davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-03-13
EUROPEAN WAR
COST IS BORNE
BY The POOR
By SCOTT NEARING
Federated Press)

The poor will pay for the war in
Europe wherever the rich are in
power. They will pay in lowered
wages, in higher living costs, in les
sened provision for health, education
and social security, and in the loss
of those civil liberties which make it
possible for the exploited masses to
protest against oppression.
French workers have lost in all of
these directions. So drastic are the
repression and censorship imposed by
the decree government of Daladier
that few details are available. The
workweek has been extended, social
security has been sacrificed, civil lib
critics have all but disappeared, and
those elements who have dared to
challenge the government have been
indicted and jailed
Reports from Great Britain are more
detailed. The January number of
Labour Research estimates that the
wage cuts proposed by the employers
will amount to about $50 of total
wage payments and that the cost of
food rose 1870 between August and
December 1889.
These losses have been partly off
set by wage increases in some indus
tries - notably textiles. But even
where the wage advances were great
in textiles-they are in
sufficient to meet the rise in living
costs. Meanwhile restrictions have
been imposed upon speech and as
semblage.
Thus far the French workers seem
to have accepted the war burdens with |
little open resistance. |
Not so the British. Even so conserva-
i've union leader as Ernest Bevin |
S quoted as declaring that the labor
would fight efforts to lower
he working and living conditions of
British workers.
The issue has not yet been definite
v Joined, but Bevin is perhaps the
most influential spokesman of the
Trade Union Congress. He would
ardly go so far in opposition to gov
rnment policy unless his organiza-
ion were preparing to make a stand
While spokesman of the British rul-
Continued on Page Four
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-03-13
NORRIS FLAYS
HOOVER, FIJI

WASHINGTON.-(FP)-E Echoes of
J. Edgar Hoover's federal bureau OF
investigations high-handed activities
in the dawn roundup of Spanish loyal
list sympathisers in Detroit and Mil
waukee were heard here in the U. S.
Senate.
Sen. George w. Norris (Ind, Neb.)
put into the Congressional Record an
editorial from The New Republic
charging the FBI with using Illegal
methods in the arrest of Is persons.
Norris brought the subject up short
ly before the Senate approved an ap-
preparation bill giving the FBI over
So, 100000. He said the activities of
the bureau should be looked into.
In many newspapers, Norris con-
tinued, he had read statements con-
corning the Detroit and Milwaukee
raids indicating that the methods used
were, to say the least, rather abhor-
rent to one who believes in constitu-
tional liberty.
"If these charges are only partially
true it is a matter of taking the law
int other own hands and furnishing
people who are not convicted of a
crime, who are not charged with any
malicious crime, who are not charged
with anything which has attached to
it any element of criminality."
After Norris made his charges To-
cal newspaper charged Hoover was
basking in the Miami sun in s225
a week cottage" on the pretense of
a roundup of criminals in
Miami. The paper further charged
that a large number of cases were
being neglected by the bureau while
men gathered in Miami.
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-03-13
Oregon Employer
.CroupPl Nation
Wide Organization

SALEM, re.-(FP)-Labor in Ore
gon, already hampered by the states
drastic anti-picket law, faces a new
and powerful opponent in the Assoc
ciated Employers, union of small
businessmen to conduct labor nego-
tiations for its members.
The state headquarters of the Or
ganization, which claims a member
ship of 1900 firms in more than a
score of Oregon towns, is located here.
Daniel Hay, former director of the
Motor Vehicle Assn. of Oregon and
the Washington Truck Assn, is man.
ager
He plans extension into a nation
wide organization to be called the
American Federation of Employers
and has tentatively scheduled the first
national meeting for March 26, q and
% in Spokane, Wash.
Six purposes of the association as
given in the articles of Incorporation
include the usual pleasantries about
promotion of industrial peace; advo-
cacy of legislation fair to employers,
employees and the public; and protec-
ton against coercion. This employer
agency even says that one purpose is
'to protect employees in their legal
rights against employers, others and
he general public" the reference to
Continued on Page Two)
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-03-13

