davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-02-21
Insurance Co.'S
CONTINUED From Page one)

| t1OIllHutu o6C INV
and the tendency of 1t to increase of
its own accord, like some great toad
putting itself bigger and bigger.
Metropolitan and Prudential had "A
of the SO millions of life insurance
policies in force at the close of 1888
The two companies, in other words,
had 759o of all the life insurance pol
icies.
These policies represented $40 bill
lions of life insurance or nearly 44%
of the dollar amount of insurance in
force for the entire rs companies. The
five New York companies had written
approximately 43.S% of all the life in
surance in force.
Over the 10-year period, the 26 COM
panies had $2697 billions to invest of
which $3.50 billions was invested. In
1888 the figure was $4.3 billions as
against 50 billions in 1929. The five
largest companies, alone, had $2.S bill
lions available for investment in 1888.
or the $3.65 billions invested in
1888, 1884 billions went into bonds
and stocks, $685. millions in mort
cages, SlS4 millions in real estate and
1884 millions In policy loans and other
| investments.
| The highest average rate of income
was from policy loans. Insurance
companies made an average of $3.50
on loans to policyholders. Metropoli-
tan had 10.6596 of it's assets in such
| loans.
In other words, the insurance com
panies made the most money from
those people who owned the money.
Persons who did not sink their dough
into the companies paid less to Dor
row back some of the money they
had been paying the company for
years.
Private companies borrowing mon
ey from insurance companies, for in
stance, paid between 2.9% and $3.50
| interest (these figures include returns
from government bonds.). The com
pany with the lowest rate of return
on it's bond investments had the larg-
est proportion of government bonds
while the company with the highest
rate of return had the smallest proper
| tion of government bonds.
| Real estate holdings of the 26 COM
panies moved sharply upward during
the period, the SEC reported, reflect
| ing the large amount of foreclosures.
Mortgages declined from $6.2 billions
at the end of 1929 to SAG billions
at the end of 1888 but real estate
holdings moved from $277.7 millions
to SIT billions.
The amount of farm real estate
owned by insurance companies rose
from $S1.9 millions to 1924 millions.
OF the mortgages owned by insurance
companies, most ($1952 millions)
were in Iowa and next ($91.7 mil
lions) were in Illinois.
The total income of the 26 com
panies after disbursements in 1888
was $1,206,57 900 For the 10-year
period it was $10,596, 1864 900. Income
from investments amounted to $685.
$4,000 over the same period.
The full implication of these and
the other figures gathered by the SEC
will be examined shortly Now it is
clear that insurance companies consti-
tute vital factor in the nations econ
Omy,
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-02-21
General Fund
Continued From Page One)

Continued From Page One)
lures for the running expenses of the
Estate government, will undoubtedly
show that the present administration
is one of the most extravagant in the
history of the state. The Voice will
publish this analysis in the near fu-
iture. 1t will show the condition of
the general fund month by month,
and will show that the taxpayers of
the state are facing relentlessly
mounting debt for the ordinary run
ming expenses of the government; a
debt that can be liquidated only in
two ways-by a reduction in expendi-
lures or by funding with bond issue
when the debt reaches certain stage.
The debt will not be liquidated by
dramatic optimistic broadcasts at mid
might or any other time by the gov
ernor and state accountant.
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-02-21
INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH
OUADRUPLED IN 20 YEARS

WASHINGTON (FP )J-lndicating
the tremendous growth of technology
in industry with its consequent dis
placement of workers, the WPA here
reported that the number of persons
engaged in industrial research has in
creased fourfold since 1921.
The greatest amount of research,
the report says, is being done in the
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-02-21
Youth Looks

CONTINUED From Page One)
world order and laying the foundations
and beginning the construction OF the
new
The Youth Congress has won It's
first hard battle. 1t has stood It's
ground and refused to surrender TO
economic privilege and political reac'
ton. Now for the next step-the
strong offensive; forward toward 1885
and cooperative world of peace, Sc
curity, order, freedom and human de-
cency
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-02-21
PATHETIC FUTILITY

