davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1941-04-30
NEW DEAL"
JUDGES Limit
COURT POWERS
Federal Judges Power to
Punish for Contempt Cur
tailed by Reversal of Ruling
Made by us. Supreme Court
% Years Ago.
Reprinted from LABOR"

The supreme court this week re
versed a ruling it made 20 years ago
and sharply limited federal judges
power to punish for contempt pow.
er often used in the past to break
strikes and destroy labor unions.
Incidentally, the decision drama
tiled the "New DEAL in the supreme
court, because all five justices ap.
pointed by Observation-Disclosures Black
Reed, Frankfurter and Murphy-voted
to smash the former precedent. The
dissenting minority - Hughes. Stone
and Roberts-were all appointed be-
fore the New Deal"
Can a Judge punish anyone for con
tempt" for saying or doing anything
anywhere but in the courtroom, or
very near 1t? That was the question
in this case.
No workers or unions were direct
Iy involved in it, but the principles
concerned are the same as in many
labor cases.
A North Carolina man named Ell
more sued the B. c. Remedy Company
for $4,000, charging that it's "B. c."
headache powders caused the death
of his son BY getting Elmore drunk,
two men named Nye and Mayors per-
suaded him to call off his suit against
the company Nye and Mayors also
wrote letters to Elmore, asking a fed
eral district court to dismiss" the
case.
The district court ruled that this
was an attempt to 'obstruct" justice,
and slapped fines on Nye and Mayors
for contempt Of court" although the
actions for which they were fined
were committed about 100 miles from
the courtroom.
The supreme court majority, in an
opinion written by Justice Douglas,
held that the district court was wrong.
Instead of filming Nye and Mayors for
contempt" steps should have been
taken to indict them for a criminal
the court held.
Douglas reviewed the history of con-
tempt procedure. Under law passed
way back in 1889, courts had almost
unlimited power to punish persons for
CONTINUED on Page Four
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1941-04-30
REPORT SHOWS
CROP CHANCES
Are GOOD
Agriculture Department Re-
ports Ideal Growing Condi-
tions for Crops at End of
Month of April; Weeds and
Cut Worms Bother.

Additional moisture, delaying field
work in some southwestern localities
and continued low night temperatures
in extreme northeastern Montana,
form some exception to what gen.
orally was week of clearing skies
and more favorable temperatures. AL
most ideal growing conditions pre-
the closing days. For the present,
soil moisture conditions are good with
crops and grass taking full advantage
of above normal temperatures. How
ever stockwater is still a problem in
some east-central localities and more
rainfall will soon be needed in coun-
ties west of the Continental Divide.
Seeding of small grains progressed
rapidly during the week compared
with the general delay that marked
the same week in 1910 AS a result,
the percent of seeding completed is
well ahead of this same date a year
earlier. On clean ground this is an
advantage, but in some cases may re-
suit in weedy fields, where weeds
have not been destroyed before seed
ing. Some early seeded grain crops
are up to good stands in western and
southern Montana and conditions gem
orally are now favorable for germina-
ton. Sugar beet planting continues
in the northern districts; is nearly
completed in the southern; and about
completed in the western counties
Planting of mustard seed is well
along. Seeding of flax has been de-
CONTINUED on Page Four
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1941-04-30
TRESPASSINC AT THE CAPITAL
By A. I. HARRIS

1854, 100000. In 1910, it was more than
S102, 900 900. In 1941, it may reach
the $3.50 100000 mark, even taking
the wage increase into consideration
That wouldn't indicate that the indus
try is faced with bankruptcy
The steel industry, which has been
one of the chief beneficiaries of the
national emergency business boom,
hasn't shown the slightest disposition
to go out of its way to render patriotic
service. When New Deal economists,
who made a special study of defense
needs, insisted that a shortage OF steel
would develop unless plant expansion
were undertaken, the industry set up
howl and said that such expansion
was unnecessary They even con-
vinced the President to that effect.
And plant expansion was not under
taken, because it wasn't considered
good business"
Now, it is admitted, we are about
to witness real steel shortage, the
same as in aluminium, to which Sec
rotary of the Navy Knox testified last
week. They already are talking about
"rationing steel" If this country
pulls through this national emergency,
it will be not because of Big Business
but despite Big Business. Big Bust
ness is showing that it is a heavy
rock ted TO the neck of Uncle Sam.
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1941-04-30
CONCENTRATION
CAMP BILL
DRAWS FIRE
Nationwide Fight to Defeat
The Ubiquitous Hobbs Con-
centration Camp Bill Now
Under Way; More Than SO
Organizations Protest.

