davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1942-04-03
CAPITOL
HICHLICHTS
CONTRIBUTED

Interest increased rapidly on the
political front in Helena this week
and veterans at the capitol felt that
from now on politics would command
more and more attention. Senator
Murray announced that he would be
candidate for reelection on the
Democratic ticket and indicated that
he would continue to support Presi-
dent Roosevelt and his policies as he
has done in the past. Murray has
already been characterized by his OPP
ponents as a rubber stamp" senator
and his record is being closely studied
by friend and foe alike. 1t has been
repeatedly heard in Helena that Muir
rays indiscriminate support of every
Democratic measure will not help him
particularly.
Indications all pointed to the con-
clusion that Murray would have no
easy time In the coming election. O..
H. P. Shelley, veteran Republican edi-
tor from Red Lodge, in Helena at the
beginning of the week, said that in
his section of the country much senti-
ment was forming in support of Well
ington D. Rankin for the senate.
Shelley, former Republican national
committeeman for Montana, said that
Rankin's known ability as a leading
CONTINUED on Page Four)
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1942-04-03
Wholesale
COOP MAY
EXPAND
Will Consider Expansion of
Coop Tractor Factory When
War Ends and Their Plant
Now Manufacturing War
Materials Is Available.

At a recent meeting of the board
of directors of the Farmers Union
Central Exchange an added interest
was shown in the subject of expand
ing the operations of the Exchange
to include the wholesale distribution
of Coop groceries.
This subject is not new to the Elk
change Ever since it was organized
there has been an urge to get into
the distribution Of food-stuffs as well
as gas, oil, feed, seed, Irvine, farm
implements, hardware, repairs, ETC.
The task of getting properly estab-
lished in these items of merchandise
on sound basis has been great, and
the grocery line has been delayed.
During this time the people in the
area served by the Exchange have
gained experience In the operations
of their local cooperative oil COM
panies and there is an added interest
in the possibility of expanding their
operations to Coop groceries
Like many of the other large CO.
OpCIdJlf6 WuOlC6diCS III OLnCl oil cos,
the Exchange has been expanding
gradually. The Coop Tractor, farm
machinery and hardware program has
been a major operation" The ra-
tioning of merchandise or supplies
which are made from steel and rubber
leaves more time to the expansion
into other lines which are available.
During the past year several large
cooperative WHOLESALERS expanded into
the field of distributing Coop gro
ceries, and at the present time another
large cooperative wholesale in addi-
ton to the Exchange is making a
survey of the grocery field.
With a great deal Of cooperative
back of the co-operatives
and with a much better understand
ing as to what cooperative is for,
the risk" or experiment" is reduced
it is not safe to say that
they are entirely removed.
The Exchange is charter member
Of National Co-operatives, Inc, and
through it they will have the benefit
Of the experience gained to date in
CONTINUED ON Page Four)
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1942-04-03
SOUTHERN LABOR HATERS threaten
UNITY TO get" LABOR

for the. workers, and generous profits
for the owners
This point of view is held, not by
handful of reactionary politicians,
but by the ruling business group from
the Atlantic seaboard straight across
the continent through Louisiana and
Texas to southern California Smith,
Dies, Byrd and many others are the
spokesman for this sectional point of
view.
Businessmen from the northwest,
north central and north western states
hold different point of view. They
speak for a more mature form of
trust economy. Some of them, like
the textile group from New England,
represent an industry that Is actually
decaying. Most of them were sobered
by the great depression of the 1905.
Many Of them realize that the time
has come when concessions must be
made to the unemployed and other
victims Of economic decay. They have
dealt with labor organizations for two
generations and quite generally accept
the idea of unions, although company
unions are preferred.
President Roosevelt represents this
viewpoint AS member of rich
New York family and as governor of
New York state he championed the
progressive attitude that became the
New Deal.
But the President Is also the leader
of the Democratic party. The south
is by tradition Democratic. Smith,
Continued ON Page Four)
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1942-04-03
BY SCOTT NEARING