bvolved.
The warrants were issued in pay
ment of two claims made by the gov
ernor to reimburse him for payment
for a room at the Rainbow hotel in
Great Falls for one month WHILE
HE WAS IN THE HOSPITAL IN
THAT CITY. The claim is made that
This bill is for hotel room at Great
Falls while / was confined in a hos
pital there. The room was used as
temporary office by the state officers
coming to or called to Great Falls to
consult and work with me-" It is
claimed by the governor that he had
made arrangements with the hotel for
a monthly rate and the claim is made
on that basis.
1t is a fairly well established report
that Mrs. Ayers occupied this room,
and since it is a fact beyond dispute,
that when state officers are away
from Helena on state business, the
expense allowance paid them by the
state include provisions for hotel
rooms when necessary, so these state
officers If they were called to Great
Falls by the governor while he was
confined to the hospital, were able to
provide themselves with rooms, and it
may be presumed that they certainly
did so.
Moreover, since the governor was
confined to the hospital, what advan-
tage would temporary office" in the
hotel be to him or to such state Of
ficers as ne might have called in.
The claims set forth that the room
charges were $3.50 a day which must
strike anyone as an odd rate for a
hotel to make Certainly it indicates
yery close Figuring" on the part of
he governor, to make a bill for 81
lays hotel room amount to rate of
1853 a day for total of 5000.
The Voice challenges the governor
o prove that this room was ever used
or temporary office" 1t chal-
Continued on Page Four)
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-03-13
Capitol Corridor
Chatter

You just can't hear anything but
politics around the state-house these
days. Everyone seems to be figuring
or trying to figure where he's going
to be January 1, 1871, A. d. Boy,
when this year is over, no paper or
magazine had better start any guess
ing games. With the practice all of
these guys are getting they'll be able
to outguess any editor that ever lived.
| hear some other things while I'm
proving around too, and the more /
hear about the way some of these
babies can raise money the more | feel
like kicking myself for getting into
as dumb a game as the newspaper
racket.
Today l heard that the mayor up in
Great Falls is putting the bee on the
fellows that work for the city up there.
They tell me he's raising a fund to
finance himself for a race for the
governors job or the attorney gem
erals office. Also | heard that some
of these guys working for the city
are yelping about it, but since they
Continued ON Page Four)
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-03-13
Insurance cos.
GET Big AAA
PAYMENTS

WASHINGTON OPP = Eight in
surance companies, two banks, and
one huge ranchowner got over SCI
total benefit payments made by the
agricultural adjustment administra
ton for the year 1887, a report by
the AAA to congress showed.
The eight insurance companies were
paid a total of $1,53S,217 for coop
Grating in the Administrations farm
program while the Federal Land Bank
of Omaha, the Federal Land Bank
of st. Paul and the King Ranch in
Texas were paid $36O,2O4 for coop
Grating in the program.
The II enterprises, receiving pay
ments in excess of 100000, were paid
a total of $1,S9S,421 out of total bene-
fit payments of $325,S56,SS7. The
average check received by the $780,
600 farmers participating in the pro-
gram. was SIS.
Payments after 1897 were limited to
$4,000 by an amendment to the act
passed by congress. Payments for
Continued on Page Four)
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-03-13
Chinese Industrial
Co-operatives' Role
Economic Strategy
By ROBERT w. BARNETT
Institute of Pacific Relations
Written for Federated Press

There have been two main aspects
to the economic strategy of the Sino-
Japanese war. On the one hand, ia
pan has progressively cut China off
from the outside world by blockading
China's coastal ports, closing the
Yangtze and Pearl rivers, severing
China's highway and threatening the
rail connections with Indo-China.
On the other hand, China has hast
ened extension of her communications
through the southeast to Indo-China,
the southwest to Burma and the
northwest to the Soviet Union; and
in the remote and relatively inacces-
sible west and southwest has begun
to create a new industrial basis for
continued resistance.
Some heavy and large scale indus
trial enterprises have been estab-
lished. Such enterprises are, of nee
essity. concentrated and immobile and
therefore liable to Japanese air at
tack. They could not suffice to meet
the needs of beleaguered China.
To escape the vulnerability of fac
tory concentrations and to dispense
capacity to regions where
raw materials and demand already
existed, the Chinese Industrial Coop
erative movement was conceived.
The Chinese Industrial Co-opera-
lives have the support of the Chinese
government. Yet the movement should
be viewed as one whose sue
cess rests with the energy and in
.egrity of common people rather than |
With the decisions of few political |
,r economic authorities.
Blessed with nucleus of magma
i've and enterprising leaders, both |
Chinese and foreign the movement
las made rapid progress. In less than
year and half more than 1900 CO.
operative units have been established,
$4,000 members. Free
china has been divided into five re-
lions and subdivided into 55 depots
n which over 500 men and women
Continued on Page Four
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-03-13
Policy of Land
Banks To Keep
Farmers On Land

