davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-03-27
TYR. STRUGGLE
ENDS With
CON TRACT

NEW YORK (FP) April Fools
day of 1910 will be remembered for
years by the 500 employees of the New
York bureau of Associated Press
st was then" the old-timers will
be explaining to the youngsters, that
our first American Newspaper Guild
(CIO) contract went into effect"
1t took the guild seven years to
get that contract, with negotiations
attempted or in progress - intermit-
tently = for about half the period.
Taking a leaf from the labor policy
book of General Motors, the AP exec
utives told union negotiators to talk
with local bureau chiefs. Union
spokesman found that the bureau
chiefs had no authority.
An early highlight of the case was
the dismissal of Morris Watson, now
ANG international vice president. An
NLRB order for Watson's reinstate-
ment was fought by AP to the U. S.
supreme court, resulting in the fam
Gus decision upholding the Wagner
act.
Guild officials say that the contract,
one with United Press,
does not provide for any substantial
Significance Is that
AP has signed up for the first time,
and that the signing will speed or
ganization and pave the way for future
gains
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-03-27
House Labor Com.
Approves Addition
OF Two To NLRB

NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. OF
two members to the national labor
relations board was approved by the
House labor committee here by vote
of IA to 3, Rep. Mary r. Norton ID,
NJ ~ told reporters following meet
ing of the committee.
The vote was taken as the commit
tee began to consider amendments to
the national labor relations act pro-
posed by the special House committee
Investigating the board and act.
An amendment to abolish the pres
ent board, by an ironica1 turn, was
defeated nine to eight, it was reported
Rep Glare Hoffman (R., Mich.) fur
nishing the negative proxy that de-
feated the proposition.
Also rejected was proposal to
change the acts declaration of policy
to eliminate the statement declaring
it to be the policy of the U. S. to
encourage collective bargaining.
Other proposals Of the Smith com
mittee will be considered later, Rep.
Norton said
President Roosevelt declined to COM
ment on the action of the House COM
mite on the previous speech by Sen.
Wagner 3D., N. Y.) expressing strong
opposition to the Smith proposals and
willingness to accept two additional
on the labor board.
The president said he could not
comment because the matter was still
pending before congress and the stu
alton was apt to change from day to
day.
Rep. Norton expressed the opinion
that adding two members to the
NLRB would help the board in dis
posing of cases more speedily and
would settle the other questions raised
by the Smith committee.
Hoffman's vote in defense of the
labor board caused great amusement
in the capitol because the Michigan
is known as the bitter
Continued on Page Four)
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-03-27
MID-C0NTINENT
petroleum CORP.
UNDER FIRE

The federal trade commission has
issued a complaint charging Mid-Con
tinent Petroleum Corporation, Tulsa
Okla, with misrepresentation in the
sale of it's "D-X" motor fuel. The re
spondent operates terminals in st
Paul, Chicago, Kansas City, Mo-, and
Omaha.
1t is alleged that the respondent cor
poration caused dealers in it's products
to represent that ok" motor fuel
because of the presence Of an added
patent lubricant, as compared with
gasoline not so treated and as COM
pared with other motor gasoline fuels,
is more efficient, effects substantial
economy in operation, reduces friction
and wear and tear on the upper
cylinder parts, makes the motor run
smoother, cooler and more quietly, in
creases power and mileage per gallon
of fuel, and reduces carbon troubles
and knocking in the motor.
Alleging that the respondents
claims are misleading and in excess
of the facts, the complaint charges
violation of the federal trade commits
sion act and grants the respondent 20
days in which to file answer.
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-03-27
No Equivocation

Realizing that the people of Montana are intensely in
erested in the attitude of candidates the
toward the university situation which public generally
feels has not been cleared the Voice asked A. E. Ber
kathan candidate for the nomination the Democratic
ticket, for statement in regard to this ISSUE
Mr. kathans characterscaly fortnight reply follows:
"After study of the university situation and the re-
ports of the hearing held by the Board of Education
that the boards action does not advance the
solution of the university difficulty.
II Of the opinion that the evidence produced before
the board demonstrated imperative necessity for the
removal of President Simmons.
The hearing demonstrated conclusivey that there
foundation for the board. action requesting the
ignaton of Professors Atkinson Lenne Molet Merriam
and Keeney.
"A. E. KATHAN."
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-03-27
Wealthy Taxpayers
|Spurn Chance To
Save Through Gifts

