The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-11-06
FROM EDITORIAL COLUMNS
Appeasing Monopolies -Addendum II

| L.
Todays exhibits of what policy appeasng monopoies
involves include where monopoly force
to violate the Law of the United States
where the monopoly interests themselves legal
position decide the policy of the United States Department
of Justice with respect to antitrust prosecutions This latter
another demonstration of how policy of monopoly
appeasement gives monopoes legal control of the State
EXHIBIT I
Adherence to the federal laws has proved to be
shorved ideal Of the national defense commission Testify
ing before the Smith committee investigation the NLRB, Sid
ney Hman the commission backed considerably
his statement of October From this time contracts will
be any firms which violate federal labor laws
And Attorney General Jacksons testimony indicates that he
only oong when he the opinion W clear
to admit of controversy that the findings of the NLRB
employer violation of the national labor relations
binding conclusive the other agencies of the
executive branch of the government
The monopoly interests who hearing these opinions howled
Sabotage of national Defense, and "un-Amercan
easily because evident that Hman and Jack
whipped into line Labor law observance will
play decisive the awarding of defense contracts
According testimony representatives of the de-
Tense commission and the War and Navy departments before
the Smith committee
nothing the statement of policies of the defense
commission nothing the opinion of the Attorney Gen
era any implication that could be drawn from it, that
hbs the War Navy department from entering into
contract with that may have been held in violation
of the national labor relations act"
Bethlehem Steel Corp.-A Case Study
An example results of this attitude the
of the commission will be found at Bethlehem Steel
corporation Philip Murray states the problem well in let
to Eugene Grace, president of Bethlehem:
"The Bethlehem Steel Corp, has billion dollars
of government contracts (making it, one OF the most
important the effective fufment of the
national defense We have demonstrated to the nation
that through collective bargaining the important steel
the fufment of the needs OF our national defense ne
the of Bethlehem recognize the right of its
employees organize and bargain collectively has created
definite risk for the country
This is the corporation pointed out in our last issue
which the of having submitted inflated
figures with the result that would receive over SIS
running any risk of loss.
AS the United attorneys point OUT The government
cannot agree the law sanctions profits amounting to
of the cost of constructing vessels under
contracts when those profits secured without the
slightest risk of loss and were coerced by the threat OF
withholding essential service from the government IN war
time"
Who said sabotage" and "un-Amercan"?
EXHIBIT II
Twenty-Five oil companies comprising the American Petro
Institute and subsidiaries have for themselves an
all powerful monopoly By controlling the production field
the distribution field and the marketing field they practice
amazing accounting uggery thus making possible for them
losses in the marketing end and more than recoup
high profits they exact through their ownership OF
the distribution and productive fields this way they
have driving of existence the Independent retailers
and marketers especially the co-operatives.
The antitrust division of the department justice had for
wears been quietly gathering evidence of these monopoly
practices bring civil slut Finally despite all sort of ugly
umors the suits fledexcep that the important counts
within the suits had been dropped!
The Nine Oil Men
Why had the teeth out? prior to the
ling the suits the defense commission had insisted that
hey Study these complaints of Thurman Arnold. s
This studying" done by special advisory committee
ppointed the national defense commission OF the IL
members advisory committee nine officers of the N
Oil Company of the Shell Oil Company and would
been defendants in these suits! r
1t small that they recommended drastic changes
n the department of Justices complaints. be
These backed by not "
erv subtle threat This highly capable advisory committee
minated the oil industry about to spend
Or the construction of necessary pipeline on Atlantic
oudnt that this pipeline would be constructed
nd then what of national defense needs? p
The commission weighed the promise of $3 000O 600 pipe
no against decade by three billion dollar IL
,oly-and monopoly another important victory No OF
here did suggest that 100000 is rel
ivev small sum defense program and if the vi
,oes refused build the pipeline here splendid OPP &c