The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1944-03-24

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nator Murray: Well, now

.
lper has a statement on the front page
telling about the filming of the man
agement, the officers of the Anaconda
Wire and Cable Company, for its FRAUD
in manufacturing and selling defec
tive materials to the armed forces
which jeopardized the lives of the
men, and in that statement they
pointed out it showed a lack of patri
otto responsibility on the part of the
organization. Don't you approve the
condemnation of that sort of work on
the part of industry just as severely
as you would condemn the failure OF
working men when they strike for
wages that would enable them to live
better during these times when prices
have gone up so tremendously?
Secretary Stimson: l certainly do.
Senator Lodge: I think, Mr.. Chair
man, it might be appropriate to say,
in view of the fact that the Senator
from Montana was unable to hear the
whole statement, to which / listened
with great attention, that nowhere in
the statement of the Secretary were
there any words derogatory to labor
as a whole.
The Chairman: That is true.
Senator Lodge: / believe that is
true. Moreover, is it not correct that
any deficiencies on the part of man
agement are printed in the Stars and
Stripes and the other soldier newspa-
pers as routine part of the news
service which they receive from the
United States? | believe that is cor
rect, is it not?
Secretary Stimson: Yes. 1 would
like to say this: 1t has just been
called to my attention, had forgot
ten, Senator Murray
Senator Murray: Yes.
Secretary Stimson: Is it not a fact
that instead of countenancing and let
ting go such an instance of wrong as
you suggested in regard to Anaconda,
the government prosecuted Anaconda
and convicted it?
Senator Murray: Yes, but all they
got out of it was a $4,000 fine for a
several-million-doll fraud and for
ieopardizing the lives of millions of
American soldiers.
Mr.. Patterson: That is up to the
Judge, but l think he also imposed Jail
sentences.
Senator Murray: In the last case he
did, but not the first one. What l
am worried about is this attempt in
the country to create the impression
that American labor has failed in it's
patriotic responsibility to our country
in this time of war. My opinion is
that it has made a tremendous con-
tribution to the war. In fact, the war
is being won largely upon the fine
record of production of the American
workers, and instead of being criti-
cized and belittled in their effort, they
should be given fuller credit for what
they have accomplished In view of
the fact, as you have pointed out, that
they are less organized and that they
are not led as efficiently and as eff
fectively as the corporations of the
country are, you would think there
would be a little more generosity in
its treatment of labor as whole and
not an effort made to discredit it.
Secretary Stimson: Senator, l would
feel very badly if | had made that inn
preston upon you by what l have
said in regard to the situation. l do
not know whether you were here
throughout my statement.
Senator Murray: Yes. I was here.
Secretary Stimson; Then you will |
several things. In the first
Mace. ! explicitly pointed out one of
the dancers of the situation was it
made the soldier prone to forget what
a uood lob labor had done in their re-
sentiment against the results caused
by few, probably an insignificant
number of labor.
I said further that l did not think
\ mere abandonment of strikes was
he proner route, the proper remedy, |;
because these men were not anything
aIse but true Americans and were cap
lble of being inst as patriotic as the
soldiers themselves, and the fault was
and I said this very explicitly-the
ault was that the government had not
aiken the leadership it should have to
ihow them where it was necessary to
axe these different steps which their
lnguided action might fail to follow.
Now, I have been very careful 1
lave been thinking of what I have
laid many times, and l do not want
he impression to be given to anyone
lere that this is an indictment of la
oor as whole. 1t is the Indictment
If a system, which is in the hands of
hat anybody, any group or body of
Americans left in the situation that
some of these labor groups have been
eft, would be just as likely to go
wrong and to do harm as the ones
hat were left in that situation. Please
De fair to me in getting that impress
sion ]
Senator Murray: l thank you, Mr..
Secretary.
Secretary Stimson: There was no !
Indictment intended of labor at all,
t was an indictment of a system.
Senator Murray: But if only few,
f only limited number in the ranks {
If labor have been responsible for /
treating the impression that they {
acked patriotic responsibility, should |
t be necessary to condemn labor as I
! whole, or, by an action such as is d
here, make it appear to the '
)ublic that it is necessary to establish
l.