NEW RK.-FP)-There's some
thing wrong with the picture OF the
wealthy industrialist who dishes out
his dough to worthy charities, a study
by C. Lowell Harriss OF the Colum.
bia university economics department
indicates.
The error is simply that the big
coupon-clippers aren't big givers. They
would rather hang onto their easily
earned cash and let the government
take 75% or even more in income
taxes on potential gifts than write
a check for the Society for Uplift of
Fallen Girls, or get their names IN
scribed ON a new dormitory at Groton
school.
Analysing treasury department re-
ports for the 16-year period proceed
ing 1886, Harriss found that persons
with incomes of more than $1,000, 600
year gave only 3.9% Of the total
that went to philanthropic institutions
Only 1850 came from persons with
incomes of more than $4,000, but
41.2% was given by persons under the
$4,000 income mark and 70% came
from those under $25, 200.
The strange fact is that the wealth
lest people could give money away
almost without anguish. Harris cites
the case OF a man with $1,000, 900
income, on which the tax would be
1851, 900. 'If he gives away 100000
his tax will be reduced by $4,000.
1t thus costs him only $4,000 to make
a gift OF 100000" the Columbia in
structor said
Why millionaires who could donate
money literally at cost Of only 24c
on the dollar fail to take greater ad-
vantage of the income and inheritance
tax laws is question that Harriss
does not try to answer.
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-03-27
TRESPASSINC AT THE CAPITAL
BY A. l. HARRIS

blocs in Congress for almost every
thing on earth, but there is no hous
ing bloc That is why there is immin
ent danger that those who want tt
block the program may win the figh
by default.
Senator Taft told the Senate thai
relief reduction for the workers ant
abandonment of parity payments to
the farmer would constitute steps II
the right direction. They would ther
both be happy, he indicated Per.
haps there is such thing as making
people starve and like it!
Putting New Policy
Into Effect
A. G. Black, recently named head
of the Farm Credit Administration
has lost no time in putting his ere
amortization" policy of giving farm
ers who are unable to meet mortgage
payments breathing spell into eff
feet.
VI lu6 SlIluS6Hl policy
of his predecessor, F. F. Hill, would
have meant foreclosure of thousands
of farm mortgages. 1t is estimated
that about rs per cent of farm loans
today are delinquent-which looks
like the American farmer is far from
rolling in wealth; his problems are
still on the agenda for solution.
Farm debt has not declined appre-
Gladly during the past decade; it is
still far out of line with farm income.
What decline there has been was be-
cause Of mortgage foreclosures In
other words, reducing the farmers
debts by taking his farm away from
him. When the government went into
the farm financing business as the
result of wave of farm mortgage fore
closurers which reached its climax in
1882, there was no effort to scale
down the farmers debts; the insur-
Continued on Page Four)
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-03-27

In this sketch it is interesting to
note that while mention is made
Of his captaincy of the ship of the
Blossom expedition for the Cleveland
Museum of Natural History and touts
his accomplishments as such, it does
not mention other features in connec-
ton with that expedition which have
been brought out by men familiar
with the details Of that expedition,
which reflect severely upon Simmons
as leader and executives; probably
due to the same Simmons character
istics which brought about the de-
.plorable conditions at the university
shortly after he took charge of its
affairs.
The Board Report
The report of the state board of
education has been discussed hereto
fore in the Voice. If space permitted,
it would be published in full, in order
that the people of the state might
see to what depths an appointed
agency can stoop, under the stress Of
Continued on Page Four)
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-03-27