1000 New York women and girls
stood in line one day last year, each
hoping to get one of IL available
Health department jobs-at SIS per
week. Increasing in frequency are
events blasting the fallacious idea that
none of the unemployed would work
even If given chance"
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-02-21

relatively new mass production indus
tries such as electrical goods, rubber,
petroleum, industrial chemicals and
autos.
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-02-21

DEMAND THE UNION LABEL /!
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-02-21

You cannot control what you do moi
owni
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-10-09
STANDARD BEWAILS RELIEF
EXPENDITURES

of October the Montana Standard bewas the
the Roosevelt Administration made available to the
people the of 600 for relief and much
needed Improvements.
ACM Company mouhpece doesn't tell us that these
expenditures resulted in keeping thousands of drought
their families their farms and
until it will be possible to get irrgating
water and make their sefsusaning
under Conservation program The Fort Peck dam
the largest project this that has been undertaken and
completion but dozens of other smaller dams to
gatng have been completed and
the giving fluid to thousands of heretofore
ductve acres and blossom with all kinds of health
beast Let the Standard ask these farmers
they think of the New Deal spending Ask the farmers
re-setement districts and newly opened rriga
ton districts Fairfield Malta Fresno Saco Devils Basin
Tongue River Red Lodge Ruby River Toston
West Fork of the Bterroot Others
think of the New Deal spending Ask the business
the adjacent to these irrigated farming districts
Ask the aboring who and employed these
projects Ask the professional the preachers
teachers ask them all what they think of the New Deal
spending enabled them to remain in their homes
themselves and to live better and fuller lives not just
for the all time water and
green The fault predicamen of the people
the lies the door of the ACM Company-controed
and his stooge Welfare Administrator
Brandord The national will put $40 for each
person 65 if the state and counties will match it.
expect the editor of the Standard to mix with the
get information but he might look
and graded streets and alleys miles of
sidewalks miles of and sanitary million dollar
high school, andscapng and improvement of all public
buildings the thousands of people employed these
projects being taken of by while
the ACM Company sat back in sulk and Rugged profits
closer
BUTTE MINER
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-10-09
REGISTRATION
STARTS ON
OCTOBER is

| Ignorance of the law excuses none"
On October 16 every resident of Mon
tana between the ages of 81 and SO
must present himself before board
of registrars and receive a certificate
of registration which will then be his
passport until such time as a local
board has had an opportunity to de-
eide whether or not he should spend
year in the armed forces of the
United States, qualifying himself for
the job of defending his country in a
period of emergency should one arise
There cannot be and there will not
be any personal notification" says
the selective service committee. at
must be presumed that every man
reads newspapers, listens to radio, or
at least talks with someone who does.
We must point out that failure to reg
lister carries with it severe penalties.
OF course, should the local board ac-
cept the excuse of a registrant who
presents himself for registration after
October 16, he would not be punished,
but neglect might lead to immediate
induction without regard for valid
claims for exemption or deferment."
Registration in every county is UNI
der the direction of the county clerk
and recorder. He is charged with see
ing to 1t that every election precinct in
his county is prepared to register
those residing within its boundaries,
although he may make certain combi-
nations of precincts should he deem
it advisable. Washington has held
that it Is a patriotic duty to assist the
county clerk in carrying out registra-
ton He will be in need of all the
assistance he can get in registering,
and the selective service committee
for Montana hopes that every precinct
will have too much rather than too
little assistance. The committee re-
quests that you call your county clerk
and recorder right away and list your
name for this duty.
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-10-09
farm PRICE
INDEX UP
SLIGHTLY

