The people's voice., 1940-03-13
BY j. B. BENTLEY

| have been accused of being a com
munist, or at least of having com
munistic leanings, in an open lette
carried in The Peoples Voice ant
written by Mr.. Larson. / will freel,
admit that l don't know much abou
communism as practiced in Russia, a!
have never lived there. | have LIVED
all of my life in this country, as have
my forefathers for a good many gen
erations. In fact this country was
only a pup when they, my people
first came here and settled dowr
among the Indians, coyotes and prairie
dogs, and they have been pushed from
one frontier to the other to escape the
iron hand of dominant Capitol. In
those days it was OK teams and COW
cred wagons that carried the families
of the pioneers to the frontier OF
freedom of thought and they fought
their way constantly, either against
the elements or bands of marauding
Indians. If there were any of the
frontiers that they didn't touch
haven't heard of them They extended
iiolii tiiO tdob IOiol W lilC Ntot 1Odot
and back into Montana, and always
they carved out of the wilderness a
civilization that was always taken over
and prostituted by the powers of Cap
itol. They, my people, left Europe
because they were dissatisfied with
the rule of Imperialism, and they
faced the dangers and privations of
a new country, they suffered starva-
tion sickness and death in a thousand
different ways because of their con-
yictiOns of what was right. There
were worse things than death to those
Imperialist rule. These people did
carve out of the wilderness commun-
tiles that were good. They had farms
with livestock on them and they
owned them and worked them for
their own interest and what they pro-
capable and did fill the bellies of their
children so they developed in mind
and body with humanitarian instincts.
No person put a paddock on their
homes. In those days the latch string
was always out and passerby was
to a meal if he was so inclined. Hos
pitality was a passion with those peo-
pie. And just as soon as the first
hard battle was won by the pioneer,
Organized Capitol would spew cos
mopolitan influx onto them to grab,
,,I,, trno1fh nf fhn
community. OF course there were
many good people came in with the
influx, but they were all caught in
the whirlpool of organized capital and
were helpless victims of an organized
plan / have even in my life time
tasted freedom far greater than we
have today. Perhaps because | was
born on the frontier received lessons
in freedom that | will never lose.
In California the Farm Security Ad-
has established some
camps for the migratory workers that
follow the harvests where the workers
are safe from the hired thugs of the
Associated Farmers. After the har-
vest is over the Associated Farmers
hire thugs to go into the camps of
the migratory workers to coerce the
workers, burn their camps and move
them on. The Associated Farmers de-
Test these camps established by the
Farm Security Administration because
Of the protection they afford and be-
cause of the moral effect it has on
he people that inhabit them. These
lamps make the people realize that
here is a higher standard of living
han the dirty, disease infected camps
hey had been used to. They are
'orced to use, even when working, |
,pen toilets and well water. These |
government camps are not the latest |
hing in homes, but they have running |
water, toilets and facilities so they |
AN wash and clean up. And above
III, to these workers come the reali-
alton that there is a standard of
living way higher than that of their
Widest dreams; one that is obtainable