House reactionaries are trying tc
curtail the activities of the NLR.B
and the Wage-Hour division by with
holding necessary operating funds for
these agencies. That is known as
the gentle art of choking"
Housing Foes Pulling
A "Fast One"
There appears to be a move on foot
in Congress to block consideration
during the present session of the
$500 100000 USHA loan authorization
bill on technicality. Success of the
entire slum- clearance program dnclud-
ing rural housing) is dependent upon
passage of that measure.
In the parlance of the street, it is
a sfast one that housing opponents
are attempting to pull.
The bill is in the House Banking
and Currency Committee, of which
Henry Steagall, Alabama representa-
tive, is chairman. Representative Al
bert Gore, Tennessee, member OF
the committee and an avowed foe of
leagues that the present Congress can
not take up the bill because, he main
tains, it was defeated in the last ses-
sion. This is still the 18th Congress,
and a bill defeated in one Congress
cannot be brought up again until the
next Congress.
However, the position taken by Gore
and housing foes is a specious one.
The loan authorization measure was
not defeated during the last session;
it was a motion on a rule for the bill
that was voted down. 1t is up to
Chairman Steagall to ask the Rules
Committee for a rule.
There is no reason why this slum-
clearance measure cannot come up at
this session, it is pointed out, unless,
of course, opponents of housing are
too active and supporters of housing
are asleep at the switch! There are
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-03-27
SENATE REFUSES
FARMERS
1907 PARITY

WASHINGTON.-(FP)-Appr opria-
tons to put farmers on 1907 parity
with industry were refused by the
senate here as 1t rejected, by a roll
call vote of 81 to Sc, proposal by
Sen. Josh Lee ID, Okla.) to appro-
pirate $607,000,000 for parity pay
ments.
Lees amendment to the pending
agriculture appropriation bill would
have stricken from the present act
the limitation on payments up to 75%
of parity and would have increased
the sum to be spent for parity pay
ments by the department of agricul-
ture from s212O00,0 900 to 1907 900, 900.
In an eloquent plea on behalf of
his amendment, Lee declared that
farmers produced wealth while rich
men, with s50,000,000,000 in tax ex-
empt securities, only accumulated
wealth to the impoverishment of
others
Sem Lynn Frazier (R., N. d. re-
peated his assertion that if any other
industry comparable in size to agricul-
ture was in comparable plight "the
congress of the U. s. would sit day
and night until it found solution
Voting for the Lee amendment were
Senators Ashurst 3D., Ariz.) Bilbo Cd.
Miss.), Bone ID, Wash.), Caraway 3D.,
Ark), Clark 3D., Idaho), Connally d..
Tex.), Ellender 3D., Lao, Frazier (R.,
N. D., Hill 3D., Ala), Johnson 3D.,
Colo.) and LaFollette prog, Wish
Also voting for the Lee amendment
were Senators Lee ID, Okla), Lun-
deem F-L., Mimi, Miller 3D., Ark.
Minton 3D., Ind, Murray 3D., Mont),
Nicely ID, West Va.), Norris lind,
Neb.), Nye (R., N. d., Pepper 3D.,
Fla.), Sheppard 3D., Tex, Shipstead
GIL, MIMI, Smathers 3D., N. J),
Stewart 3D., Tenn.), Thomas (R.,
ldaho), and Wheeler 3D., Mont.).
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-03-27
POVERTY OF INDIANS
TOLD IN washington

Indians on the Blackfeet reservation
in northern Montana are so poverty
stricken that they are eating dogs
and do not have floors in their houses,
according to testimony before the In
dian affairs committee of the house of
representatives at Washington, D. C.
The committee is studying bill that
would appropriate $10,000,000 for In
dian relief.
Levi Burd Of Browning, prominent
in Indian affairs, told the committee
he knew of an instance where an In
dian ate dog because he had no
other food. w. J. Spanish, also from
the Blackfeet reservation, said he
knew of Indians SO poor they could
not put floors in their dwellings.
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-03-27

incumbency of the office.
It seems obvious to anyone scrutin-
izing the records that the governor
il he has paid any attention at all
to the mounting deficits In the fund
has gambled on the realization OF
hopes that the tremendous sums ac-
cruing to the fund, from the states
liquor business and other sources,
would take care of the overdraft, and
certainly there is no economy in evil
dence, or there would be large sur
plus in the general fund at this time,
instead of a large overdraft, amount
ing to S371,53718 on March 1.
On October 81, 1898, the general
fund overdraft was S1,029,047.89; on
80, 1899, the fund was in
the red S1,047,949.12; on October 81,
1899 it was overdrawn $1,078,410.83
and on November 80, 1899, the 'red"
figures were s1,228,80119.
To the ordinary individual, when the
governor makes the statement that he
has followed pay as you go" policy,
1t can mean nothing else than that
he claims that when the states ex-
penditures have been made, the money
to pay for them has been on hand,
without any gamble involved about
possible future accretion Of funds to
pay for the goods and services pur-
chased.
In view of the figures on the books
Of the state auditor, it is apparent
CONTINUED on Page Four
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-03-27

