davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1941-04-09
G. N. REPORT
RAISES SIX
MAIN QUESTIONS
BY SCOTT NEARING

Corporations usually publish an an
nual report that sums up the business
of the preceding year. Among those
issued recently is that of Genera
Motors Corp.
General Motors sold 1,S60,354 vehi
cles to u. s. dealers in 1910. Total
sales of cars and others products
netted the company s1,795, 100000, an
increase of 300 over 1889, and the
high water mark in the history OF
the corporation.
Payrolls, including salaries, were
27% higher in 1910 than in 1882 The
number of employees was 249,3S6 in
1910, compared with 220,434 in 1899
Ga 22es increase). Net profit on op-
erations was s346, 900 in 1910 (4Oq5
above 1880.
Thus an increase of 22q6 in number
of employees and 27qa in the volume
of payrolls added 30qo to sales and
406 to net profit on operations. The
surplus for the year 1910 was $4,000
900, and cash in hand on January 1,
1871, was s2S3,000,00O The company
made 1850 of all new cars registered
in the U. S. in 1910.
The bulk of General Motors bust
ness was done inside the U. S. in 1910.
But the company had stable stake
abroad. It's properties in Canada were
valued at s36,000,0O0; in Germany
35,O0O,000; in Great Britain, $4,000
900, and in ohter European countries
at $15,000,000.
General Motors properties in all
other countries were s47,000,000, max
ing a total of foreign properties Of
more than s150,000,000. German
alone owed General Motors
on December 81, 1889, nearly s15,00O,-
900, the transfer of which is impossi-
BILE because of exchange restrictions.
The change from horse and buggy
economy to gas engine economy has
been marked by the disappearance of
the village blacksmith, carpenter and
and their replacement by
service station men and machinists
who make repairs on the mass prod
lcts of "a few big businesses. General
Continued on Page Four
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1941-04-09
| MANY UNDER-PAID
WORKERS IN MONTANA
RECORD SHOWS

A report of all cases closed by the
regional office of the Wage-Hour Di.
vision since the first of the year, sew
eral of which were lumber cases,
shows that $19,253.42 in back-wages
was paid to 235 Montana workers.
A majority of the cases are closed
without the necessity of court action.
This policy has been approved by the
administrator of the wage and hour
division where investigation discloses
that employers did not Intentionally
OF wilfully violate the law and where
no aggravated circumstances Of any
kind are present, Mr.. Hill said.
Individual amounts paid in restitu-
ton to Montana workers during the
quarter averaged 1892 per employee.
Failure to pay the minimum wage,
which is now 80 cents an hour, and
failure to pay for overtime work (now
over 40 hours week. at time and
one-half an employees regular rate of
pay necessitated the payments.
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1941-04-09
Wholesale
PRICES AT new
3-YEAR PEAK

WASHINGTON. - (FP) - Figures
from the OPM showing wages to be
the chief cause of strikes in defense
by figures from the Department Of
Labor's bureau of labor statistics
showing continuation of the climb in
wholesale prices.
During the last week in March, the
figures showed wholesale commodity
prices reached a new three-year peak
being 2eo higher than i'll the last week
in February and over 5Ss higher than
in March, 1910
1t was expected that the wholesale
price rise will be reflected in retail
prices figures on which will be pub
lished shortly.
Though the advance in wholesale
prices was less rapid than earlier in
the month, it was announced, it was
general, each of the 10 major com
modify group indexes showing rise
Textile products went up 1870, farm
products increased 1.2%, foods rose
1.1I, chemicals and allied products
so, miscellaneous commodities .49o
goods $50, hides and
leather products and building materi-
ais 20, and metals and metal prod
ucts and fuel and lighting materials
III.
Cotton textiles, it was noted, have
;noraacad 1901 in whoIaqala prica
since the first of the year while the
grade of fats and oils have
41@o in the last three
months.
Advancing prices for blankets, car
pets, pillow cases, sheets and table
ware caused the housefurnishing
goods group index to rise to the high
est level in over three years, it was
stated.
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1941-04-09