Local market prices received nv
Montana farmers advanced over a
rather wide front during the month
ended September Is, although gains
for the most part were slight The
mid-month index of farm product
prices at SIS per cent of the 1910-1914
level was up two points from a month
earlier but was five points under the
index of year earlier when markets
generally were stimulated by the out
break of the European war. Grain.
chicken and egg, and fruit prices were
considerably under their year earlier
levels on September Is, but dairy
product and meat animal prices were
higher. Grain, dairy, chicken and egg
and meat animal groups all made
slight to moderate gains while apple
prices declined as compared with Au-
gust Is prices
Continuing the advance begun In
August, farm product prices in the
United States gained another point by
mid-September when the index stood
at 81 per cent of the 1910-1914 level
Compared with year earlier this fig
ure was one point lower and the ratio
of prices received to prices paid, inter-
est and taxes, was still "a points below
the 1910-1914 base period.
Local market prices of the major
agricultural commodities were gener-
ally higher during the month ending
Is. Grain prices, at n per
cent of the 1910-1914 level, averaged
one point higher than in mid August.
Prices received by farmers for cotton
lint were unchanged, but sagging cot
tonseed prices lowered the cotton and
cottonseed index one point. Meat ami
NAL prices prices advanced four points.
Prices of dairy and poultry products
continued their seasonal rise and on
Is were up two and IA
points, respectively, from their August
averages. Lower prices were reported
or fruit, which was down six points.
Compared with year earlier, grain
PRICES were down six points and meat
lnimals three points, while fruit, cot
on and cottonseed prices averaged
he same, as a year earlier. Dairy
,roduct prices were up four points,
hicken and eggs two points and truck
rops one point.
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-10-09

Although the figures show dissatis-
faction by ratio of better than to 1
a tabulation of combined calculations
reveals much broader ratio. Papers
voting Yes represented only 800 Of the
total circulation, while the No vote
represented 93% and the Undecided
accounted for 400.
Most of the questionnaires were re-
turned just before the excess profits
tax was enacted. Since no radical
changes were made =. in the bill after
the questionnaires were mailed, it is
fair to conclude that the labor press is
dissatisfied with the measure.
Almost two-thirds of the editors
said the government should take over
the munitions, shipbuilding, aircraft
and other key industries. Next most
popular proposal was CONSUMPTION of
wealth through requirement that
manufacturers fill defense contracts
at cost The no profit alternative was
supported chiefly by CLIO editors,
while a milder formula for an 80
profit limit was the choice of one
fourth of the ALL editors.
Not a single editor marked as his
final choice fourth alternative, which
read on the QUESTIONABLE: "To encour-
age manufacturers, only modest taxes
should be imposed on profits in de-
Tense industries"
Comments from number of editors
81 q t,rro oo1 LOT 70
the minds Of defense profiteers. mine
thousand dollars for an airplane motor
is worse than treason" said Everett
Henne of the Independent Weekly
Continued on Page Four)
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-10-09
PR0-WILLkIE AID
ENDORSES
PROPAGANDA

On Thursday, September 26, full
page political advertisement entitled
what has happened to the Miracl,
of Philadelphia ?" appeared on page 1!
OF the New York Times. The adver
tisement, endorsing Wendell L. Will
kie for president, was placed by the
pro-Willkie organization called We
the People. In addition to listing the
reasons for electing their candidate
the organization suggested certain &C.
tivities to be carried on by individual
Willkie sympathizers. Among the sug.
gestions was this one:
Read the following material-and
then see that in the next four weeks
some, or ALL of 1t is in the hands of
every on-the-fence voter that you can
find. The pamphlets-all of them
can be read in two hours-and some
of them can be read in two minutes.
Most are free-some cost a small
amount"
The first two pamphlets recommend
ed are by Wendell Willkie; their IT,
ties 1--WE. the People, and Acceptance
Address. The third work listed is the
Essay ON Liberty by John Stewart
Mill
The fourth pamphlet recommended
is piece of anti-Semitic fascist liter
ature. It's title is The Fifth Column in
Washington. It's author is Joseph p.
Ramp, who for some time has been
notorious as a distributor OF anti-dem-
ocratic, anti-labor, auti-Semitic and
pro-fascist propaganda.
The Hour on August II, August "a
and September IA carried articles de-
scribing the nature of the booklet and
the character of it's author, who for
merly was editor and publisher of the
fascist magazine Awakener. AS The
Hour pointed out, Ramp at one time
his efforts on circulating
the famous anti-Semitic forgery
known as the benjamin Franklin Let
ter; in this connection he worked
closely with William Dudley Policy.
Another anti-Jewish work distributed
Ill large Qudulllico ny iNdihP woo 'HS
Why Are the Jews Persecut-
ed for Their Religion? Among the
anti-labor propaganda written and
distributed by Ramp was the booklet
Join the CIO-and Help Build Soviet
America.
Ramps associates and admirers in
clude such u. S. Fifth Columnists as
the following: James True, contact
man for the nazis and editor Of the
anti-labor, anti-democratic Industrial
Control Reports; Allen zoll, Coughlin-
tie indicted as a blackmailer; General
George Van Horn Mosley, noted pro-
Iitlerite; Joseph E. McWilliams, petty
uehrer of the American Destiny party,
md John E. Kelley, New Jersey fas-
list who speaks for the German
American bund, the Christian Front
md similar organizations.
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-10-09
Conference
OF PR0GRESSIVES
FOR ROOSEVELT