Entirely ignoring the possible effect that the report of the
board of education have the of the uni
versity mill levy which will be voted this fall the last
State University Bulletin published
tery brashy President Simmons to the Skies evidently
assuming all that satisfy the public that
the university situation had been completely roned OUT
the hearing the findings in the report
of the board biographical sketch which boosts his Sim-
mons') attachments to the skies, is featured
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-03-27

mystery is presented in how the present governor uses
the claim made his petition for nomination for reelection
that he has followed pay you go policy in his admins
raon of the state affairs and the tenor of his
tons in his statements that he has conducted the states bust
with prudence when the ndsputable show that
fund the has been overdrawn than
million dollars at the end of several months of his
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-03-27

The book-posting machines when
used with the photo-electric eye prac-
tically eliminates the book keeper.
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-03-27
GOVERNOR ASSERTS THAT
HE HAS FOLLOWED PAY
AS YOU GO POLICY"

His Claims Made On His Filing Petition
That He Has Followed PAY As You Co.
Policy, Is Refuted by the Actual Condition
AS Shown by the General Fund During His
Tenancy of Office; Shows s'Hit and Miss
Policy Prevailed.
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-03-27
UNIVERSITY bull ::TIN
BOOSTS SImm0NzlAND
EDUCATION BOAR

Publishes Fulsome Praise nSimmons in
Biographical Sketch and Prints the Full
Report Of the Board Of Education's Find
ings After Hearings Held in Helena and
Missoula Last Winter.
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-03-27

Economic Justice and Equality
Is the Real Safeguard of De-
mocracy. Lack of These Is a
Challenge to the Intelligence
and Sincerity Of All.
Evening star., 1940-04-08

trated. The United States and
Mexico are signatories Of the 1929
arbitration treaty. Certainly the
American proposal is in line with
the spirit Of that treaty.
Mexico made a reservation to the
1929 pact, removing from its scope
disputes which fall within the iuris-
diction Of Mexico's own courts, ex-
cept in cases Of denial of justice.
The American Government has
never charged denial of justice, al
though Uadersecretary of State
Welles last summer took the Mexi-
cans, as we'll as the oil companies, to
task for permitting the oil dispute
to smolder, thus endangering Amer
ican-Mexican relations.
In view of his willingness to avoid
1mpugning the integrity OF her Judi
cial system, Mexico owes Secretary
Hull more favorable consideration of
his present arbitration request than
was accorded him in the summer of
1898, when he suggested the same
means of settling the agrarian claims.
Mexico rejected arbitration then, but
agreed to negotiate the claims, and
out of that negotiation came settle
ment on which Mexico now is paying.
Evening star., 1940-04-08
A Sound Position

The Federation of Citizens Asso-
Citations stated an undeniable truth
when 1t declared that the granting
OF suffrage to Washington would not
relieve the Federal Government OF
Its obligation to share in the cost
OF maintaining and developing the
National Capital.
The residents of this voteless COM
munity should continue to knock at
the doors of Congress for the right of
representation in the government
which taxes them and can send them
, to war. But they should never be
called upon, nor should they VOL
unfairly offer, to assume the full
burden of financing the Capital City
IN exchange for the franchise.
A plea for the ballot is a petition
for basic American right. 1t should
be sought as matter of Justice
not bargained for or obtained by
bartering away the equally Just
and basic principle that the Fed
eral Government has an obligation
to perform in helping to develop the
Capital City along lines that no COM
munity of local taxpayers could be
expected to finance alone.
While it is true that the exclusive
control Congress now exercises over
local affairs constitutes an added
reason why it should share literally
In the cost, the Nations financial
obligation rests on other more funda-
mental grounds that would not be
changed in the slightest degree by
suffrage.
Foremost among the reasons justi-
Tying an annual Federal payment to-
ward District appropriations is the
vast area of tax-exempt property of
the United States, of the embassies
and OF other institutions centering
around the National Capital. With
the boundaries of the District rigidly
fixed, the local share of the expenses
OF the city must be met by steadily
diminishing area OF private, taxable
property. And the installation of
the ballot box would not alter that
situation.
Property taxes bear the brunt of
the local revenue yield, and even the
new local income tax was so drafted
as to exempt thousands who live here
and receive all the services of the
local government, but who claim
their legal domicile elsewhere.
The Federation, by its action Sat-
urday night, is in the wise and logi-
cal position of continuing to advocate
both suffrage and equitable fiscal re-
lations between the Federal and
District Governments. Both rest on
sound principles of equity.
Evening star., 1940-04-08
Relief Strutuoem

