The people's voice., 1943-06-11
HOW LABOR
views FLATHEAD
PROPOSAL
Kalispell, Mont, June

Bonneville Power Administration
Gentlemen:
1t goes without saying that where
questions of land, property and indus
| try values are subjects of great con
Germ and controversy, there also the
welfare of the workers is logically a
matter for serious consideration, be
cause without manpower in the flesh
and in the blood, we have nothing
1t was Abraham Lincoln who said,
Capital is the fruit of labor and
could not exist if labor had not first
existed. Labor therefore deserves
much the higher consideration.
1t is with that thought foremost
that organized labor desires to place
a statement in the record Of this hear
ing on the proposed raising of the
present level of Flathead lake.
First, let it be made aIuudantly
clear to all that organized labor in
Flathead valley owes no special allie.
glance to the private power interests
of this state, or of any other state,
neither do we deem it incumbent
upon the successful championship of
the cause of the common man to
hitch our wagon, so to speak, to any
political party, creed or program.
Service to the workers, whatever be
their race, their individual political or
religious beliefs, is the paramount
principle on which we stand We en-
ter this statement in the record solely
as a demand upon the responsible au-
thorities (be they private or govern
mentaD that the welfare of the, work
ers and their dependents, particularly
in war time, shall be given full
measure of just consideration. Our
policy in this case will be to pursue
that demand into the highest halls of
our government and into the most
secluded offices of private interests,
if need be.
Specifically those responsible for
the surveys, estimates, etc, leading
up to the proposed raising of Flat
head lake have no where indicated IN
their recorded statements and figures
that the workers job Is worth ONE
RED CENT! Can it be that the engi-
neers and economists representing
the various agencies of government
in this case regard the workers job
and all that goes with that job-food,
education, the payment on
the mortgage, the doctor bill, the new
baby-all those things of NO VALUE?
they do-because so far,
not one statement has been given
among the arguments to raise Flat
head lake. that the worker, his job,
and the obligations that job entails,
ire matters of primary concern.
So into this record, we project these
Iuestions-Wha is your plan, if any, |
o take care of the needs of the work |
srs and small farmers, the little peo-
)le, If you please, who will be dis |
If you raise Flathead lake? |
What do you propose in the way of
for wage and income |
osses while these workers and small |
armers with their pittance of pay
nent for destroyed property they may
AVE owned and built hopes for the
uture on, go their ways as best they
AN, in search of new jobs and new
,laces to try to build their homes
gain?
We feel that concrete plan TO
axe care of these flooded out "little
eople" who have relatively no per-
onal capital is just as vital a matter
or consideration in the proposal be-
ore us as any matter that may be
rought up relating to the power
eeds in the war effort.
And bear in mind, the needs we
peak of are by no means covered in
Inadequate compensation for real
state or personal property losses.
We speak of human values, bread and
utter values, the many important,
es vital, values that hinge on the
ize of the pay check or the. price
+ cord of wood or the price of a
ack of potatoes.
In this statement we offer no facts
nd figures@because there are none
} be placed on such values in human ;
fe. However, we briefly refer in
eneral to the payrolls of the Flat
cad Pulp and Paper Company at Pol
On, to the Somers Lumber Company
Somers and to the numerous small
lmber and logging operations servic-
lg these plants on the shores of Flat
cad lake. We refer to the many
'orkers who in innumerable small
'ays make a living from the lumber
ldustry dependent on the waters of