| ST. PAUL-Following a days con-
sideration Of the candidates and issues
in the presidential campaign, indie
pendent progressives of six northwest
states comforting here Saturday decid-
ed upon full support of President for
reelection
"In this national crisis" the con-
ferees declared in a public statement,
1--WE have decided to support the new
deal because it has broken ground for
more just society. We recognize
that the superstructure is still to be
erected, but are confident that prog
ress in building this superstructure
has its only chance of being continued
under President Roosevelt-certainl
not under Wendell Willkie.''
The conference had been called by
the Farmer-Labor Political Federation,
national political body, and was at
tended by persons from Iowa, Wiscon-
sin, Minnesota, the Dakotas, and Mon
tana. While the conferees were in
large measuer representatives of farm
groups, trade nnionists, educators and
other professional people were in at
tendance.
A detailed survey of new deal &C
complishments, prepared by the con-
ference, was described by Howard Y
Williams, st. Paul, chairman of the
conference, as "list of reasons for
the decision of the conference to sup
port Roosevelt and Wallace"
In conclusion, the conference de-
'clared that "the election of Wendell
Willkie would be an out-and-out defeat
TO rAmerican democracy"
Mayor John j. McDonough of St.
Paul opened the conference Saturday
morning. Speakers included Judge
William A. Anderson, Minnesota; Ken
meth w. Homes, president of Wiscon-
sin Farmers Union; Ole H Olson, for
mer republican governor of North Da-
kota; Ben Marsh, Washington, D. c.,
and others.
Senator George w. Norris, independ-
ent OF Nebraska and head of national
committee of progressives for Roose-
welt, sent the conferees warm mes
sage Of greeting. He said he was un-
able to leave Washington to attend, as
he had planned.
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-10-09
FACTS ON
U. SIS 200
Leak OUT
(By Federated Pressl

WASHINGTON. - Some details on
the character and control of America q
200 largest non-financial corporations
were reluctantly made public here DC.
tober by Senator Joseph c. O'Ma-
honey d., Wyo). chairman of the
Temporary National Economic com
mittee.
O'Mahoney said that the report con-
tanning the material had been submit
ted to the TNEC but had not yet been
accepted by that organization. "Prema-
ture publication of a story on the
study" he said, compelled the release
of the reports highlights.
The 200 corporations, according to
O'Mahoney's summary. account for the
bulk of activities in manufacturing.
mining, electric and gas utilities,
transportation, and communication.
Three family groups, the DuPonts,
the MELONS and the Rockefellers, have
shareholdings valued at nearly s1.4
billions which are so placed as to give
them considerable influence if not
control over Is Of the 200 largest non
financial corporations.
With 10 other families, these three
have holdings worth $2.7 billions rep
resenting 8e6 of the stock of the 200
Each interest group shows strong
to keep its holdings concen-
trated in the enterprise in which the
family fortune originated" the pub
lished summary of the report states.
However, many large family interest
groups have greatly expanded their
individual sphere of influence through
the acquisition of control over addi
tional enterprises by the corporations
they control.
'In about 40% of the 200 largest cor
porations one family or small num-
Der of families exercise their absolute
control because of ownership of the
of the voting securities or
control through ownership of
a substantial minority of the voting
stock.
about 60 corporations, or 300 of
(Cont. on Page Four)
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-10-09

