial firms. Last
month they buried 10 people and there
will be patronage dividends for the
members. The mortuary was former
ly operated by private concern that
failed
"In Superior, the finest business
building in the city is owned by the
wholesale, which is doing
a $4,000,000 annual business. learned
that the building was erected by a
private wholesale grocer who failed.
If it hadn't been taken over by the
co-operatives, it would have become
a ghost structure.
I'm Kansas City, the Consumers Co
operative Assn started in 1929 with
Continued on Page Two)
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-12-18

Administration Out to Clip
Martin Dies Wings
Mark it down that there will be no
genuine, immediate working arrange
ment between the administration, the
FBI, and the Dies committee, regard
less of outside appearances, for the
good and sufficient reason that real
cooperation with the bullying, shallow,
publicity-seeking Martin Dies is impos-
sible. And everybody concerned knows
it.
The situation in dealing with nazi
activities in this country is too serious
a one to permit fellow like Dies TO
be messing up. They are not gong
to let him take over the professional
lob of the FBI nor any of the other
tasks of the executive branches OF the
government. The Dies committee will
not become a super-FBI if the admin
istration can help it.
There is no doubt whatever that the
administration is out to clip Mr.. Dies
wings. How far it will go, it is reli-
ably reported, depends on how effec-
tive leadership in the House can be
organized against him when the mat
ter of the $1,OOO.OOO appropriation he
is asking comes up for consideration.
Administration people in the House
have already begun work
But the long expected fight is on
The administration threw down the
M xxrhn Attorney
General Jackson, in pubic state
ment a few weeks ago, attacked the
Texan, declaring that his premature
exposures" of activities OF nazl
agents interferred with the successful
prosecution of criminal cases under
preparation by the FBL Statements
like that by government heads aren't
made without administration sanction.
And while Mr.. Dies was waiting some
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-12-18
SELDES CITES
DISTORTION OF
STRIKE STORY

The way in which the press ''manip-
ulated" stories about the recent strike
of vultee Aircraft workers at Downey,
Calf, is described by George Seldes
in his newsletter, In Fact
"The main truth about Vultee was
that Maj. Sidney Simpson, war de-
partment aide and conciliator, was too
drunk to negotiate a peaceful settle
ment," Seldes said. ''The C. l. o.
said so; the press suppressed the
story. Instead, this is how the Amer
lean public was fooled by stories and
headlines:
Treason Charged to Vultee Strik-
ers-Nov. %.
"FBI Finds Reds in Vultee Clash
Nov. 23.
"vultee Strikers Defy Jackson on
Red Charge-Nov. "a.
Jackson Says Reds Back Plane
Strike-Nov "a.
bills to Fix Curbs ON Defense
Strikes-Nov g."
On Nov. 80 single paragraph story
in most papers said: maj Sidney
Simpson Relieved of Active Duty in
Army" In Fact found.
1.-THE G. l. o. issued statement
blaming failure of peaceful settlement
on conciliator," In Fact said. "It said.
When the unions negotiating commit
tee tried to keep an appointment with
Maj. Simpson in the Biltmore hotel
last night, we found the major intoxi-
Gated We maintain that the majors
Continued on Page Four)
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-12-18

forty minutes at the White House to
see the President just before he left
for the Caribbean trip, F.D.R. was
comforting with a certain gentleman
not government official-who has
been very active the past year expos
ing Mr. Dies.
Nobody in Washington is any longer
fooled by commitments that Mr.. Dies
might make. They are worth no more
than commitments made by Herr
Adolf Hitler. The head of the House
committee investigating un-American
activities is known to "steal a beat"
on everybody he deals with, including
the members of his own committee
whom he has on more than one oc-
casion left in the lurch by releasing
unauthorized committee publicity.
Currently, Mr. Dies seems most
anxious to expose the nazis and the
fascists, but he has yet to demon
strate that he is as much opposed to
these gentry as he processes to be.
Until quite recently, overwhelming
evidence supported the suspicion that
he wanted to soft-pedal nazi and fas-
cist activities, which accounted for the
fact that Silver Shirt Chieftain Will
liam Dudley Policy gave him his bless
ings. And there are at least some
people who still remember that Mr..
Dies a year or SO ago addressed
meeting in New York City to which
members of the Fascist Christian
Front were admitted free of charge
while the general public had to pay
an admission fee.
Truth is that even some of Mr. Dies
close acquaintance feel that he is
moro concerned with making the front
page headlines for himself than he
is with tracking down Hitler's agents
in this country.
Continued on Page Two)
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-12-18