Congress is discussing two questions
OF prime importance. The first con-
Germs the 40-hour week; the second in
wolves the closed shop. The Presi-
dent, the chairman of the War Pro-
duction Board, the speaker Of the
house and other prominent leaders
have joined in the debate. The issues
are sharply drawn between those who
favor rights for labor and those who
believe in keeping labor servile and
cheap.
The discussion was precipitated by
the attempt Of Rep. Howard w. Smith
ID, Val to push through legislation
that would suspend premium over
time payments for labor beyond the
40-hour week and outlaw the closed
shop for the duration of the war.
The controversy is dividing the
business class of the country into
well-defined groups. Representatives
Smith and Martin Dies d., Tex and
Sen. Harry F. Byrd 3D., Va.) speak
for the solid south-solid this time,
not on the race question, but on the
conflict.
Southern congressman have consist
emily opposed the Wagner act, author
izing labor organization and collective
bargaining, and various forms of So
cial security legislation. Industrial
came late to the south.
Southern businessmen are today
where their brothers of the north
were 40 years ago. They favor long
hours, low wages, mo damn union"
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1942-04-03
FARMERS UNION
Who'll ESALE GETS
SCRAP IRON

The Farmers Union Central Ex-
change of ST. Paul, Mimi, wholesale
farm supply cooperative, has been
conducting a campaign of getting the
scrap iron rolling to the mills"
Up to March 26 there has been
total Of 10 car loads shipped with an
aggregate weight Of 1,172,820 pounds.
from Montana
6 from North Dakota.
1 from South Dakota.
A letter came to the offices of the
Exchange on March Is advising that
four carloads will be shipped from
one Montana point the early part of
April.
The cooperative oil and elevator
companies are doing a good job of
getting the scrap iron rolling.
1t is expected that before May 1
there will be at least 100 carloads
shipped as a result of this campaign.
The campaign will not end until the
war is over and we get back to nor
NAL business procedure.
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1942-04-03
GOVERNOR FORD
OPPOSES A
SALES TAX

Honorable Robert L. Doughton,
Chairman, Comm. on Ways and Means
House of Representatives
Washington, D. G.
Dear Representative Doughton:
Reports from Washington indicate
the consideration by the Congress Of
a national sales tax designed to tap
the reservoir of low income earnings.
I cannot bring myself to agree with
the arguments advanced in favor Of
such a proposal To add sales tax
to the low income groups already
burdened with an ever-increasing cost
of living would undoubtedly cut the
incomes of many below the subsist-
ence level
A sales tax has always been consid-
cred unfair because it strikes hardest
at those least able to pay. From the
income of the poorest workman the
tax collector would take the largest
proportionate share, under such plans.
Nearly two-thirds of the families of
the United States had incomes of
$4,000, or less in 1871. This great
group would bear the brunt of retail
sales tax, and they would suffer from
greatly decreased purchasing power.
In addition, it is quite apparent
that such tax program would prove
disastrous to our about war produc-
ton plans. With the advent of an
overall retail sales tax, prices natur-
ally would rise. This rise, added to
the already increasing prices of COM
modities would result In greater and
greater expenditures on the part of
CONTINUED on Page Four)
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1942-04-03
REGIONAL COOP
WHOLESALERS TO
DISCUSS PLANS
Directors of F. u. Central
Exchange May Expand and
Include Grocery Distribution
is Member of National
Co-operatives, Inc.

Plans have been made for repre-
sentatives o { Regional Cooperative
WHOLESALERS to meet in Chicago on
April "a to consider the important
matter of expanding the manufactur-
ing of Coop Tractors when this ma
tional emergency comes to close.
The cooperative WHOLESALERS feel
that it is none too soon for the CO.
operatives to make their plans now
to go forward in the field of manu-
featuring of some of the types of
Coop Tractors and farm machinery
which they are accustomed to ham
ding.
tional Farm Machinery Cooperative
of Shelbyville, Indiana, around which
to build their Coop tractor manufac-
turing program. The Model BIZ and
B-3 Coop tractors have been manu-
featured there this past year.
At the present time the factory is
busy manufacturing war materials,
and for the time being is unable to
obtain ALLEGATION of sufficient mate
rails to manufacture tractors.
With good facilities, splendid equip
ment, up-to-date engineering, an excel
lent and well-trained personnel, to-
gether with the cooperation Of coop
eratives and the farmers which own
them all, the opportunity is great for
the building of a farm tractor coop
erative of Unreasonable value.
Most of the so-called Bugs" have
been "ironed out"-what Is needed Is
a constant and dependable distribu-
tion SO that the factory can be ope-
rated economically.
Representatives of the large coop
erative WHOLESALERS from Indiana, Ohio,
Michigan, Kansas, Pennsylvania, New
York, Washington, and other states
as well as the Farmers Union Cen
trail Exchange of st. Paul, Minnesota,
will be in attendance.
The co-operatives can and will be
ready to expand into wider fields
when there is need to do SO.
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1942-04-03
Farmers UNION
ON JAPANESE
LABOR
Great Falls, March 25, 1912