1t is interesting to note that on July
1, the primary election month, the gen
eral fund showed cash balance of
S4O4,359.58. Receipts from taxes col
lected by the counties and large trans
fers of profits from the state Iiouor
business helped the governor to make
the showing of a cash balance at that
opportune time just before the pri-
mary election.
one month later on August 1, the
increased receipts were gone. the cash
balance had disappeared and the fund
was overdrawn on that date, s16,607.
On September 1, the overdraft had
reached the imposing figure of $780,
$3.50, and as shown above has mount
ed to new heights since that time.
The governor has boosted time and
again of a balanced budget" and a
pay as you go" policy. This is Just
political "hooey" and cannot be sub
stantiated by records. THE RECORDS
SHOW tina THE AVERAGE OVER
DRAFT IN THE GENERAL FUND IN
The Al MONTHS OF HIS ADMINS
TRATION HAS BEEN 5000 500.
DOES THAT INDICATE A BAL
BUDGET AND A "PAY AS
YOU GO" POLICY?
Ayers and his supporters while COM
PEELED to admit that the receipts to
the general fund of the state during
his administration have been tremen-
dously augmented, claim that new
services have absorbed the increased
revenue. The new services named are
teachers pension system, relief for
the aged and unfortunate and water
conservation. Every informed person
in the state knows that these state
ments cannot be verified The water
conservation expenditures have been
as has the relief payments
Continued on Page Four)
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-10-09
Dairy Farmers
Seek Labor
Support
(By Federated Press)

UTICA. N. Y.-Facing strike II
New York, Pennsylvania and Vermont
the Dairy Farmers Union (unaffiliat
ed) is appealing to labor unions fol
moral support in the current struggle
against the milk trust.
| In 1899, with the help Of unions and
organized consumers, the farmers wor
nine-day strike. Since then the un
ion has grown In membership anc
influence. The DFU is not asking now
for financial help from labor unions
but it is urging that they put pressure
on public officials and others to see
that the farmers get fair break IL a
strike is called.
In bespealing the support OF organ
lied labor, the DFU called attention
to anti-labor propaganda which has
been methodically spread among farm
ers by the milk trust and its stooges.
The union cited the September IA
issue of American Agriculturalist, a
Frank E. Gannett publication, which
characterized organized labor as "the
worlds worst monopoly" In the same
issue appeared full page ads of the
Dairymen's league and the Metropoli-
tan Milk Producers Bargaining Agen-
cy, both of which have fought the
dealers fight in trying to keep farm
ers from unionizing.
The Agriculturalist article states in
part: There exists today in the U. S.
colossal labor monopoly, an oil
garchy of professional labor unionists
whose every action is bent toward
maintaining themselves In power re-
CARELESS of the effects of their action
on worker or nation. The govern
ment has supported and encouraged
this labor monopoly so much 80 that
it is in the saddle today.
at works great deal more to the
disadvantage of the laboring man than
anyone else 1t has stolen from him his
fundamental right of freedom Of ac-
ton In many cases he is just as down
rtodden today by his leaders as he was
in times past by industrial monop
olists.
1.-THE labor monopoly has one of the
largest unregulated businesses in the
today. Counting only dues OF
81 month from 100000 workers, 1t
rakes in a total of s96,000,000 a year,
Tor disposition of which it gives little
Dr. no accounting.
The story quotes Dies committee
charges of communism in labor unions
and warns that communists would
CONTINUED on Page Four)
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-10-09

WASHINGTON = The COP candi-
date promises, if elected, to revise
the labor laws. He will-downward.
Democracy in Action
The Ramspeck BILL which gives the
president power to read into civil serv-
ice all federal employees appointed to
various agencies from non-civil service
registers, has finally been passed.
Hailed far and wide as an extension
of the merit system, the bill actually
serves to protect those who were re-
cipients of political patronage. The
Mead amendment, which would have
affected census employees-the only
ones in the entire bill having passed
civil service examinations - was re-
iected by the conference committee.
Eight thousand census employees thus
left out in the cold are wondering
about our democratic institutions
Poor Hardest Hit by Taxes
twenty-five per cent of the income
of those earning less than $500 year
goes for taxes, while only Is per cent
of the income of those earning be-
tween $4,000 and $4,000 goes Tor
taxes.
That starting revelation is contained
in report of study just completed for
the temporary national economic
monopoly committee submitted last
week. The study was made under the
auspices of the department Of COM
merce. The report is entitled, who
Pays the Taxes?", and discloses that
we. have not even begun to approach a
tax system in this country based on
ability to pay.