The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-12-18

aND NE III 06nO VI
ALL LOCAL UNIONS
One of the most vicious campaigns
that was ever waged against organ
lied labor has been in progress for
the past two years; an attempt has
been made to create the opinion
among the membership of unions that
all unions were dominated by rack.
eteers, thugs, politicians or commun.
lists. The widest publicity possible
has been given to cases where it was
found that anyone connected with
labor was involved in anything crook
ed, this of course, was part of a
well-laid program to create public
opinion against organized labor, and
weaken the confidence of the men,
bers in their own union.
There has been much criticism Of
organized labor striking, in armament
plants, and charges of sabotage hurled
at the union, but you haven't heard
any campaign against the manufac-
turers who refused to make arma-
ments until the government made GER
tain guarantees to them on profits
and expansion, in other words, 1t is
sabotage for the workers to demand
wage of $4,000 a week before they
work at making ornaments, but its
just good business for a manufac-
turer to refuse to make ornaments
until the government guarantees from
~ to 20 per cent profit with addi-
tional profits in the way of tax ex-
emptions to amortize plant expansion.
All unions are branded as being
filled with racketers and crooks be-
cause it is found that one or two
officers of a union are taking dis
honest money, but when the promoter
sells worthless stocks, the bank closes
its doors with your money and refuses
to pay out; the stock broker absconds
with the money of his clients; or
any of the many methods used by
the financial racketeers to abstract
money from an unsuspecting public
comes to light, it is just another fall
ure, but casts no reflection on those
still in the same racket who are still
doing business. | cite this because
many unsuspecting citizens accept the
propaganda they read as news with
out analyzing it. If there are crooks
or racketeers at the head OF a union
the union can elect new officers and
throw out the crooks and nobody is
hurt too much, but the victims OF
bank failures, fake stock promotion
schemes, or stock brokers who close
up shop with their victims money,
have no recourse other than to charge
their loss to experience. The mem
Der of q union gets benefits in in
creased wages and working conditions,
while the victim of the financial rack
eteers gets nothing but headache
of his loss. 1t must be OBJ
vious then, that those who pretend
to be so deeply interested in your
welfare by exposing the racketeers in
labor, could really do you
a service if they would expose the |
financial racketeers instead, because |
regardless of the honesty or dishon-
esty of the officers of your union, |
your dues earn dividends in the way
Of better wages and you can throw
out the dishonest officers any time.
This is not intended as defense of
dishonest officers of unions, because
there is no defense for such actions,
but it is intended to show you the
of those who would at
Tempt to discourage you from support
ing your union.
The constitution of the Cascade
County Trades and Labor assembly
provides that there shall be an cleo
ton of officers on the second Friday
Of January and June. Any delegate
to the assembly is eligible to become
4 candidate for election to any of the
offices comprising the official family
Of the assembly. | would, therefore,
urge you to send your best talent
TO the assembly as your delegates so
that they may express your views in
the selection of officers of the assem-
bly, at this coming election, Friday,
January 10, 1941. Organized labor is
bigger than any one man, or any
small group of men. The assembly
is your assembly and will represent
your views in exact relation to the
views expressed by your delegates,
you should therefore, use care in Sc
Letting your delegates, and then pro-
vide measures that will insure your
union representation at the assem-
bly, meeting each Friday night.
Fraternally yours,
b. /. STEINMETZ