davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-01-10
College Teachers
Protest Demand
For designations

| The following resolution was adopt
| ed at a meeting of the Minnesota
Federation of College Teachers, Local
No. 444, at meeting held on Satur.
day, December 8, 1889:
We, Local 444, Minnesota Fedora
| ton of College Teachers, having ex-
amined history of the events lead
| ing to requests for the resignation
of Professors p o. Keeney, E. A.
Atkinson, H. G. Merriam, G. e. F.
Mollett and ~ J. Lennes, believe the
following to be true:
1. The charges of inefficiency made
against Professor Keeney are unjusti-
fled and appear to reflect an unwill-
ingness of the Montana State Board
of Education and President Simmons
of the University of Montana to
abide by the decision of the Supreme
Court of Montana.
2. The charge that Professors At
kinson, Merriam, Mollett and Lennes
have sought from the date of his APP
pointment to secure the dismissal of
President Simmons are unjustified
and that their designations have been
requested for other reasons none OF
which are commendable; that these
reasons in part are: % the support
of Professor Keeney; (2) Membership
in the American Federation of Teach
ers; Expressions of disapproval of
some phases of President Simmons
Therefore, be it resolved that we
regret this action of the Montana
State Board of Education and urge
that it be rescinded.
Be it further resolved that we rec
ommend thorough investigation OF
the administration of President Sim
mons with view toward establish
ing the basic reasons for the discord
at the University of Montana.
Be it further resolved that this res
olution be sent to Governor Roy E.
Ayers, ex-officio chairman of the Mon
tana Board of Education, State Capt.
toll, Helena, Montana, and that copies
of the resolution be sent to Jerry
O'Connell, editor of the Montana Lib
eral, Hamilton, Mont; Clarence Blew
EFT, editor of the Montana Labor
News, Butte, Mont; Captain Bruce,
editor of The Peoples Voice, Coop
erative Educational Pub. Co., Helena,
Mont. Tom Caverly, editor of the
Montana Review, Columbia Falls,
Mont; National Academic Freedom
Committee; American Federation of
Teachers, 235 Fourth Ave, New York
City.
Yours respectfully,
HEDVIG YLVISAKER,
Secretary.
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-01-10
Little Wagner Act
Applies to Banks,
Court Rules

| NEW (FP)-Bankers suf-
fered setback in their fight against
unionization when Supreme Court
Justice Ferdinand Pecora ruled Jan
uary that bank employees are not
exempt from provisions of the state
labor relations act Pecoras ruling
applied to the Bank of Yorktown,
which had claimed exemption from
the act when the state labor relations
board ordered an election among its
employees in January 1888.
The United Office & Professional
Workers (CIO), which sought the
election, hailed Pecora's decision and
said that the union would intensity
its organizational campaign in banks
and brokerage houses.
Does the act apply to banks and
their employes?" the decision asks.
"The court of appeals has already
ruled in the Metropolitan Life Insur-
ance Co. case that the act includes
all employees with the exception of
those especially enumerated in Sec
ton us; these exceptions are en-
ployes of the state or any political
or civil subdivision thereof and en-
ployes of charitable, educational or
religious associations or corpora
tions."
The decision was particularly sig
nificant, coming just after the Bank
Of America had announced its inten-
ton of fighting an NLRB ruling that
bank employees are included under the
national laws provisions. The board
had ordered the giant west coast bank
to reinstate one UOPW member fired
for union activity.
Interesting sidelight on the Bank of
America case was that just as the
institution was hailed before the
NLRB, Rep. Howard w. Smiths COM
mittee investigating the NLRB let it
be known-indirectly the COM
mittee might recommend an amend
ment to the Wagner act, to prevent
unions of national bank employees
from affiliating with national labor or.
CARNATIONS"
This unofficial word from the com
mittee was characterized by The New
Republic as "a nice bit of open-field
for the banking interests"
done $50 skill-fuily that we suspect
it was not appreciated by most of
the spectators, who by now are ac-
to the more spectacular
stuff of Mr. Dies"
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-01-10

