davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Montana labor news., 1944-03-02
Cost of Living Here
Declines a Little

a decline OF "A per rent in the retail
cost of food in Butte for The period from
midi December, 1913, to %mid-January of
this year, was announced today by the
Denver office of the Bureau of Labor
Statistics.
Eggs, selling at an average price of
56.8 cents a dozen, were 1853 per cent
lower than in the preceding month.
Meats. dairy products, fresh and dried
fruits and vegetables, beverages, fats ard
oils, all we're slightly lower. Cereals,
bakery products, canned fruits and
vegetables and sugar and sweets showed
increases of less than one per cent.
While figures for living costs in general
for Butte have not yet been announced,
the bureau said that these living costs
on a nationwide basis, have shown a
o. per cent decline during the same
observation-disclosures period, this decline
being due to an OF decrease in the cost
Of food.
A typical American family budget as
of January IS, cost Is per cent more
than in 1899, the first year Of the war,
as compared to a 64.6 per cent rise dur
ing a similar period in World War I.
A typical bill of goods costing 500 in
1889, would have cost SIPS in January
1874, the Bureau pointed out in making
q comparison Of the differences in the
cost Of living in the two wartime periods.
Montana labor news., 1944-03-02
LABOR MEN PAN
MEDICAL TRUST

DETROIT-FP)-Pres. Frank x.
Martel of the Detroit & Wayne County
Federation of Labor CAFL) and Sec
Treas. George F. Adde's of the United
Auto Workers (CIO) slammed the Wayne
County Medical Society and the Ameri-
can Medical Assn. for monopolistic OPP
position to the neutrality-suspicious.
health insurance bill, at a symposium
arranged February II by a dozen labor
and civic organizations.
Martel complained that doctors get an
endowed education at the expense Of So
ciety and yet oppose plans to bring ade-
quate medical care to all members Of
society. He further said that doctors as
organized whole concentrate too
much on cure instead of prevention.
Adde's, in a message to the meeting, said
the real opposition to the health bill
comes from patent medicine makers, in
surance companies and the newspapers
who bow to advertising pressure.
Michigan Medical Service, a brokerage
service which has over 1000, 900 members
in the state, mostly CLIO, has had its
Endorsement withdrawn, Adde's
said, because the service is under the
thumb of the medical trust and is OPP
posing the health bill. The bill has
strong AFL and CLIO Endorsement.
Montana labor news., 1944-03-02
MAN HOURS OFF
IN DECEMBER

NEW YORK-HOurly and weekly earn
ings, employment and payrolls again rose
to new peaks in December, according to
the regular monthly survey of twenty
five manufacturing industries by The
National Industrial Conference board
The boards figures, however, show
small declines in the length of the work
week. total man hours worked, and real
weekly earnings.
Average hourly earnings, at Sl.046 in
December, were 0.5% higher than in the
previous month, 1870 higher than in De-
cember. 1912; 1884, above January, 1871,
the base date of the Little Steel formula,
and 77.3& higher than the 1929 average.
Weekly earnings average $47,59 in De-
cember, against S47.58 (revised) in No
vember. The December Figure exceeds
that of December, 1912, by 1879, that of
January, l94l, by $3.50, and the aver
age for the year 1929 by 65.795.
Real weekly earnings, or dollar weekly
earnings adjusted for changes in living
costs, declined O.4% in December, but in
that month stood 7.6e5 above December,
1912, 28.7ea higher than in January,
1871, and 6O.5ga higher than the 1929
average.
The work week averaged 45.3 hours in
December against 45.5 in November. The
December figure was IL hours, or 2.5%
above the corresponding month Of 1912,
but was 3 hours. or 6.2e5, below the 1929
average.
Employment in these twenty-five
manufacturing industries rose O.2% in
December. and stood 9.4g5 above De-
cember, 1912. The gain since 1929 was
48.6e5. Mar hours worked in Deem
Der were Q.3eo below those Of November,
but 6.OGs above December, 1912, and
$3.50 above the 1899 average. Payrolls
in December we're O.2fe larger than in
November, 14.5% larger than in Decem-
Der. 1912, and l47.6gs above the 1929
Montana labor news., 1944-03-02
MORE JOBS IN ST.
LOUIS THREATENED
BY CUTBACKS