AID intense and nationwide fight
against the Hobbs Concentration
Camp Bill in the house of representa-
tives has been conducted this week
by the American Committee for Pro
lection of Foreign Born through its
Washington office, 500 F ST., NV.
Washington, D. c.
Among the organizations supporting
the American Committee in its op-
position to this anti-democratic meas
ure have tbeen the National Federation
for Constitutional Liberties; the CLIO
Maritime Committee; the Wayne
County, Michigan, Industrial Union
Council; the Wisconsin, State Confer
ence on Social Legislation. All of
these organizations have sent special
representatives to Washington to ap-
pear before subcommittee of the
house judiciary committee to testify
against the Hobbs Bill.
In addition to organizations testify
ing in person, over so national and
local organizations have wired the
committee stating their opposition to
the measure. They include: the Ma
tional Maritime Union; the American
Communications Association; the
Transport Workers Union; the United
Croatian Societies; the Finnish Work
ers Federation; the Greater N. Y.
Industrial Union Council; the Arme-
MAN Progressive League. Typical of
the messages sent is that of the In
ternational Fur and Leather Workers
Union, which asserted:
ION behalf of $4,000 members of the
International Fur and Leather Work
ers Union, strongly oppose Hobbs
Concentration Camp Bill as un-demo-
cratic measure oppressive to labor
and people as whole. Abrogation of
rights of non-citizens is dangerous
menace to constitutional rights of citi-
zens as well. Hobbs bill destroys
American concept Of freedom and
liberty more imperative today than
Continued on Page Four)
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1941-04-30
Letter From President Of
Cascade Co. Trades & Labor
Assembly Introduced Into
Congressional Record by
Montanan.

| Reprinted from Great Falls Tribune
In a recent warm debate in the
house of representatives, Congress
man James O'Connor of Montana de-
Tended the right of labor to strike in
self protection. In the course of his
remarks, the congressman quoted a
letter from B. l. Steinmetz of this
city reviewing the strike situation.
The part of Mr. O'Connor's remarks
containing the letter as taken from
the Congressional Record of April Is
read as follows:
Mr.. O'Connor. "Mr. Speaker, l have
secured this time simply to read a
and labor council in Great Falls,
Mont, a very well informed and high
class patriotic American, which
think is very sane and at least a
very temperate statement of the strike
situation as he found it after he had
travelled along the Pacific coast:
81 have just returned from the
coast, where | had good first-hand
glimpse of living conditions surround
ing defense industries. 1t is my we'll
considered opinion that it is an insult
to the intelligence and patriotism of
the American worker to brand as COM
munistic-inspired every move they
make to better their conditions In
vestigation shows that some of these
men employed in industry contribut-
ing to defense make as low as S12
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1941-04-30
CONGRESS NOW
CONSIDERING
FARM PROBLEM
Rep. Rankin Wants Sugges-
tons From Farmers in State
To Present to Committee;
Argues Parity for Farmers
With Other Groups.
By JEANETTE RANKIN

The house committee on agriculture
is now conducting hearings on vari-
GUS legislative proposals. some of
which are designed ito increase farm
prices to actual parity" Actual
parity" means a price to the farmer
for the things he produces which will
give him the cost of production, plus
a reasonable profit, a price in keeping
with industrial wages.
| Industry is receiving generous
profit on the materials being turned
out for the defense program In fact,
Industry refused to produce defense
goods unless the limit of profit of 8
percent on army contracts and II per-
cent on navy contracts was removed
Industry said they had certain risks"
in their business and they refused to
take those risks unless they were per-
mitted to make more than the or
IL percent limit on profits.
The workers in industry found their
pay for defense work was not suffi-
Gent to give them what they called
"a Giving wage" They protested and
their wage rates were adjusted, some
times by negotiation, and sometimes
after strikes had occurred. But, they
are receiving what they consider a
living wage"
Industry has been accorded what
it calls a reasonable profit; labor
is being granted a Giving wage;
and the farmer should be given the
same protection-"ac actual parity"
The steel industry, when it seeks
to get a price which will insure a
reasonable profit" merely calls in
the hands of all the steel producers
and they set price for steel-and
that price is maintained all over the
country. No one ever hears of any
one reducing the price Of steel. The
same with cement-the price of ce-
ment is the same all over this land.
But the farmer does not set his
price. 1t is set by the buyers of farm
products. While the farmer must sell
his goods in market which is I'M
controlled by him, all the purchases
Continued on Page Three)
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1941-04-30
viii Bring Administration Demand
For Price-Fixinq Legislation

