The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-02-21
By BEN BUCKLEY

Helena's labor showed the people Of
Helena and their arch enemy, the
Associated Industries, that unity If
still a prime factor in labor. A hun
dred union delegates marched from
the Union Hall at II. Jackson St
down to the Helena Hardware Co. on
N. Main st. to launch a public pro-
test of the unfair tactics and prac-
tices of the Helena Hardware Co. to-
wards organized labor of Helena.
There were two picket lines placed
at the Helena Hardware company's
front and back door, one at IL a. M.
and another at p. M, carrying pla-
cards reading HELENA HARDWARE
co. UNFAIR TO ORGANIZED LA
Dor. The captain of industry Dave
Barloga, was called to the scene Of
the picket lines, but arrived too late
to have his picture taken with men,
bers Of the picket line. But he got
there in time to go through the picket
lines into the store.
There was hurry-up call sent out
by the Associated Industries to get
their stool pigeons to come down to
the store for an effect. 1t was noted
that after they got inside they didn't
make any purchases. | guess the AS
ISOLATED Industries don't pay the
picket line crashers very highly, but
then / don't suppose they are worth
very much There was one tactic
used by the Associated Industries that
wasn't very commendable. That was
getting half dozen children to walk
through the picket lines and stand in
the doorway of the store. The poor
kids stood there big-eyed and wonder
ing what it was all about. You could
see by the questioning looks on their
faces that they were trying to grasp
what part they were playing by stand
ing there in the doorway of scab
establishment / think it was rather
scurvy trick to play on the little fell
lows, and l hope there is still man.
hood enough left in the establishment
of the Helena Hardware to buy those |
kids an all day sucker apiece. I
There was a sprinkling of some OF
Helena's small merchants that broke
through the picket line and went into
the store. These small merchants
are dependent on the trade of the
working people of Helena and vicinity
to carry on their business. Next week
this column will carry list of the
names of the small merchants that
crashed the picket line to laborer and
farmer and their sympathizers in the
state of Montana. After ALL the small
if he only knew it, is
nothing more or less than a worker,
and it is too bad that labor is forced
to treat him as an enemy. But big
capital uses the small merchant as
pressure group to pull their chestnuts
out of the fire for them. And the
majority of the small merchants are
too dense to realize that they are
being used as a stool. Big business
will smash the small merchant when
the time comes with no regard for
the part the small merchant has done /
to further the interests of big bust
ness. Labor realizes that the time /
has come when they are forced to take {
action against their enemy no matter |
In what form it shows itself. If the
small business man is going to insist
Upon joining hands with big capital
against labor then, of course, they !
must be treated as an enemy of labor. :
But I can't understand why bust :
less that depends on the working peo- n
)le for their support in maintaining v
t can't understand that it's welfare !,
depends upon the welfare of its sup Fl
,orters. If labor has poor conditions
10 does the small merchant. The only p
rouble with you Mr.. Merchant, is that q
rou are getting on the wrong side of 2
he fence For prosperity you had +,
letter climb back on labor's side and h.
york with labor for your own interest.
luit being used by organized capital p
s sap to help pull out their chest
uts. And remember, Mr.. Merchant, G.
labor goes down to defeat you will
lso go down with him. OF course