It is fairly common knowledge that
the power company files one report
with the railroad and public service
commission for it's service rate justi-
fication and files report with the
state board of equalization on which
that body bases the value on which
the company is to be assessed.
In it's report for 1888, filed with
the railroad and public service COM
mission, the company shows a total
value of assets amounting to $780,
$50. 9O6.55. For the same year it paid
taxes on only $7O,S66,753, or nearly
five million dollars less than half the
value of it's assets. For the year
1899. it was assessed on value of
s71.573,611. The report for 1889 has
not as yet been filed with the rail
road and public service commission.
Taxes Paid
Like all large corporations it makes
the regular effort, quite successfully,
to impress the people of the state with
the idea that it pays a tremendous
tax sum for the support of the state,
in return for the privilege OF doing
business. 1t may be assumed that a
little thought on the part Of the pub
lie. will convince it that this large
financial institution like all others,
paws no taxes; that they are all paid
by the consumer patrons of the COM
pany.
Included in their reports, the taxes
Maid are of course shown as one of
the items of expense in conducting
the business and deducted from the
gross proceeds along with other ex-
pense items to arrive at the net pro-
FIT of the business. The taxes paid
by the consumers through the Mon
tana Power Company, which actually
is only a collector, mounted to ST.
RE. 933.18 in 1888. The good people
of the state paid them in the same
year a net profit Of $646,25O.S9 for
acting as tax collectors. The COM
pany has worked the people so hard
and diligently that it had surplus
1t the end of 1888, of $13,2O1,65707.
over five-year period, the COM
CONTINUED on Page Four]
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-01-10
EXECUTIVE BOARD OF
PROGRESSIVE COUNCIL
TO MEET IN HELENA

A special meeting of the executive
board of the Montana Progressive
Council will be held at the Coop Pub
fishing company office in Helena, Sat
urday, January 20, starting at 10 am,
according to announcement made by
the secretary.
ANY person having any matter to
be brought before the board is re-
quested to meet with them or address
their communications to the secre-
tary, Tom ID. Caverly, Columbia Falls
The matter of calling a general
statewide convention Of the council
will be taken up by the board at their
Helena meeting. According to the
bylaws OF the council, representation
shall be given all state, district, coun-
ty and city farm unions, labor unions
and county councils.
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-01-10
Conference to Fight
Restrictive Measures

NEW YORK OPP - To prevent
passage in congress of several anti
labor, anti-free speech and anti-alien
bills, the greater city emergency con-
ference ON inalienable rights will hold
a bill of rights conference on Lin
coins birthday, Chairman Robert w.
Searle announced.
The four most dangerous bills cited
were a criminal syndicalism act
against strikers (MacCormick rider to
II. r. 6075), internment in concen-
tration camps for aliens Oh. R. 4860),
registration of all non-citizens Is.
409), and deportation of communist
and fascist" aliens (H. R. 4905-4907-
49o9).
mo trade unionist will be safe if
these bills become law" DR.. Searle
commented.
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-01-10
Bank Prolongs
Strike to Freeze
Out Stockholders

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS four
months of picketing by local 1859,
Furniture Workers Union fAFL), it
became apparent that the Puffer-Hub-
bard Co. strike is being prolonged by
the Northwestern Natl Bank, receiver
for the company.
From reliable source The North
west Organizer, organ of the Mime
apolis Transfers Joint Council, found
that the big banking chain was using
the strike to freeze out stockholders
in order to get control of the plant
and certain patents that go with it.
The banks game is so raw that even
certain businessmen find difficulty in
stomaching it, the union paper reports.
Three lone scabs, formerly escorted
to the plant each day by police, are
now sleeping on the second floor of
the struck factory, pickets learned.
In order to fill some of the company's
orders for wheelbarrows, folding boxes
and commercial refrigerating equip
ment, the Northwestern Natl. Bank
has set up three dummy companies
outside the state, in Eau Claire and
Downing, Wis, and in Grand Haven,
Mich.
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-01-10
COURT F0RBIDS
review OF
NLRB CASES