Great Falls, March 25, 1912
Honorable Sam G. Ford
Governor of State of Montana
Helena, Montana
Dear Governor:
Our attention has been called to
the statement in the daily press to
the effect that various farm groups
have requested the importation of jap
anese labor into Montana. We wish
to inform you that to our knowledge
no Farmers Union group has made
such a request. All communications
we have received from Farmers I'm
ion locals up to the present date have
been strongly opposed to the importa-
ton of Japanese labor. Our opposi-
ton is principally based on the
grounds that the exploitation of jap
anese labor, which we feel will re-
suit from their importation, will result
in unfair competition with the farm
operations of the family type farms
in Montana which can only result in
lowering of the standard of living of
these farmers.
The Montana Farmers Union is the
only state wide farm organization in
this state composed entirely Of farm
ers and not subject to influence of
any group other than farmers.
Before Japanese labor is imported
into any area of the state, regardless
of whether that area has requested
that labor or not, we feel that definite
provisions should be made for the re-
moval or maintenance Of this labor
at the conclusion of the seasonal work
in which they are to be employed 30
that they may not become burden
upon the people Of the state during
their period of unemployment as has
been the case with some classes of
farm labor in the past.
Yours respectfully,
HAROLD BROWN, Secretary
Montana Division Farmers .. & C..
Union of America.
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1942-04-03
GRAIN PRICES
VARY LITTLE
LAST week

The general run of the news was
little changed during the week ended
March 27, according to the Depart
ment of Agriculture, and grain mar
kets also show little change through
out that period Traders were in
clined to mark time as legislative &C.
ton was postponed on measures
which will govern the disposal of gov
eminent owned grain. The official
report of intentions to reduce spring
wheat seedlings nearly go from last
year had a steadying influence in the
wheat market but this feature was off
set by continued favorable crop adj
vices from the winter wheat area and
trade reports which indicated that a
relatively small acreage abandonment
would take place this season. General
commercial demand for all grains at
Minneapolis was inactive and only a
marked drop off in receipts Of cash
grain kept the cash trading bases
steady.
Prospective paintings of spring
grain for 1912 are in excess Of 1941
seedlings with the exception of spring
wheat and grain sorghums. Given
normal weather this season, goals for
several important crops probably will
be exceeded. For feed grains, inten-
lions indicate total acreage well in
line with goals or suggested acre
ages. The indicated increase of 21%
in barley acreage offsets the indicated
increase in corn acreage Of but so
instead of the go requested. For oil
seeds, intentions to plant were short
of the goals for peanuts and flax
seed but this shortage is offset in
part by the large increase in soy
beans. If 100000 acres of soybeans
are grown for hay this year. as was
the case last year, about 100000
acres would remain for harvest as
beans compared with the goal of 81
100000 acres. The prospective acre
age of 4,O37,O00 acres of flaxseed is
nearly 209o above the 1941 seedlings
but about 100000 acres short of the
desired goal
Loans by the C.C.C. on 1941 wheat
totaled 356,091,8 1897 bushels, Of which
117,795,411 bushels is stored on farms.
CONTINUED on Page Three)
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1942-04-03
TRESPASSINC AT THE CAPITAL
By A. 1. HARRIS