policy; statements winch the
records of the state did not
confirm. And once they dis
covered the actual conditions,
they terminated Governor
Ayers political career.
The people will expect and receive
honesty of statements from Governor
Ford when he takes office. Reorgan-
ization of the state departments, weed
ing out of dead political timber from
state offices and placing men in them,
who will render honest service to the
state and not devote most of their
time to furthering political programs,
indicates that the new chief execu-
tive of the state is facing an arduous
task.
The overdraft in the general fund
of the state increased nearly a quarter
of million dollars during the month
of November. AS told in a previous
November 1, was S699,527.36 and on
December 1, it was $924,395.55.
The records of the month to month
condition of the states general fund
during the Ayers administration, con-
sidering the tremendous increases in
the revenue to that fund, indicates
clearly, inefficient and reckless han
ding of the funds, and moreover, it
shows that when the people of the
state find that an official makes state
ments to them, not borne out by the
records, they proceed to get rid Of
him, when they recognize the actual
conditions.
Recognizing the herculean task fac
ing Governor Ford, the people of the
state will not expect him to accom-
plish any miracles Immediately on
taking office. They will expect, and
The Voice believes, that they will re-
ceive from Governor Ford earnest
sincere and sound efforts to cleanse
the state government of every feature
which is not desirable; to introduce
honest service to the people into the
departments to replace political ma
chinatiOn.
And if and when, Governor Ford
claims the budget is balanced" we
believe the records will substantiate
his claims.
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-12-18
SPIEGEL "CALLs"
GREAT FALLS
EDITOR In letter
Mr.. Chas. L. Stevens, Editor
Great Falls News
305 First Avenue North
Great Falls, Mont.

| MI. SudS L. OtCfCuo, EulLOI
Great Falls News
305 First Avenue North
Great Falls, Mont.
Dear Sir,
ticle appearing in recent edition of
your paper in which you attempt to
belittle the records which myself and
others have made in past legislative
sessions, and also the manner in
which they are compiled.
Being somewhat proud of this rec
ord l feel that I should answer your
outburst, and at the same time call
your attention to the sentiment which
exists regarding your attempted fence
straddling.
The manner Of compiling the box
score is just as fair to one legislator
as it is to any of the others. At
every session there are some meas
ures, which, because of their import
ance to the wage earners and small
taxpayers of this state, stand out from
the usual run of mine bills. What
method is fairer than to give the peo-
pie of the various counties the record
of how their representatives voted on
these measures? You, as we'll as $3.50
Of those running for public office, ap-
peared before the electorate during
the campaign, and promised among
other things that you would work for
and safeguard their interests. If you
had said that you would work for the
corporate interests, there would be no
question where you would have ended
up after the votes had been counted.
In the 1885 session, what bills were
of more importance than the several
utility measures which would have
curbed the activities of the utilities
which had been looting the state of
it's natural resources? Yet the record
shows that you voted against these
measures as well as the Short Train
bill and the two insurance measures,
one of which has saved thousands of
dollars to the people of this state since
it's passage. Your chief concern dur
ing that session was not to incur the
enmity of the corporation crowd, so
that you could pave the way to be
placed upon the state payroll as Pub
licity Director. Would you dare say
that you could be classified as a good
legislator who had worked for the
Continued on Page Four)
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-12-18
C. A. B. WILL
IMPROVE MONT.
AIR PORTS