ST. LOUIS.-qP)-Citywide action by
labor, industry and government was de-
manded by Local 825 and Dist. 8, United
Electrical Radio & Machine Workers
0CIO), following a sudden order by the
Army Ordnance department further cur
failing production at the st. Louis Ord
nance plant.
The new order came on the heels Of a
recent production cutback which threw
1900 ordnance plant workers out Of jobs.
Another 12,5OO, it is expected, will be
dismissed during the coming weeks. In
a widely circulated statement Pres. Otto
Maschoff of Local 1926 recalled that re-
cent production cutbacks have caused
job losses to 25,50O st. Louis workers,
earning about $50, 100000 yearly.
Workers affected by the new order are
mostly UERMW members working at the
U. S. Cartridge Co, one Of the divisions
of the ordnance plant. A cutback at the
McQuay Norris Co., operators of the
other ordnance plant division, is expect
ed to result in dismissals Of $500 men
and women, mostly members Of the
United Auto Workers 0CIO).
Labor leaders Immediately invited con-
ferences with the city administration
the board of aldermen, the st. Louis
Committee for Economic Development
and the Chamber of Commerce. urging
them to choose a delegation to send to
Washington on behalf Of the city.
Vice Pres. j. w. Mcconnell of Local
825 viii go to washington on behalf Of
his union. He will seek to bring addi-
tional government orders to St. Louis,
especially radar and radio production
for which there are available plants.
The United Labor committee and the
st. Louis Industrial Union Council com
mittee on employment and conversion
have called special meetings to discuss
conversion Of available plants, obtaining
new orders and other problems arising
from the mass layoffs.
Montana labor news., 1944-03-02
LABOR RALLIES BEHIND PRESIDENT
BRIDGES SEES POST
WAR JOBS FOR ALL

Observation-Disclosures that the
world won't go into a depression tailspin
the way it did after the last war, Pres.
Harry Bridges of the International
Longshoremen & Warehousemen's Union
(CIO) told 200 luncheon guests in De-
troit's leading hotel February 10 that
there will be jobs for all after the war
is won.
The luncheon, rendered by the Wayne
County CLIO Council. 'ttracted AFL peo-
pie and profession T. we'll, including
Circuit Judge Lila 1T and Probate
Judge Patrick G.. u who called
Bridges in a written a typical
American, whose life al. W gle have
been an inspiration to the Of this
country" -
Bridges was photographed wi. y
cratic National Committeewomah
Van Auken and posed in many g.
of u~nionists who had cheered his e
dress.
Planning will make jobs for all pos
sible in the peace, he asserted, especially
because many wartime government re-
strictions on the ravages of free enter
prise will continue after the war is Won.
Our men are not fighting" he said
with a rather grim grin, to come back
without a job, or to chase someone else
out of a job. The world needs Ameri-
can production. I have been in foreign
lands and I know that South America
alone could keep our shoe factories busy
for years. The same with Asia and
Africa. The same with the other things
we make"
People will not be satisfied with the
old way of doing things, he said. "Peo-
pie are looking ahead, not backward, -
he laughed. There are too many bad
spots in the past. First we'll win the
war and then vel win security there
after. But that means planning for the
world market, not for the home market
alone
Bridges remarked j~ocularly that he is
mot exactly staggering" under the per-
SecuJion OF ATTY. Gen. bldQle dlUelnpt
to deport him after President Roose-
velt's special commissioner had absolved
him Of any violation of law. He added
that he was very fortunate in having
labor and liberal support in his defense.
now before the U. S. circuit court of ap-
peals in San Francisco.
He called for reelection of Roosevelt.
but not without a Congress to support
him. Roosevelt is holding back on
running for a fourth term" Bridges con-
jectured, because he wants to see what
we are going to do about sending some
of those rascals home to stay. Why,
there are more Hitler agents to the
square inch in Congress than there are
to the square mile in Detroit"
Montana labor news., 1944-03-02
CHANGES in WAGE
ACT AFFECT UNION

Changes in interpretations of the
Walsh-Healey Public Contracts Act al
fecting So prime and sub-contractors
and substitute manufacturers in Mon
tana who are furnishing war materials to
the federal government were announced
today by L. A. Hill, regional director Of
the Wage and Hour and Public Contracts
Division, U. S. Department of Labor.
Hill said the ruling in some instances
change the coverage, particularly with
respect to truck drivers, employees adding
to a stock pile, foremen and mainte-
nance employees. Montana industries
that in 1943 contracted to furnish
81, 3O2, 249 worth Of war materials to the
government are subject to provisions Of
the act which governs minimum wages
and overtime pay on public contracts in
excess Of 10000, he explained.
One Of the changes in rulings provides
that truck drivers engaged in hauling
materials, partially processel articles or
completely MANUFACTURED articles, either
between plants or to the government
destination are subject to the act, Hill
said.
Another provides that employees
gagged in manufacturing or producing
articles or materials which are added to
a stock pile from which the government
is supplied are subject to the act if the
added articles or materials are identi-
fable.
He said further that foremen in shops
producing goods on government contract
who do not perform manual operations
and have no direct contact with the
to be supplied are covered I'M
less they qualify as executives.
The changes are contained in a brief
wartime supplement to the current
pamphlet of Rulings and Inter
pretations which may be obtained from
the Wage and Hour regional office at
4O6 Pence building, Minneapolis, MINI,
or from the district office at 2O6 Lewis
ohm building in Butte.
Montana labor news., 1944-03-02