Observation-Disclosures have
no power to review action taken by
the national labor relations board i'll
representation cases, the supreme
court here ruled in three unanimous
decisions.
The decisions, all based on the same
point, reversed circuit court decisions
i'll the cases of the Falk Corp. of
Milwaukee and Consumers Power Co
of Jackson, Mich. A circuit court de-
cision dismissing suit against the
labor board by the International Long
shoremens Association (AFL) was
upheld
The Falk decision, written by JUS
tice Black, served as the basis of the
courts actions. A lower court had
modified a board order for an cleo
ton by ruling that the board must
provide a place on the ballot for
union found by the NLRB to be COM
pany-dominated.
Black declared that the lower court
had no power to so modify the order
and added, Nor can authority for
such anticipatory judicial control of
election methods be found in section
9(d) which permits review only in
those cases in which the board makes
an order relating to labor practices
found to be unfair as result of prior
certification of selected bargaining
agent"
"The court" Black declared, "has
no right to review a proposed cleo
ton and in effect to supervise the
manner in which it shall thereafter be
conducted
Upon contention of the lower court
that the independent union was not
company dominated, the supreme
Continued on Page Four)
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-01-10
Proposed Merger
OF Wire Companies
Hit by AGA

WASHINGTON.-(FP)- Merger of
the Postal Telegraph and Western I'm
ion companies was recommended to
the senate interstate commerce COM
mittee here by the Federal Commun-
ications Commission.
Mervyn Rathborne, president of the
American Communications Associa-
ton (CIO), in a statement charged
the FEC with acting "as the Ratchet
man in the scheme concocted by the
communications moguls to throw thou
sands of employees out of their jobs
and to undermine the public interest
in an adequate communications serv-
ice."
ut is apparent" Rathborne said.
that the FEC is intent on bailing out
the companies whose bankrupt pol
icies have brought the industry to
its present chaotic condition"
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-01-10
Socialist City Officials
Scored for Scab
Labor Contracts

BRIDGEPORT, Conn., (FP) = Pro
testing it's inability to compete with
the cheap labor used on municipal
building projects, the Bridgeport
Building Trades Council is rapping
the socialist city government for
awarding contracts to concerns using
scab and out-of-town labor.
The city's practice of allowing COM
petitive bidding between union and
non-union concerns applying for mu-
nicipal contracts is likewise a target
for AFL condemnation.
Continuing an old and bitter con-
troversy on municipal sponsorship of
WPA projects, the council charges
that there isn't another city in the
state that applies for so many WPA
projects which directly compete with
local skilled mechanics"
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-01-10
BALDWIN FINDS
RESPECT FOR
CIVIL RIGHTS

NEW YORK (FP) = Despite the
war in Europe 1899 in the United
States ended with civil liberties on
firmer ground than at any time in
the nations history" Roger N. Bald
win, director of the American Civil
Liberties Union, said upon completing
tour of the country.
Resort to violence in labor disputes,
where violations of civil rights were
most numerous, has sharply declined,
he observed
Il found mere remnants of the ira
ditional violence in industrial conflict,
chiefly in the agricultural valleys of
California, slight AMOUNT in the
automobile cities of MicSkan and in
the steel districts of Ohio. KAMssy,
there is still plenty of evidence of
hostility to unions, of resistance to
collective bargaining, and of efforts
to restrict labors civil rights by anti
picketing statutes and the like"
A strong sentiment for labor unity
throughout the country was noted by
Baldwin. Rivalry between the AFL
and CLIO, which has raised so many
issues before the NLRB, seems con-
fined to the top leadership" he said.
Everywhere l found the feeling
among the rank and file of both I'M
ions pretty cordial and impatient with
the continuing split"
Sectional differences are giving
way to "a national pattern reflected
in almost identical reactions in what
ever part of the country one may
happen to be-" Baldwin continued, re-
ferring to local attitudes toward ac-
ton by federal agencies.
Main gains in civil liberties for 1889
cited by the A. G. l.. U. were the re-
turn of civil rights to Jersey City,
and the outlawing of anti-handbill or
dinances and wire tapping. Main set
backs were the passage of anti-alien
bills in one house or the other, and
the Dies committee hearings, which
have resulted ''in a growing intoler-
ance toward progressive causes gen.
orally"
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-01-10
BR0ADENS
LEGAL ATTACK
ON WAGE TAX