Interference With Henderson
Will Bring Administration Demand
For Price-Fixing Legislation
Serious effort to challenge Leon
Henderson's authority to fix prices,
this column is reliably informed, will
be met by Administration demand for
emergency price-fixing legislation -
AND THE ADMINISTRATION is
ASSURED THAT THERE ARE
ENOUGH VOTES ON THE HILL
TO PUT SUCH LEGISLATION
THROUGH
Confronted by situation which
threatened to bring about an upward
spiraling of prices and dangerous in
flationary tendencies as the result OF
the plans of the steel industry to
boost prices, Henderson, chief of the
Office of Price Administration and
Civilian Supply, took vigorous action
and ordered freezing of steel prices
at present levels, while study is be-
ing undertaken to determine the need
of price adjustments.
AT this writing, there are indica-
lions that some of the steel people
may bring test action in court to
challenge his powers to issue such
order Reactionary spokesman Sen
ator Taft and others in both the SEN
ate and the house have begun sniping
at Henderson, who undoubtedly has
the force of public opinion behind
him
Reason for the contemplated price
boosts in steel was the increase In
pay granted to workers, on Admins
tration insistence, to prevent strike
in that important defense industry.
The cost OF this increase to U. S.
Steel will total, it is estimated, be-
tween "a and So million dollars year.
The net cost, however, will be from
20 to rs million dollars, since the
difference is made up by reduced
taxes.
Can U. s. Steel, enjoying wartime
prosperity, stand such an increase in
worker salaries? In 1889, net profits
of that corporation were more than
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1941-04-30
WORK and SHARE
FORMULA CAN end
R0BBER WARS
BY SCOTT NEARING

ct looks like this war will go on,
and on, and on, into many genera
tions-until the capitalist world com
mits suicide" writes a friend "Just
re-read Bellamy's Looking Back
ward Wish it were like he writes
about. Instead, it is war in the Bal
kans, war in Africa, war of the At
lantic, war for the Pacific Volta
world"
Agreed. Volta world But let's
look a little closer. War has de-
vastated Europe for thousands of
years. During the latest thousand
years theTurks, the Italian cities, the
Spanish, French, Dutch, Germans,
Swedes, British and Russians have
been at it II years out of every IL.
(See John Bloch, Future of War;
Why were the wars fought? Gen
orally because ambitious individuals
and privileged classes were trying to
increase their wealth and power They
tried trade. piracy, brigandage and
Continued on Page Four)
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1941-04-30
Who'll ESALE
COOP REPORTS
GOOD YEAR
Consumer Co-ops Owning
Central Coop Wholesale
Hold Meet; Urge Strength
ening of Democracy; To
Hold Training School.

SUPERIOR, Wisc.-Delegates rep
resenting $4,000 individual members
of more than 100 local consumer CO.
operatives which own the Central Co
operative Wholesale, meeting here
last hweek adopted a resolution urg-
ing that "Co-operatives and co-opera-
tors everywhere work tirelessly for
democracy" Then, to make that res
olution effective, they approved the
expenditure of 100000 for a building
expansion fund and voted to take
their earnings on last years business
in shares instead of in cash so that
the Coop wholesale will have a
stronger financial position to meet
any emergency which may grow out
of possible postwar crash.
A. j. Hayes, manager, reported to
the annual meeting that sales of the
Coop wholesale for 1910 were $685.
S41 which was 14Gc greater than the
record year 1899 and that net earn
ings on wholesale operations were
sS7,S4S.
The delegates voted to conduct an
other Cooperative Training School TO
meet the need for additional employees
in 1871; endorsed the joint co-opera-
tive insurance program of Central Co
operative Wholesale, Midland Cooper
alive Wholesale and the Farmers I'M
ion; asked for an amendment of the
Guffey Coal Act to prevent confisca-
tion of cooperative property; and in
structed the board to make appropri-
ate plans for celebration of the 25th
of the Coop wholesale
next year.
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1941-04-30