vail OF Cne power with which he
would have been clothed had
H. B. ITS become law as orig
inally introduced.
H. b. ITS which passed the lower
house but was emasculated by an
amendment before passage by the
senate and later killed by the failure
of the upper house to adopt a confer
ence committee report which would
have restored the bill to it's original
force, was intended to give to the
commissioner of agriculture greater
and specific powers of supervision
over the industry for the protection
of the producers. Under the opinion
rendered by Attorney General Bonner,
the commissioner will be able to exer
else supervision of dockage and tare
deducted by the sugar professors, and
exercise other supervising features for
the benefit of the sugar beet growers.
The opinion of Attorney General
Bonner, in full, follows:
Dear Mr.. Kruse:
You have submitted the following
question:
Please advise me as to my pow
ers and duties under section 1861,
Revised Codes of Montana, 1885,
as it affects the sugar beet indus
try. Do | have the authority to
make an investigation of tare and
dockage practice on sugar beets?"
In answering your inquiry it will
be noted that Chapter 306, Vol. 2, Re-
vised Codes of Montana, 1895, covers
the subjects of The Department of
Agriculture, Labor & Industry, regu-
lation of agriculture, horticulture,
agriculture, poultry, husbandry, dairy
ing, grain grading and inspection, sta
tistical data and The State Fair.
In section 1851, Revised Codes of
1885, are set forth the pur-
pose, powers and duties of your de-
partment, and we find the pertinent
provisions to your inquiry to be as
follows:
'The Department Of Agriculture,
Labor and Industry shall have pow
er and it shall be its duty:
/. To encourage and promote, in
every practical manner, the inter-
ests of agriculture, including horti-
culture and agriculture, domestic
arts, dairying, cheese making, poul-
try raising, the production of wool.
and all other allied industries.
2. To collect and publish statis-
tics relating to the production and
CONTINUED on Page Four)
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1941-04-09
MONTANA farm
PRICE index
UP z POINTS

| The March Is index of prices re-
ceiyed by Montana farmers, at 95 per
cent of pre-war was up Q points com
pared with month earlier and equal
to that of year earlier, according
to the monthly farm price report is
sued today by the Agricultural Mar
keting Service. Higher prices in the
grains, fruit, and miscellaneous groups
more than offset seasonal declines
in the dairy and poultry groups The
meat animal price index was I'M
changed. Purchasing power of the
Montana farm dollar improved / point
during the month to equal that Of a
year earlier
U. S. Prices Up
The index9 q local market prices
of farm products in mid-March was
reported today by the Agricultural
Marketing Service as unchanged from
a month earlier. At 1913 percent of
the 1910-14 average on March Is,
however, the index was points above
the level of a year earlier. Local
iiebl MT Pl lCCo LII oil lidJOI 6IOup6 VI
farm commodities except grains and
cotton were higher than a year ago.
Moderate increases in grain and
cotton prices were reported during
the past month. Fruit prices were up
seasonally, and dairy and poultry
product prices were unchanged from
a month earlier. But prices Of meat
animals and other commodity groups
averaged lower in mid March than in
mid-February Indications are that
prices of most farm products have
tended slightly upward during the last
half of March.
Demand Up
Domestic demand for farm prod
lcts, as indicated by consumer pur-
chasing power, continued on the up
grade in March although the Increase
vas smaller than in other recent
months Little chaneg was noted in
he export demand for agricultural
during the month and
exports stayed near record low levels.
Abundant supports of farm products
continued to cram the nations 1arder
Stocks of grain at terminal markets |
we're about rs percent higher than a
ear ago.
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1941-04-09
OPENINGS ARE NOW
AVAILABLE In CCC

The state supervisor Of CCC selec-
ton reports that Montana needs 209
selectees to complete the April CCC
enrolment. Any unmarried young
man between the ages of II and 23 "
who is unemployed and in need of
employment should apply Immediately
to the local welfare office. The April
enrolment will be completed April
18th.
In all camps there are opportunities
for recreation and education The
local selecting agent who may be con-
tacted in the office of the county de-
partment of public welfare will sup
ply further information.
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1941-04-09
TRESPASSINC AT THE CAPITAL
By A. 1. HARRIS