The Farm Credit Administration
through the federal land banks and
Federal Farm Mortgage Corporation
is going to help farmers stay on the
land, and in so doing expects to pro-
tect and not jeopardize the stake
which farmers have in cooperative
credit, A. G. Black, governor of the
Farm Credit Administration. told the
general agents of the II districts to-
day
Some of our national farm loan
associations have already suffered
serious losses by selling real estate
at loss or carrying it at loss. and
believe these local credit institutions
owned and operated by farmers are in
a better position to tell what the real
value of farm is than someone COM
ing to the community from the bank
for a day or so.
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-03-13
Chicago Advertising
Men Launch Drive
Against Consumers

CHICAGO.-(FP)--Alarmed by the
growth of the consumer movement,
the Chicago Federated Advertising
Club has organized a permanent bu-
reau of buyer information"
Consumer skepticism toward mis-
leading advertising claims was branded
as designed ultimately to destroy the
American system of private enterprise
and substitute a socialistic form of
government"
The club claims to have modified
400 persons for an extensive campaign
against radical consumer groups"
Walter Il. Botthof, president of Stand
ard Rate & Data Service Inc, was
placed in charge of the administrative
committee.
Ample financial backing was indi-
Gated by an ambitious program calling
for publication of booklets and text
books and lectures before consumers,
womens', school and business organi-
cations. Cooperation of the CONNER
cial press was taken for granted.
Botthof hailed the anti-consumer
drive as "the greatest contribution
that can be made to strengthen and
the advertising business"
At least some local consumer lead
ers were happy about the advertising
mems campaign.
In the first place." remarked Will
ard Grant editor of Coop News, "the
boys win have to try to be honest
enough that their self-praise won't con-
,lict obviously with the facts. That's
Ill to the good. Those who are hon
EST on principle will put the heat on
he exaggerators to tone down.
In the second place, word of the |
consumer movements among them |
he Rochdale consumers co-operatives
will reach people who otherwise
night not hear of Co-ops for years. |
such people will listen to attacks on |
IDEAS of which they never have heard,
hen they will look up the original |
rgument back of the idea. Any pol
tician will tell you an attack is far
etter than no publicity"
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-03-13
LABOR ACTS
Seem SAFE
This SESSION

WASHINGTON.-( FP) - Belief is
growing here that the national labor
relations act will escape the present
session of congress unscathed.
This belief rests principally on re-
fusal of Reps. Healey ID, Mass) and
Murdoch 3D., Utah to agree that the
House committee allegedly investigat-
ing the national labor relations board
and act has uncovered anything that
would warrant submission of amend
ments.
A dissenting report by Healey and
Murdoch will throw the issue up to
the House labor committee, group
which is, in the main, sympathetic to
the problems of the board and in favor
of the principles of the act.
Another factor in the belief that the
act will be unamended this year Is the
desire of all members of congress to
congress business as rapidly as pos
sible. There is talk of adjournment
between May Is and June l in order
to allow members to prepare for the
compaign year.
Should the House agree to amend
ments to the act, it is regarded as
likely that the Senate will deliberate
long and carefully before agreeing.
Most of them feel that their best in
terests require that the question not
come to vote.
Whichever way a senator, or rep
resentatfve, votes on amendments to
the labor act puts him squarely in
the AFL-CIO crossfire, an uncomfort-
able position at any time but especial
ly so in an election year.
Incidentally, the refusal of the
House investigating committee to
agree to amendment of the labor act
has provided the capital with one of
CONTINUED on Page TWo)
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-03-13