While the assignments to kitchen
duty which required work for IA hours
each day, were originally scheduled to
be for only three-day period, inter
views secured by a representative of
The Voice with girls who have been
members of the personnel and sub
stantiated by the statement of others,
has disclosed that one girl at least
was kept on that assignment for four
weeks, and the ordinary schedule has
been heightened without any formal,
announced change, to one week or
longer for those assigned
Not Unique
The conduct of this camp, which
apparently is responsible for the turn
over in personnel, due to the disap-
pointment of girls coming there for
employment and training, in finding
that IL was conducted in a manner
which gave them practically no voca-
tional training or guidance, and which
kept them working long hours at tedi-
GUS work at scant remuneration, Is
probably not unique. 1t may reason
ably be assumed that Encouragement
and failure on the part of the state
administrator to grasp and execute
the program of the National Youth
Administration calling for employ
ment, vocational training and guild
ance and training leading to character
building through youth government
and generally to make the program
of assistance to youth a sentient
demonstration of interest In its vel
fare, has brought about the past fall
ure of five resident camps in this
state out of total of eight. Two of
the three remaining camps have re-
Gently been established in Helena, and
an investigation of the girls resident
project and the manner in which it
has been and is being conducted in
dicates that it will probably be added
to the majority list of failures
Continued on Page Four)
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1941-04-30

about through the m1nLanC &C
ton to stop violation of the
anti-gambling laws, under
taken by Attorney General
Bonner, who apparently takes
seriously his oath of office to
enforce the laws of the state.
No blame can attach to the Unem-
ployment Compensation set-up for the
payment of these weekly sums to the
unemployed gamblers and boosters
and others formerly employed in car
rying on the Illegal activities. I'm
doubtedly the proprietors of the estab-
lishments wherein the illegal activ-
tiles were conducted, paid the tax re-
quired on the employees. Certainly, it
would be interesting to check the rec
ords of these establishments to see
how these employees were carried on
the payroll whether as dealer, boost
ers, bartenders or swampers or what
ever
There is at least one establishment
in Butte where employees of this kind
must have totaled so or more. SINH
larly in Helena and Great Falls and
Billings there were establishments
which in the hey-day of open gambling
which existed until Attorney General
Bonner ordered "house-cleaning"
had on their payrolls many employees
whose services consisted entirely in
conducting Illegal games.
Another Racket
Social clubs" with membership
cards "'n everything" are now begin
ming to make their appearance in an
effort, so far successful, by the gam
bling fraternity to defeat the purposes
of the anti-gambling laws. One of
these clubs" poses as charitable"
CONTINUED on Page Four)
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1941-04-30
GRAIN COOP
BUILDING new
FACILITIES
r. u. Grain Terminal Larg-
est Grain Marketing Coop
Building Two Immense Ter
minal Elevators in Montana
and One in Superior, Wis.

Construction of a 100000 bushel
capacity storage elevator has been
started in Shelby, Montana, by the
Farmers Union Grain Terminal Asso-
citation, mammoth grain marketing CO.
operative and another of 100000 bush
ell capacity is under construction at
Lewistown and will be ready to re-
ceive grain in July.
This cooperative, the largest grain
marketing cooperative in the United
States, already has two huge terminal
elevators in the Twin Cities.
Actively supervising the construc-
ton of the two great elevators in this
state are E. B. Danforth, manager of
the Great Falls office of the associa-
ton, d. L. Manning, Montana field
man and A. E. Kathan of Brady, sec
of the association.
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1941-04-30
LET'S SPEED UP

Stockholders of the Educational Cooperative Publishing Co.
Dear Friends
I'm beginning to think that you folks like
letters because keep writing to We still haven't
received enough from finish the building and i'm
the have to write you another epstle
don't know anything to tell any way ask
to send contributions know could each
of personally would hand it to without hest
tating at ALL But know that's impossible for
have to keep asking to mail contribution
I'm glad report that add three Farmers Union or
the list of contributors They
Local and the Faon and Rava county organizations Thank
ALL and thanks to all the individual contributors also
Well make this week won't
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1941-04-30
SPEAKER SCHEDULED
FOR ROTARY CLUB

w. e. Walter of Seattle who is
making a lecture tour of Montana
under the sponsorship of Technocracy
Inc. will be the guest speaker at a
meeting of the Townsend Rotary Club
next Tuesday evening, May g. in
Townsend.
After his address to the Rotary
Club, Mr.. Walter will give public
lecture in the gymnasium Of the
Townsend high school.
He has an engagement to address
the Helena Trades and Labor Assem-
bly, Friday evening of this week at
the Helena Labor Temple
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1941-04-30
0'C0NN0R READS Statement
BY STEINMETz ON STRIKES

week if they work full time. Now
couple this with the fact that some Of
these workers, because of a shortage
of housing have to live 20 miles from
their work. The round trip of 20
miles day by car would mean an
expense in gas and oil of at least so
Continued on Page Four)
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1941-04-30
WHEELER BILL
| REPORTED OUT
BY AGR. COM.
Senate Committee on Agri-
culture Reports Favorably
On Wheeler's Bill to Extend
Benefits to the Low Income
Farmers.