after federal agents arrested him, but
state authorities rearrested Jones,
who will be tried under state law.
ut-GoebbeIs Goebbels
Here is how Father Coughlin aided
the (Hitler's) war effort in his March
16 issue of Social Justice:
I'VE are becoming more and more
convinced that the radicals who have
seized our federal government care
not whit about driving Hitler from
the face Of the earth" "Soon nine
years will have elapsed since world
wide sacred war was declared on
Germany by the race of Jews" Fact
finding men will be satisfied If Amer
lea can save herself from the power
of the Communists within and pre-
vent the enemy from without from
actually invading our shores"
1--WE are not prepared to fight an
offensive war successfully now. Two
years from now such strategy may
be feasible" 1.-THE Stalin-Hitler hand
clasp of 1889 may be renewed in
1912" without warning, the British
turned on their allies - still their
allies, mind you-and destroyed part
of the defenseless, unnamed (French)
fleet" "The bombing of France (the
war factories near Paris turning out
weapons to kill Americans) is a dis
aster to the United Nations cause"
1.-THE United States stands a fair
chance of being left alone after Eng
land will have become as immobilized
as is China, provided Gibraltar and
the Suez Canal fall into the hands
of the Axis"
We don't know whether the above
material was supplied to Father
Coughlin by DR.. Goebbels or not We
are inclined to think it was not for
it out-Goebbels Goebbels.
They Need To Be Told
Somebody ought to inform some Of
the people In the FBI that this is
war for democracy-at least, our side
Of it.
Recently the President appointed
Continued ON Page Three)
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1942-04-03
TEA SUPPLY BROUGHT
UNDER WPB CONTROL

The war production board has
placed restrictions on the distribution
of the country's entire tea supply and
has called on grocers to limit their
sales Of tea to each family so that
available supplies will be distributed
evenly among the consumer public
and not bought up by hoarders.
The WPB order forbids tea pack
ers from selling more than so per
cent of their monthly deliveries in q
corresponding quarter of 1941, while
receivers, both wholesalers and re-
tailers, are prohibited from accepting
more than so per cent of their aver
age monthly purchases during 1941.
In order to assist grocers in limit
ing sales, WPB also ordered tea pack
ers to discontinue packages contain
ing more than one-quarter of pound
or fifty individual-size tea balls for
sale at retail.
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1942-04-03
ON THE
CAPITALS CUFF
BY HENRY ION

| Imagine labor union that con-
trolled completely the production of
rubber and all rubber products in the
u. s. Imagine further that this union
went on strike and stopped the pro-
duction of rubber and all rubber pro-
ducts.
Continue supposing and suppose
that the strike was so effective that
not a single auto tire was produced
in the country and that there was no
prospect of an auto tire for years to
come. Think further and imagine that
this strike threatened seriously to
cripple the nations military forces.
Then to make the picture complete,
suppose that the union was controlled
by some foreign agency, that its first
loyalty was to that foreign agency,
and that it pulled the strike because
of It's connection with that foreign
agency.
There would probably be a headline
or two.
That superstition is not far from
reality. Actually 1t was the Standard
Oil Co., not labor union, that en-
gagged in even more damaging activ-
tiles.
According to Assistant Attorney
General Thurman Arnold, Standard
OILS patent relationship with I. F.
Farbenindustrie, the big Nazi chem
ical works, was such that:
1. The company gave to Germany
its synthetic rubber secrets while de-
liberately Withholding them, a year
later, from the U. S. Navy.
2. The company refused its product
to England and the U. S. but told
Italy how to get it from the Nazis.
8. In 1910 Standard Oil refused to
make its synthetic toluol, INT in
gredient, available to an American
power company despite the fact that
the Nazis already had it.
4. The company Is principally re-
sponsible for the shortage of synthet-
ic rubber in this country.
s. In the spring of 1871, Standard
Oil was selling aviation gas to Italy,
through South America, despite OBJ
jections from the state department.
g. Only by threat of use of all legal
and legislative power in the hands Of
the u S. government was Standard
Oil forced to make available to the
u. S. It's patents and formulas.
Sen. Harry Truman d., Mo-, chair
man of the committee investigating
the war program, was undertaking
when he charged the company with
treason"
CONTINUED on Page Two)
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1942-04-03