deliberately provoked to give the pro-
gram of the anti-Iabor crowd, which
is intent on passing restrictive labor
laws, badIy-needed shot insthe arm.
Creation of the National Defense
Mediation Board, together with word
passed out by administration leaders,
that there was to be no anti-strike
Legislation, put a bad crimp in their
program Despite the hysteria that
/, they attempted to create, with the
able assistance Of the press, it was
obvious that most legislators were
willing to give. the new board a
chance to see what it could do.
So, in this dark moment, the Beth
ilehem Steel Corporation - same old
Bethlehem that some 20 odd years
ago defied an order of the War Labor
Board and gave the country its most
outstanding example Of profit pa
triotism !"-came forward to the res
cue It created "an incident" a la
Hitler The incident" was the call
ing of an election Of officers Of the
SOl POi dliOl COllPohy uhioh, thO ~
called Employees Representation Plan.
That the calling Of such an election,
at this particular time, would have
the effect of bringing on strike was
a foregone conclusion. Over year
and a half ago, the National Labor
Relations Board found that the EN-
ployes Representation Plan was
company union, and ordered its dis
solution. The case was appealed to
the federal circuit court of appeals,
where, after endless delays and mo-
tions, final arguments were heard last
month.
With the courts decision expected
almost any day, the calling of an cleo
ton of officers could have had only |
one result-a strike. This must have
been what Bethlehem wanted.
That it did have the effect Of ac-
tually reviving the apparently lost |
cause of the antilabor bloc cannot |
be denied. The daily press went in
for more lurid details and larger scare
headlines than ever before. But there |
Continued on Page Three)
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1941-04-09
Production Hats
Due To Financial
'Conspiracies Told

| WASHINGTON OPP An inter
national conspiracy participated in by
the Aluminium Co. of America to hold
American production of aluminium
down while German production In
creases was pictured to the house ap
preparations subcommittee here by
Asst. Atty.-Gen. Thurman Arnold.
Testifying on the need of funds for
the antitrust division Arnold declared
that this bunch of self-seeking men
seeking to raise prices ard achieve
production control have taken advan-
tage of the situation"
"In 1881" he said, "the Aluminium
Co. with a 1907 monopoly on alumni
mum, decided that they would form a
Canadian corporation to avoid our
antitrust laws. . This Canadian
corporation, called Aluminium, Ltd,
began with the other aluminium mon
opolies British, Swiss, German, and
French, to divide up the world mar
ket.
1.-The Aluminium Co. of America, the
strongest concern, got $3.50 of the
world market in addition to the do
nestle market. The Germans got
2O%, the English got 1870 and the
rest of the countries got the balance
of the percentage.
Having established that quota they
formed a Swiss corporation at Basic
called Alliance Aluminium Conpagne
and they then proceeded with the
production and raised the prices of
the quotas.
'They put a floor under the prices
Continued on Page Four)
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1941-04-09
Chaos In War Boom
Shows Need For
Planning Now
BY SCOTT NEARING

President Roosevelt has Endorsed
and sent to congress a plan prepared
by the Natl. Resources Planning
Board for a 6-year program of public
works construction designed to stab
ilize U. S. economy during the post
war crisis
The President commends the plan
as means of preserving "a strong
and healthy national economy" and az
"the framework Of long range policy
of intelligent planning for the future
The proposal for postwar economic
planning raises a significant question:
If the system Of monopoly capitalist
private enterprise will need long
range plans to weather the economic
shocks incident to the restoration of
peace, why not begin long range plan
ming now, in the chaos of war econ
omy?
The war boom is disorganizing and
undermining U. S. economy at pro-
digious rate. Camp construction is a
good example When it was decided,
in the summer of 1910, to militarize
the country, one Of the first steps was
the construction of camps and train
ing grounds for troops.
l. Local populations were moved
out of the selected areas with no.
where to go and nothing to do. AL
though the total number involved was
small, the disruption of their family
lives was none the less disastrous to
many human beings.
2. Construction workers were then
Continued on Page Three)
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1941-04-09
Henderson Wins Out