Senator Wheelers bill to extend for
another year the program of co-opera-
ton between the Bureau of Reclama-
ton and the Farm Security Admins
tration in development of farm units
on public lands is being favorably
reported out of the senate committee
on agriculture according to a tele-
gram received from the senator's Of
flee.
The measure which was originally
introduced by Senator Wheeler in
1889 provides for the rehabilitation of
low income farmers by assisting them
to qualify for homesteads on reclama-
ton projects.
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1941-04-30
Anti-Labor Policy
Drive Well Organized

There is no question but that the
Capitol Hill reactionaries who are try
ing to put over anti-labor legislation
are doing far better publicity job
Of it than are those opposing such
legislation And their publicity is be-
ginning to show results.
It's in the house where most OF the
anti-labor activities are currently CEN
tered. And for good reason, for here's
very fertile field indeed Never a
day passes when the house is in ses-
sion but that finds attacks against
labor delivered from many directions.
Continued on Page Two)
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1941-04-30

Work of IA hours imposed girls assigned
kitchen duty at the National Youth Administrators girls
resident camp Helena according reports received by
The Voice from girls formerly and presently members of the
youth personnel the camp Conditions such this
credited with nearly 100 percent turnover personnel
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1941-04-30
UVEMPL 0YED CT:
NOW DRAMING
UNEMPL 0YMEN
IBI. ERS
~ FOR

Drive by Attorney General Bonner on the
Gambling Establishments of the State Has
Created an Acute Unemployment Situation
Amongst Dealers, Boosters and Other Mem
bers of the Racketeering Personnel.
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1941-04-30
PROVISIONS OF The
STATE CONSTITUTION
VIOLATED BY NY. A.

Eight-hour Day Ignored in Girls Resident
Camp Near Helena; Girls State Kitchen As
signments Call for l4-hour Day; Conditions
At Camp Have Brought Nearly 100 Percent
Turnover in Personnel In Three Months.
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1941-04-30

Dealers boosters and other employees of rackeeering estab
shmens which conducted gambling in violation of the
the unemployment compensation rolls
them not ALL drawing the maximum of $15 week
their unemployment status continues that
according reports reliable This deporable
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1941-04-30

j. R. Evey
Bob Simons
Berger Johnson
II. d. Rolph
Mrs. II. D. Rolph
Harold Brown
Helen Burkett
Mildred Stoltz
Elna McIntire
Lorraine Schulz
G. G.. Steel
Ronald Holtz
Left Erickson
Hayes Starks
John Trick
j. G. Homberg
John Mckay
w eldon Frank
d. F. James
Henry Schepens
Charles Fields
Peter Bokma
Ernest w. Carlson
Thos. Nelson
Mrs. Thos. Nelson
Carl Reppe
E. K. Bowman
D. E. Hawbaker
Stewart E. Bell
Harriet Adams
j. B. Bourassa
Fallon County Flu.
]. j. O'Connor
L. w. Plummer
H. S. Bruce, Jr.
Albert Printing
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1941-04-30

he:
R. A. Parker
Glen Coutts
Jasper DeDobbeleer
Harold Ridenour
Don Chapman
w alter Good
Leo Doheny
Bob McKenna
D. L. Manning
Don Peterson
Ole S. Gunderson
Mrs. Ole Gunderson
George Monahan
Arvo Fredrickson
Edgar Simons
t. A. Haswell
Ted Schoenborn
Homer Hoover
Cascade Co. Trades
& Labor Assembly
Eva S. Farden
Emil Syftestad
William Poppler
A. E. Leland
Geo. ]. Ladwig
VIM. J. Nelson
Pat C. Sullivan
Mrs. w. M. Cusick
A. H. Hargens
F. H. Richardson
Ravalli County Flu.
Manley Moline
G. E. Bore
Frank H. Livingston
J. Amestoy