PHILADELPHIA.-(FP)-As Mayor
Robert Lamberton (R.) and his new
city administration came into office,
they faced struggle of organized
labor against the " % wage tax en-
acted recently by the republican adj
ministration. Suits to test the consti-
nationality of the tax have been
started by both AFL and CLIO.
The ALL suit was filed by Michael
Guerra, a member of the American
Federation of Musicians. Sec. A. Rex
Riccardi of the musicians local noti-
fled employers that ANY deductions
would result in a breach on your part
of your union agreement" A similar
notice to employers was sent by Pres.
Isadore Frankel of local 10, Laundry
Workers Init. Union (AFL).
The CLIO suit was filed by Mrs
Jenny Dole, member of the Anal
gamated Clothing Workers (CIO),
who earns $500 a year in local
shirt factory. Employees of the Bell
Telephone Co. have also filed suit.
One employer has notified the
mayor that she will refuse to deduct
the tax. She is Mrs. Herman Blum,
treasurer of the Craftex Mills, employ
ing about 125 workers.
Hearings on the CLIO case have
started already while hearings on the
others are expected to begin shortly.
Mass meetings protesting the wage
tax are being held daily by labor or
CARNATIONS and civic groups.
More than 100000 anti-wage-tax
notices to be given by both organized
and unorganized workers to their ELL
ployers have been issued by the CLOS
committee to fight the tax. Pointing
out that it is an exercise of constitu-
tional rights, the notices read: 81 beg
to serve notice on you as my en-
ployer that l refuse to permit any
part of my wages or salary to be de-
Quoted by you without an AUTHORIZE
ton signed by me-
Acclaimed by former Mayor George
the tax was expected to af-
feet about 100000 persons and to
yield $1S,OOO,OOO a year, wiping out
the present $17,000,000 deficit in
CURED by the former city administra-
lion.
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-01-10

The Kiplinger letter making the
charges of collusive bargaining be.
tween Mr.. Wallace and the President
with the welfare of the farmers was
released in Washington on December
16. The day before ON December Is,
at the convention of the Farmers I'm
ion business activities with $500 rep
resentative farmers in the northwest
present as delegates, the following
resolution was adopted, wherein, as
can be seen, these representatives of
the Farmers Union in unmistakable
language declare themselves and the
organization against any trade agree
ments which favor the entry of any
agricultural products which can be
produced in this country. The reso-
luton as adopted follows:
BE 1T RESOLVED, by the repre-
sentatives of the Northwest Farmers
Union activities in annual convention
at Saint Paul, Mimi, December Is,
1882 that
WHEREAS because of various con-
ditions arising out of drouth and ex-
tremely low prices over the years,
farmers of the northwest have not
only become deeply indebted to the
agencies of the federal government
and to other groups, but they have
been losing their homes by the thou
sands and are still in the process of
losing their homes, and
WHEREAS, because of the above
mentioned facts, farmers have arrived
at an economic condition wherein
they are desperately endeayoring to
better their condition through coop
erative marketing and compliance
with the Triple "A" in reducing their
acreages and livestock herds, and
WHEREAS, such conditions and
circumstances will permit of no
further deflation of prices or other
contingent conditions or proposals
which are likely to bring about furth-
er lowering of prices, nor admit of
competition with the products pro-
duced in this section, and
WHEREAS, American agriculture,
throughout the history of tariff legis-
lation, has been sold down the river
for the benefit of other groups;
THEREFORE,, BE 1T RESOLVED,
that we are in favor of the philosophy
of the Reciprocal Trade Agreement
as the most likely assurance to bring
cooperation and peace,
and
FURTHER RESOLVED, that we
are opposed to the consummation of
any federal trade agreements which |
have in their provision agreements
admitting livestock or livestock prod |
ofo -, in ~ rnttI. |
Try products, or dairy products, or any |
other agricultural products which can |
be efficiently produced in this coun- |
.ry and which may directly or indi- |
CONTINUED on Page Four)
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-01-10
Capitol Corridor
Chatter
BY JAKE