Henderson Wins Out
To all appearances, Leon Hender
son, hard-hitting New Deal economist
has won his fight against some of the
cIass-conscious doIIar-a-year "patrl
OTIS" who have attempted to under.
mine his program to prevent profiteer
ing.
President Roosevelt, it is said soon
will announce the personnel for the
new national defense agency, to be
known as the Office of Emergency
Management-an overall to the en-
tire defense setup. Henderson, now
price sterilization commissioner OF
the National Defense Advisory Com
mission, according to reliable reports,
will head a price adjustment admin
istration which would be in position
of equality with that of the Office OF
Production Management. This would
elevate him to place of utmost au-
thority.
Henderson last week returned to
the capital from a six-weeks' "vaca-
ton" in Porto Rico, from which place
he had been conducting his office
business His friends insisted, when
he left, that the condition Of his
health did not require him to take
prolonged vacation-or any vacation
at such an important time as this.
1t was widely whispered about that
he had had falling out with some
of the dollar-a-year boys in the de-
tense setup who had quite a bit to
say and who didn't like what he
proposed to do with the profiteers,
big and little 1t was feared that he
went off on vacation" because he
couldn't have his way-to cool off.
Henderson's return to Washing
ington with vastly increased powers
is strong indication that he will
be permitted to carry out his pro-
gram and that the campaign
against the war profiteers will not
be confined to mere words.
A Provoked Strike
To many on Capitol Hill it looked
as though the Bethlehem strike was
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1941-04-09

economic power.
I'VE know" the report stated, "that
most of the wealth and income of oul
country is owned by few large cor
porations, that these corporations In
turn are owned by an infinitesimally
small number of people and that the
profits from the operation Of these
corporations go to very small group
with the result that the opportunities
for new enterprise, whether corporate
or individual, are constantly being re-
stricted.
1t is emphasized that the rise of
political centralism is largely the
product Of economic centralism."
"The concentration of economic
power and wealth by means of prac-
tices devices and organizations which
decency and common sense condemn
must first be stopped If enterprise is
to be kept free from government con-
troll" the President was told.
AS an instance of the concentration
attacked by the committee, the allo-
cation of defense contracts Is cited.
Forty-five percent of all contracts,
amounting to over $13,000,000, 900,
have gone to six closely interrelated
corporate groups and 62 companies or
interrelated groups have received 800
of the total
Factories in four states got 1870 of
the work.
recommendations include the estab-
lishment of a permanent Bureau Of
Industrial Economics, a series Of 10
engagements of antitrust enforce
ment machinery, revision of the pat
ent laws, repeal of the Miller Tydings
price fixing law, legislation outlawing
the basing point system of prices, and
the creation of continuing commit
tee to study interstate trade barriers.
Insurance companies got off lightly
in the committees final report de-
spite recommendations for strict fed
eral control made by Securities & Ex- !
change Commissioner Sumner T. Pike. |
1t is recommended that the states |
be advised to control insurance CON-
panies more closely but assertions for
federal action are left to the warning |
that:
eff fortnight steps are not now
taken to plug the gaps where state
regulation cannot do an effective job
and to prevent relaxations of regula-
tory standards in several states such
as have occurred in the past to the
of numerous policyhold-
ers, state regulation may eventually
decay and all-inclusive federal control
Continued on Page Four)
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1941-04-09
SENATOR MARTIN
PASSES

Sen. Harry T. Martin of Stew
ensville met accidental death
last week and was buried on
Monday of this week. In his
passing, the state of Montana
lost a fine citizen of sterling
character and one who practiced
the highest of principles in his
dealings with his fellow men.
1t is worthy Of note and indie
alive of the esteem in which he
was held, that a large gathering
of friends and neighbors, farm
ers and laboring men attended
his funeral These people rep
resented the ones for whom the
senator had worked and sacri-
feed; leader in their strug-
giles.
He will be missed In the coun-
ellis of the Farmers Union in
which he was an active worker.
And the organized laborers rec
ognize that they have lost a
militant friend Of their cause.
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1941-04-09