OF the type OF equipment bought, Cd
ligates the department to purchase all
supplies in the future from the com
pany selling this particular type OF
equipment.
A further cloud is cast on the trans
action by the fact that the purchase
Of the equipment was not made
through the ordinary required chan
nels of competitive bids. The entire
business transaction insofar as rec
ords are concerned, is hidden, but the
ment is in the highway department
and in use.
The reasons for the subterfuge en-
ployed by the highway department are
clear enough. There is no state de-
partment that is not familiar with the
requirements of the state law in re-
gard to printing, and that any printing
done by the highway department or
any other branch of the state govern
ment will result in direct violation of
Section 260 R. c. M. 1885, which reads
as follows; "All printing for which the
Guiding reports of state boards, PAM
phlets, blanks, letterheads, envelopes
and printed matter of EVERY DE-
SCRIPTION save and except certifi-
Gates of appointments and election to
office shall have the label of the
branch of the International Typogra-
phical union of the city in which they
~. 1o I'LL
this provides the penalty to be i'm
posed on any state official for viola
ton of the provisions of the section
quoted above
Up to the present, the matter of
jurisdiction of some craft i'll the print
ing trades has not been definitely
settled in connection with the proc
esses involved in the use of the equip |
ment purchased and now being used |
by the highway department, and the |
right to the use of any union label has
been definitely denied by the printing
trades council to one private concern
in Helena using this process, and the
same would, of course, be true in con-
nection with any other individual, con-
Germ or public body.
The highway department will prob
ably advance the argument that it is
leeply concerned in saving money for
he taxpayers of the state. This argu-
nent will stand some scrutiny in view
If the fact that the equipment is ex- ,
)ensive, that operators must be Il
rained with consequent loss of time /
md waste of material and if and 6
When competent operators of the proc t
IS are trained, they will be able to
Continued on Page Four
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-03-13

of the present administra
ton, last week resigned, and release,
he following statement of his reason
'or doing so:
STATEMENT
do not feel that am justified
in withholding from the public my
true reason for resigning as Com
missioner of Agriculture, Labor
and Industry, public office.
Nearly three years of work un-
der, and observation of, the ad-
ministration of Gov. Roy E. Ayers
has brought me to the conclusion
that | cannot conscientiously sup
port the governor for reelection.
Custom and precedent in Montana
directs that :. case like this
resign forthwith.
have resigned effective at
once, or as soon as my successor
shall be appointed and qualified
to assume full responsibility for
the office.
J. T. SPARKLING.
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-03-13
TRESPASSINC AT THE CAPITAL
By A. I. HARRIS

on agriculture, took a proverbial slap
| in the face when the La Toilette
Wheeler-Jone bill to reduce farm
mortgage interest rates and scale
down and refinance farm mortgages
was referred to the Senate committee
on banking and currency In the
House it was referred to the House
committee on agriculture.
ECONOMY Bloc" in
Need of Doctor
Since it has become evident that
wartime prosperity is an elusive phan-
tom, life for the so-called economy
bloc" in congress has become just
one splitting headache after another.
Banking on the hope of increased
farm prices, the House economy bloc"
Topped some S107, 100000 off farm
budget already cut to the core, which
contained no provisions for parity pay
ments.
But the war has brought no mate
rial blessings to the American farmer.
Prices are still 30 percent below par
ity. Farm leaders have converged
upon Washington and are literally
storming the gates. The Senate COM
mittee on agriculture is struggling
with the bill-and when the upper
house gets through with it, it may
have no resemblance to the measure
as sent up by the lower house. It's
hard to see how they can now avoid |
making an appropriation for parity |
payments to the tune of at least $f75,- |
100000. And demands for appropria-
ions for tenancy aid and the food |
stamp plan are increasing rather than
That is not all to this headache /
business. The House economy bloc"
S about to tackle the one billion dol
ar WPA bill, reduced one-third be-
.ause of expected war prosperity"
This comes at time of mounting |;
Continued on Page Two)
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-03-13
STATE HIGHWAY DEF
BRANCHES OUT into Ell
PRINTING BUSINESS 81
Subterfuge Used by the Highwa epart-
ment in the Purchase of New Process Print
ing Equipment. Purchased As 'sPhotosta-
tic Equipment Its Use in Printing Is VIC
lation of State Law.
lation of State Law.