Montana will play an increasingly
important part in national defense
plans, Senator James e. Murray Cd
Montana, declared yesterday in an
nouncing the ALLEGATION of 1899, 600 by
the civil areonautics board for inn
provement of some of the states air
ports.
The geographical position of the
state makes it the key to the air de-
Tense of the northwest, Senator Muir
ray said. From Montana airports
planes can furnish protection to the
vital Industrial centers of the Pacific
northwest. AT the same time, he ex-
planned, the airports located far in
land would be safe from attack
The strategic Importance of Mon
tana was recognized by the civil aero
nautics board, Senator Murray said,
when it allocated nearly one million
dollars of its $4O,000,O00 appropria-
ton to the state alone.
Airports in seven Montana cities
will be improved with civil aeronau-
tlcS DOdIu luuuS. HIS hiOHey W nc
used for material costs, Senator Muir
ray explained, will be supplemented
by approximately an equal amount
of works projects administration funds
which will cover labor costs on the
projects. The total to be spent will
two million dollars.
The airports to be improved and
the civil aeronautics board funds to be
allocated are: Missoula, $4,000; Bill
ings, 100000; Great Falls, $4,000;
Lewistown, 100000; Butte, 100000;
Miles City, $4,000, and Bozeman $47,-
100.
Improvement work on some of the
iirports is already in progress. Work
IN the others will start Immediately,
Senator Murray said.
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-12-18
Is PERMITS CANCELLED

The Montana railroad and public
service commission has reported can
collation. of Is M. R. G. permits in the
state because holders failed to COM
ply with state insurance laws. The
board said all holders were given a
Today period in which to comply but
that they did not.
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-12-18
BALANCED BUDGET"sTI
APPROACHING new HIN
IN RED INK CONSUME ION
s'Pay As You Co. Policy Of Whicl Gov
ernor Boosted Volubly During Campaign
Appears to Have Lost Several Cogs in Its
Wheels; New Governor Faces Hard Job

With steadily mounting overdraft in the states general
indicating continuation of the reckless expenditures
that characterized administration of Governor Ayers
the hard and exacng condition when he
takes people of the state have been weared for
years by of the that he had
.baanced the budget and established pay CO.
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-12-18
TRESPASSINC AT THE CAPITAL
By A. I. HARRIS

Mussoins soldiers aren't going engage serious
fighting with the Greeks until they quit wearing skirts They
are taking no chances shooting down women.
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-12-18
AL And Clio CONVENTIONS ENDORSE
C0-0PS, URGE PARTICIPATION

A. F. of L. to Survey American Coops and Recommend
Action to Implement Endorsement; C. O. Urges Develop
of Co-operatives Increase Purchasing Power of
Workers.
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-12-18
SECURITIES & EXCHANGE
COMM. RAP Insurance
COMPANIES IN REPORT

Three Volume Report Makes Sensational
Charges Which May Lead Temporary Ma
Legislation to Curb Insurance Companies
Drastically.
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-12-18

Sensational charges against American insurance companies
which the industries Of the United States
contained in report submitted to the temporary national
committee by the securities and exchange commits
sion.
The report which will be published shortly
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-12-18

Eesnsmis Justjss and Equality
IL the Real Safeguard Of D..
mocracy. Lack Of These IL =
Challenge to the Intelligence
and Sincerity Of All.
Evening star., 1940-06-07
Italy May Open War
With France by Mass
Raids on Industry
French Are Reported
Planning Invasion If
MussoIini Strikes
BY CONSTANTINE BROWN.

According to reliable reports
received here today the Italian air
force will be given the task of
starting the war against France
with mass attack against southern
and central industrial regions as
far west as the Pyrenees.
The same reports indicate the
French will not remain on the
defensive but that Generalissimo
Maxine Weygand will order an i'm
mediate offensive of all French Al
pine forces against Italy.
Despite unusual military activity
along the French-Italian border,
where motorized divisions have
been gathered, responsible observers
doubt that the Italian forces will
attempt to invade France by land.
The Italian general staff, headed by
Marshal Graziani - Italy's ablest
Soldier-believes that an invasion
could not be successful until the
Germans have advanced far enough
into France to threaten Paris.
GRAHAM Expects Easier Task.
Graziani is reported to have ex-
pressed the opinion that the French
morale will be so shattered by the
imminent occupation of Paris that
the armies opposing the Italians
will not offer the same resistance
they would now, while Weygand is
holding his own in the north.
Despite the life and death strug-
gle with Generalissimo Weygand is
putting up against the German on
slaught, not single unit has been
transferred from the Italian to the
German front. The imposing air
force which has been kept against
Italy is standing by awaiting the
Italian attack.
There are, of course, no mo-
torized battalions on that front be-
cause the French general staff, even
In Gen. Gamelin's time, did not
Evening star., 1940-06-07
Girl Homemuker Tours
City After Reception