Ruling that 1851 revised of Montana 1885
the commissioner with authority and power Ito nvest
practices anyone who receives buys SELLS or other
deals vegetables such beets and the practice
and methods of dockage and tare in such industry the
general opinion rendered at the of Commits
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1941-04-09
LISTEN ACT NOW

stockholders the Educational Cooperative Publishing Co.
Friends
week you letter which published in The
Voice. asked all of to send me dollar so could
finish building and improve grounds Helena dress
property that be proud OF its
las well as of the accomplishments of our company
that all of you intend to respond. After ALL it's
YOUR property and MY property, collectively owned We
finish the building and improve fine
location that point to it with pride and There's
example Of what the farmers and laborrs of Montana
do working together There other organization like
anywhere else the United States Well all feel like
it if point finished white building in green
lawn
Since wrote you last week, have decided to list
the stockholders who have already
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1941-04-09

WASHINGTON.-(FP )-Bundles of unexploded dynamite
laid the crucial point of the nations economic struc
by the Temporary Natl Economic Committee here March
81 the President its final Prepared
after the searching investigation of nations
life in modern times the report contains 81 major
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1941-04-09
SUGAR BEET INDUSTRY
CAN BE SUPERVISED BY
COMM. OF AGRICULTURE

Attorney General Bonner Renders Opinion
To Commissioner of Agriculture Kruse
Stating That Under Present Laws He Has
Authority to Investigate Practices and
Methods of Professors of Sugar Beets
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1941-04-09
TNEC final REL a;RT TO
PRESIDENT REC sTNmENDS
BUREAU OF EC( COMICS

Report Is Couched in in English and
Does Not Mince Its Terms. and Makes a
Large Number of Recommendation Bu-
reau Would Bring About Increased Control
of Industry.
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1941-04-09

]. R. Evey Melvin Good R. A. Parker
Bob Simons Walter McKerrow Glen Couts
Berger Johnson T. H. Haight Jasper DeDobbeleer
H. D. Rolph Joe Tombrink Harold Ridenour
Mrs. H. D. Roph Walt Peek Don Chapman
Harold Brown Howard Lyman Walter Good
Helen Burkett p. F. Lyman Leo Doheny
Mildred Stoltz Bill Thrasher Bob McKenna
Elena McIntre Mrs. Fousch D. L. Manning
Lorraine Schotz w. j. Priest Don Peterson
c.. C. Steel Mr. Fousch
Ronald Holtz Andy Ola
Come on friends fill columns of the paper
personally ask the presidents of locals
both Union locals and Labor Union locals
in this organization to call members Take
up collection give benefit affair funds
But do it right away.
You individual stockholders please hurry up send in
contribution We've got to get the work of fixing
grounds done right Thank you all in advance.
Comparatively yours,
H. D. ROLPH, Box 2O42 Great Falls Mont
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1941-04-09

Economic Justice and Equality
IL the Real Safeguard of De-
mocracy. Lack Of These IL a
Challenge to the Intelligence
and Sincerity of All.
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1941-04-09
A Provoked Strike

n PToVoked Str1kc
To many on Capitol Hill 1t looked
as though the Bethlehem strike was
The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-03-18

of this city, spoke on church music Sunday at the West Side Meth odlst church. She said that there were thousands of sO-called hymns sung in churches generally, but that actually only about one hum dred and fifty were really hymns, in the true sense of the word. In defining the word hymn" Miss Rooster said it was . poem having Christ as the central figure and set to music.
 In her talk Miss Rooster de- scribed the development of church music. She mentioned some of the noted masses by noted con1- pOsers, and also mentioned the OratOriOs of Handel and Haydn, then the romantic character of the Mozart music. She also mentioned some of the modern church conn p0sers such as Dudley Buck, HO- ratio Parker and David Stanley Smith.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-03-18
PRESENT DAY POETRY RATED PRETTY BAD"

The story of how an editorial staff selects material for its publication from more than 8l 900 manuscripts submitted in the course of year, was told to members of the Water. bury Advertising club at Its monthly noon day meeting in The Elton yes- terday.
 Speaker Harold J. Bean, assistant to the subscription manager of the Curtis Publishing Company, pro- ducers of the Saturday Evening Post, said that if the copies of that magazine were piled one on top of another. the copies of one issue would be higher than Mt. Everet. He described the constant search being conducted for new writers, and suggested that writers take q bit more care with the type of poetry they write. Most of it." he said, lis pretty bad"
 R. Firth Pickels, president of the organization, presided.