One of the most interesting elec-
tion year developments in the Sen
ate has been the proposal to ap-
propriate for relief needs at this ses-
sion on an eight-month instead of
an annual basis.
Advocates of greater relief spend
ing contend that the $685. ,OOO,O
recommended by the President will
not be sufficient to care for the
needy during the next fiscal year.
They argue, therefore, that the re-
striction sponsored by Representa-
tive Woodrum and requiring that
relief funds be spread over an en-
tire year should be lifted to permit
disbursement of the appropriation
as need arises.
This presumably is designed to
hold off the day when the Federal
debt will exceed the limit imposed
by law. But if the need is as great
as the sponsors of the change in
JAW, SAASAA ASNASC az DCSJ WILL pOSG.
pone the evil day for only four
months. In the meantime the
door will have been opened to the
possibility of putting relief money to
political usages. No one has for
gotten the part played by w. P. A..
funds in the 1886 campaign, and no
one should seek to expose the pres
ent w. P. A. administration to the
same pressure groups that wrote
such Sordid chapter in our politi-
cal history four years ago.
1t may be that larger relief ap-
preparation will be necessary, and
If so it will have to be provided
But there should be no attempt to
distort the picture. Whatever final
sum is agreed upon should be ap-
propriated for the entire year, and
the sooner the eight-month strata
gem is forgotten the better.
Evening star., 1940-04-08
Communists Versus Dies

Difficulties which the Dies Com
mittee Is encountering in its investi-
CATION of un-American activities
have not deferred it from pressing
forward In its authorized program,
which is the exposure of groups and
individuals fostering subversive,
alien doctrines in this country. Al
though the committee has become
involved in court proceedings here
and in Philadelphia, Chairman Mar
tin Dies and his colleagues have
subpoenaed fifty Communist lead
ers and forty representatives of So
called Fascist and Nazi organiza-
tlons for early questioning. They
have been directed to bring with
them all available records, including
membership lists.
Thus, the stage is being set for
showdown by the committee on
what appears to be a campaign of
resistance by silence on the part
Of several Communist witnesses.
Some witnesses already have been
cited for contempt after their re-
fusal to answer questions regarding
membership lists. Two of them have
instituted habeas corpus proceed
ings, claiming the contempt cita-
tions were not issued in accordance
with law. In Philadelphia a more
serious development has occurred
A Federal judge has ordered the ar
rest Of two agents Of the committee
and Of Philadelphia police lieuten-
ant upon complaint of Communist
officials that their civil rights were
violated when the agents seized
voluminous records OF the Red or
ganization last week.
II the Dies Committee or any Of
its agents have violated the Bill of
Rights, the Communists have proper
redress in the courts. Until the
courts have adjudged the committee
guilty Of this or any similar charge,
however, the vast majority of Ameri-
can citizens will not be unduly ex-
ercised by the explosive cries of
"civil liberties" voiced by the dis
ciples of Stalinism, Hitlerism or
other American isms. 1t should
be understood that the Philadelphia
court was not sitting in Judgment Of
the committee or its agents when it
ISSUED warrants for the arrests. This
Evening star., 1940-04-08

was an ex parte proceeding in which
the Communists did all the testify
ing. Their principal charge seems
to have been that the agents ex-
ceeded the authority of their search
warrants by failing to leave an item
lied list Of documents seized. The
real facts of the case will not emerge
until the trial.
Meanwhile, it is pertinent to reflect
upon the curious situation which the
Philadelphia case presents-the in
voking of a democracys civil liber-
ties by the avowed enemies Of the
only form of government which COM
pletely guarantees freedom of
speech, freedom of press, freedom of
worship and other fundamental
rights of free people. Only a
Communist could see nothing in
consistent in clinging to the doctrine
OF civil liberties as a shield for ac-
tivities designed to undermine that
very bulwark of constitutional gov
ernment.