A 17-year-old Mississippi girl,
winner Of q Nationwide home
economic contest, was seeing the
sights" in the Capital today, follow
ing a reception at the Capitol yes
terday during which she heard Sen
ator Harrison of Mississippi. char
acterize training for homemaking
as "one Of the most forward looking
defense programs this country could
undertake"
The winner, selected from more
than 5000 students in 40 States, is
Miss Jane Champion, Meridian. Miss.
She also was greeted yesterday
by Representative Collins of her
home district, and Representative
Barton of New York, who headed
the panel Of judges for the contest.
Evening star., 1940-06-07

believe such units were needed there
as long as the French Army main
tanned a defensive position. But
there are about 800 planes con-
centrated in the region facing Italy.
This force is ideal at the present
time and would help considerably
on the northern front II Weygand
dared bare Southern France.
Some of Best Troops There.
Some of Frances best troops are
In that region, too The famous
Chasseurs Alpins. picked Moroccan
and Algerian regiments and a part
of the Foreign Legion are kept in
strong position for the Italian
eventuality.
Military observers believe that if
the Italians start with an air attack
on the. region where most of the
French warplanes are being manu-
factured, it is more than likely that
Weygand will order the French
troops to attack through the passes
OF the Alps, which can be crossed
this time of year.
The French general staff was re-
ported today to be anticipating
calmly a war with Italy. Premier
Reynaud is reported to have assured
foreign diplomats in Paris that
while such Intervention would be
painful, the French army of the
south is as strong as ever and fully
prepared to meet the Italians. Rey-
maud is said to be optimistic about
the outcome in Southern France,
while responsible army chiefs main
tain that the reverses the Italians
are going to suffer will bolster up
the French morale and make them
more determined in their stand
against Hitler's mechanical forces.
Evening star., 1940-06-07
French Aerial Cannon, Tanks
Worst Foe,' Rejected by Reich

The shells, exploding on impact
with the tops of the tanks, rend the
comparatively thin armor plate
there and are said to kill all the
creWmen.
Before each batch of shells Is
approved, engineers fire test samples
through sheets of papers. If the
slight impact with the paper fails to
detonate the shell the whole con-
Signment is refused.
Germany at one time was offered
rights to production of such cannon
and shells, but turned them down
on the grounds that they had not
been perfected.
Now these weapons and shells
have been turned against Germany.
A military spokesman said that they
are the mo. enemy" of the tank.
Evening star., 1940-06-07
By the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
PARIS, June THE French are
proud Of the aerial cannon and their
famous 75s, field pieces which fire
shells about 3 inches in diameter,
for their performance against the
Nazi tanks.
The aerial cannon are bolted to
plane motors on each side and fire
through the radius propellers, a
throwback to the World War which
brought forth the machine-gun
synchronized to shoot between the
propeller blades. These are fixed
guns, aimed by pointing the plane.
The new aerial guns, firing ex-
plosive projectiles instead of merely
bullets, were perfected in France by
French, Swiss and American en-
gineers.
Evening star., 1940-06-07
Wang Keh-Min Resions

PE1PING. June 7 R.-Wang
Keh-min. head of the Japanese
sponsored North China Political
Council. which formerly was the
Peiping provisional government, re-
signed today. He was succeeded by
Wang Yi-tang, since last March
head of the Executive Council of
the Japanese-approved Wang Ching
wei Central Chinese regime at
Nanking.
Evening star., 1940-06-07
Contract Is Awarded
For Street Puvino

A contract for widening and paw
ing Thirteenth street NV. between
Euclid street and Spring road was
awarded by the Commissioners to-
day to the Wilmoth Paving Co. of
this city.
The contract is for $103,641.50.