While there requion file from the state highway
department for the purchase Of printing equipment and
voucher has been issued of such equipment the de-
parmen has and using equipment for photographic
printing which purchased photostatc equipment at
Since the records of purchase apparently de-
beratey the part the department. there
ord ubstanang the but is said that the purchase
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-03-13
Setting the 1941 Stage
For Wagner Act Execution

Setting the 1941 Stage
For Wagner Act Execution
If Howard (Undertaker) Smith, dem
ocratic tory, and his two republican
pals on the NLRB investigating COM
mittee, Routzohn and Halleck, succeed
in putting over their emasculatory
amendments to the Wagner act, IT
WILL BE PROOF THAT THE FIGHT
BETWEEN THE AFL AND THE CLIO
HAS BEEN WON BY THE NATION
AL ASSOCIATION OF MANUFAC-
/ TURERS. About the only thing they
did not change was the title of the
act-and we cannot understand how
they overlooked it.
Danger of adoption of the Smith
amendments by the present congress
is rather remote. This is an election
year. and politicians think first of be-
ing reelected The amendments will
be opposed, for certainty, by the House
labor committee, and we have word
that the Senate committee on educa-
ton and labor will offer strenuous
opposition. Some amendments to i'm
prove administration of the act may
be passed during the present session.
Why did the Smith committee with
Murdoch and Healey, new deal demo-
Gratis, dissenting) go to such extremes
in their recommendations Surely not
with the hope of putting them over at
this time The answer is that they
are setting the stage for execution
of the Wagner act in 1941-not an
election year. That explains why
Smith wanted $4,000 more in order
to continue spreading the poison.
Cotton Ed" Smith, who is serving |
as chairman of the Senate committee
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-03-13
|SPARLING RESIGNS.
AS Commissioner
OF AGRICULTURE
Quits Post Because He Can
not Support Ayres for Re-
election; Issues Statement on
Reasons for Resigning.

]. T. Sparkling, recognized progress
sive, who was appointed as commits
sioner of agriculture by Governor
Ayers, and as head of one of the
state departments has been in a posi-
ton where he could observe the elmer
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-03-13

5000 issued to Governor Ayers last year disclose the
that the chief executive of the apparently
fran from STOPPING to subteruge chise petty
for himself from the public treasury certainly displays
his utter disregard of ethical consideration his attitude
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-03-13
ANOTHER PROOF OF The
GOVERNORS BUSINESS
ACUMEN DISCLOSED

Chief Executive Proves That He Is More
Meticulous In Getting the Money for
Himself More Than He Is Concerned With
Ethical Consideration of Claims Made by
Him On Taxpayers Money.
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-03-13

1t is suggested that Admiral Byrd
take time out from his South Pole
exploration to do a little exploring for
jobs for the unemployed in this ,coun-
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-03-13

Economic Justice and Equality
Is the Real Safeguard of De-
mocracy. Lack of These Is a
Challenge to the Intelligence
and Sincerity of All.
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-03-13

Cotton Ed Smith, who is serving
as chairman of the Senate committee
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-03-13

Democracy Cannot Endure I'm
der Economic Systems Which
Cause Hunger, Cold Poor
Housing and Unemployment to
Millions.
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-06-14
FIVE CANDIDATES
REPORT ACCOUNTS
X. L. Harris Says He And
Friends Spent 1888 To
Win Nomination

RALEIGH, June 13- R Five
candidates in the primaries of May
% filed expense accounts today
with Thad Eure, secretary of state.
R. l.. Harris of Roxboro, who
won the democratic nomination fol
lieutenant governor, said he and
his friends had spend $711.46 since
his first report. His initial report
listed expenses of $272.
Dan Thompkins of Sylvia, who
ran fourth in the race, said he
received contributions of $66. so
and spent $76, rs.
Z-Kebulon Weaver, of Asheville,
congressman from the 18th dis
trict, reported he spent So, ITO. 66
and received contributions of 81,
618.
Robert H. Mcneil of St~atesville.
republican gubernatorial nominee.
listed expenditures of $716.1O.
Zeno B. Spence of G%oldsboro,
vdefeated in the democratic pri-
mary for congress in the third
district, said he had spent only
the money listed N his first re-
port-$447.5 SO. 3