panies. The figures showed
that 26 out of 81 officials re-
ceived over 1909 boosts in
their salaries during the past
wear while IA of these 26 got
over 2OO% increases and five
got 5000 more.
Other figures were presented by
Rep. Albert Gore d., TENN who
said that reports in Securities & Elk
change Commission files showed Brer
Dahlberg, president of Celotex Corp,
was paid a bonus of s46,081 in 1910
and bonus Of s157,S71 in 1941 in
addition to $4,000 salray. Other
officers of the firm also received large
bonuses.
G. w. Mason, president of Nash KEEL
vinator, got 100000 bonus in 194l
in addition to salary OF $225,13l.
The sales manager of the same cor
poration was paid bonus of $50,00o
in addition to salary of $4,000.
Joseph w. Frazer, president OF
Willys-Overland Motors, got bonus
of $4,000 in 1941 in addition to
salary Of $4,000 while the chairman
of the board was put on the payroll
at $51, 425 for the year.
The prize exhibit before the COM
mittee was the firm of Jack & Heintz,
Cleveland aircraft starter manufactur-
ers, which paid bonuses to its workers
in what was charged to be move
to avoid excess profits taxes.
Jackss secretary was paid a $4,000
bonus in March and salary and bon
uses of s39,356 in 1941. The assist
ant comptroller was given an $1,000
bonus In December after having been
CONTINUED on Page FOur)
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1942-04-03
BIddIe Promises Action

Blddle Promises Action
Attorney General Biddle, who has
been under fire for refusal to act
against Nazis and Fascists who seek
to obstruct our war effort, last week
nromised to institute proceedings to
denaturalize disloyal foreign-born
citizens. Membership in the German
American bund, he said, was suffi-
cient grounds for revocation OF c1t1-
zenship.
Riddle implied that he had other
subyersive groups in mind also, but
he declined to name them at this
time.
Biddle undoubtedly has list OF sew
eral thousand names on which to go
to work. The FBI is known to nave
a fairly complete membership OF the
Bund, at least UP to the time that
BIND Leader Fritz Kuhn was con-
victed. at which time the Bund went
underground and its members con-
tinued their activity through various
isolationist groups.
In his refusal to act against Naz1s
and Fascists in their open propaganda
efforts to divide our people, Bfddle
had taken the position that it doesn't
matter much what these fellows say
anyway, because nobody pays any at
tention to them; hence, to prosecute
them would be blow struck at civil
liberties.
The danger Of such policy, how
ever, lies in another direction. TINS
is passage by states Of vicious anti
sedition laws. World War / expert
ence in that regard was most I'M
happy from the standpoint Of liberals.
The state anti-sedition laws were en-
ployed by reactionary state admins
trations not to ferret out German
SPIES but rather to hound good lib
erals and destroy labor unions.
In some states, these old laws are
still on the statute books, and will be
revived. Other states are preparing
to pass such laws. Biddle's position
makes state action along these lines
almost certain. In California, Biddle
ordered the release Of one Ellis O.
Jones, q notorious native Fascist,
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1942-04-03

'ment OF Labor. There is no
such thing as a 40-hour week
in industry, except where it is
used as the basis for three and
four shift operations which
make it possible to utilize pro-
ductive machinery at its top
capacity "a hours a day, 1873
hours a week." asserted Mr..
Walling, who continues as adj
ministrator of the Walsh
Healey Act, a position which
he has held for five years.
mot only is it true that the Fair
Labor Standards Act does not contain
a single provision limiting the hours
a man can be worked by his en-
ployer, but the facts prove, in addi-
ton, that in its practical application
hte act neither limits production nor
harms the war effort.
1.-THE manufacture of machine tools
is one of our most critical industries.
A survey made by the Research and
Statistics branch of the Wage and
Hour Division shows that 959 percent
of the workers in the machine tool
accessories industry are working over
time hours and that the average over
time per workweek for these en-
ployees is 1853 hours. In other words,
nearly SO per cent of the workers in
this industry are working a 56-hour
week"
Mr.. Walling quoted further from
the survey to show that in the ship
building industry 91.2 per cent of the
workers are working overtime hours
averaging 1928 hours per worker
week. He said that In the ordinance
industry 1852 per cent of the workers
are working overtime hours and that
these overtime hours average 11.3
per worker per week. In the manu-
facture of engines 66.5 per cent of
the workers are working overtime
hours averaging 14.3 hours per worker
per workweek. In the manufacture
Of locomotives 91.2 per cent of the
Continued on Page Four)