| intended to start out by telling
what an inspiring time enjoyed last
night, and l think I'll still do it. And
for the benefit of the reputation
smearing low-lifes who claim to be
my friends, I'll start out by saying
it wasn't the kind of time you think,
at all. | stayed home and behaved
myself and that's more than any Of
you fellows did.
What | did was listen to the radio
tuned in on one of those high-priced
Jackson day banquet programs down
here in Helena. There was speech
after speech and not a dry one in
the bunch. (Now / can just hear one
of the smart guys referred to above
say, What did l tell you. He could
thing DRY.") Everybody said over
MT get any inspiration out of any
the radio that they were having a
wonderful time and | bet they were
too. That was why there were no
dry speeches, | guess.
What inspired me was that here
were all these top-ranking politicians
commemorating "Old Hickory's" lick
ing the British at New Orleans, and
all but one of them had the good
judgment to not talk about or even
mention by inference, the fact that
Andrew was quite a radical and made
things awful tough on some bankers
in his day. OF course he's dead a
long time now and there's no use
dragging up his mistakes. What
pleased me though was that most Of
these big shots were too modest to
compare their records with his; to
his disadvantage of course. l guess
Continued on Page Four)
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-01-10
HOMEWORKERS COLLECT
BIG RACK-PAY

WASHINGTON.-FP) -Restitutio
estimated at more than 100000 is to
be paid to some three to four hundred
families of industrial homeworkers as
a result of an injunction against the
Hump Hairpin Mfg. Co. and it's affil-
late, the Chain Store Products Corp.
of Chicago, signed by Federal Judge
John P. Barnes at Chicago, according
to a wage-hours division announce
ment Another Injunction entered
against the defendants enjoins the
companies from violating the child
act.
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-01-10
TRESPASSINC AT THE CAPITAL

has leaked out that these industrial
lists are not at all pleased with the
active participation of labor in de
veloping national conservation pol
icies, especially since the labor boys
showed considerable independence in
recommending against forest destruc-
| ton.
The hearings were held at Portland,
Ore, Madison, Wis, and San Fran
cisco. At Madison the co-operatives
also were represented through the
Consumers Cooperative Wholesale,
Superior, whose spokesman recon-
mended that the forests be made a
more dependable source Of employ
ment and income. Farmer repre-
sentatives also were present at this
meeting.
Impartial observers feel that this
participation of labor, farmer, and
coop groups may mean the formula
ton of much more comprehensive con-
servation policies than when the tim
Der industrialists were almost the
sole advisers of the government on
forestry matters.
The joint forestry committee has
not as yet formulated its report to
congress. 1t is regarded as certain
that it will recommend increased fed
eral aid for forest fire protection.
The big issue, however, is whether it
will recommend regulation of timber
cutting practices on private lands, to
which the timber interests are OPP
posed. Another question is whether
the committee will recommend max
ing permanent the shelterbelt, which
is now financed only with WPA
grants.
The Federal Forest Service is, on
the whole, most reactionary branch
of the government, for years domi-
mated by the point of view OF the
timber industrialists. The liberals in
the Service-hopelessly in the minor
ity-lost one of their staunchest sup
porters in the death of their chief
F. A. Silcox, just before Christmas.
Silcox favored regulation of timber
cutting on private lands and many
other advanced and socially minded
measures opposed by the timber in
dustrialists.
This comes to us from demo-
cratic state chairman, politician
credited with knowing his way
Continued on Page Four)
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-01-10
PRODUCER TO
CONSUMER

The unconscionabIe toll exacted
as profits by the professors of
farm products, is clearly exempIi-
fled in story told by farmer in
the northern part of Montana.
The farmer had a 60O-pound hog
to sell. A professor refused to Of
fer him more than 31ac pound
for 1t, or $50 for the animal.
Then the farmer decided to
butcher the animal himself. He
did SO and sold quantity Of lard
at 10c a pound; sold some of the
lean meat to grocery store at 16c
and now with about half of the hog
left, has already received $32 for
what he has sold.
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-01-10
MONTANA POWER co.
TAXED ON! MILLIONS
LESS Than half Value
Reports in Railroad and Public Service
Commission and in Board Of Equalization,
Disclose That Company Gets Away As 1t
Always Has With Paying Taxes on Half or
Less Than the Value of Its Assets.

exhaustive study should be undertaken OF the manner IN
which evasion of payments property can be made for
benefit of the farmers the small business men and home
owners how they still might remain within the
requirements of the existing laws shown possible of accom-
the Montana Power Company 10 be sure in al
of the state legislature for the past decade
two pass legislation which would
upset apple for the but in every in
influence against the proposals has been too strong