, No sooner had Barley finished his
attack on the President than ~defeatists
tried to make the incident appear as a
revolt against a Imam dictator
Roosevelt) by spokesman for the people
CCongress).
Chief outlets for defeatisC propaganda
in this country-the newspaper chain Of
William Randolph Hearst and the Wash
ington Times-Herald, New York Daily
News and Chicago Tribune, owned by
the Mccormick > Patterson families
blatantly paraded the reelection Of Bark
ley to the post of majority leader as an
overwhelming defeat for the New Deal,
meaning labor. The implication was
that not only the President, but labor
as well, had got a terrific kick in the
teeth.
Labor reaction was quick, 1t saw Con-
gress' action not as a revolt against the
President alone but against the war. In
rapid succession, international unions,
city and state bodies came out in sup
port Of Roosevelt-accepting their re-
sponsibility for preventing the tax bill
episode from being nursed' by defeatists
into an anti-war victory.
In Washington AFL Pres. William
Green and CIO Pres. Philip Murray en-
phatically Endorsed the Presidents posi-
Ton, serving notice on Congress that
labor is behind the chief executive on
the tax controversy and the Barley in
cident.
Speaking for the Chicago Federation
of Labor, Financial Secretary Maurice
Lynch denounced Barkley's attack on
Roosevelt. He said: Some Of these
Bourbon senators have been riding into
office for - years on the Presidents
coat tails, But when he asks them to
do something for the Winning Of the war
such as passing a real tax bill, they feel
insulted."
The Kentucky Federation of Labor, in
Barkley's home state, supported the
President. President Reid Robinson OF
International Union of Mine, Mill and
Smelter Workers (CIO), from its head
quarters in Denver, wired Roosevelt and
Barley urging national unity for early
victory.
In New Haven, Conn, the United La
Dor Legislative Communicable CIO
and Observation-Disclosures the beat
Roosevelt and labor Congress and voted
to set up ward clubs as a basis for po-
litical activity in the coming campaign.
Officials Of the New York State In
dustrial Council wired Congress. This
is no time for special privileges to IA
vored groups" The Cleveland Industrial
Union Council wired Ohio congressman:
I'VE demand an end of partisan poll
tics and that Congress turn its immediate
attention to the speedy winning of the
war"
AS the tension subsidized, labor showed
signs of taking the entire incident TO
heart as an important political lesson,
one which would be made to bear fruit
at the polls in November. Certainly it
was made obvious that the unions pre-
sent the only real medium for effective
political activity of the bulk of the coun-
try's voters.
Montana labor news., 1944-03-02
PUBLISHER SAYS
FREE ENTERPRISE
ABSURD TERM

ATHENS, Ga.-FP)-Free enterprise,
as the term is being widely used in
American politics today, signifies Moth
ing but the deepest, darkest reaction, !"
Publisher Mark Etheridge of The Louis
vile Courier-Journal told the Georgia
Press Assn. here.
Etheridge said that too many decent
and intelligent men have been caught
upon the magic of the slogan free en-
terprise' which they think will get rid
of Roosevelt and solve all their irrita-
tons at the same time He continued:
THE plain, simple truth is that bust
ness has not been free in this generation
to do what it wanted to do and it will
not be free in any generation that any
of us will ever know.
There was a time when the property
right was paramount. That time has
gone. Our emphasis has changed to the
human right and the determination to
protect it will be no whit less keen
under any future president whether Re
publican or Democrat.
IF I have made the term free enter
prise seem absurd, it is because it is
absurd. It signifies nothing but the
deepest, darkest reaction.
Most of us believe in the capitalistic
system; most OF us believe in private
enterprise, but the quicker the free enter
prisers learn that no matter how many
times We change administrations the
capitalistic system and private enter
prise must operate within the sphere OF
our philosophy of the regulation of bust
ness for the general good, the better off
they and the country will be-"
Montana labor news., 1944-03-02
Butte Boot Shop a
Modern Plant

one Of the most essential little indus
tries which has sprang into existence
since Pearl Harbor is the resoleing and
repairing Of rubber garments, especially
footwear. When federal agencies put
restrictions on the manufacture and
sale of rubber shoes and boots, it soon
became necessary to devise some opera
ton whereby men working in the mines
and in other industries could be pro-
vided with suitable water resisting ap-
parel. So several little manufacturing
plants appeared on the scene in Butte
and one of these is the Butte Boot Shop
at 80 South Main street, which special
lies in repairing worn out and damaged
boots and also in rebuilding and resole-
ing rubber shoes of the miners and
other workers in industry. From nu-
merous tests it has been demonstrated
that this new process has more wear
ing quality than the original article.
Butte Boot Shop is prepared to give
adequate service to customers.
Montana labor news., 1944-03-02
c. {. BEDAUX WAS
SPEEDUP ARTIST

MIAMI, Fla.-qP)-The suicide of
Charles E. Bedeaux here February 10
ended the life of a man who used the
millions he made out of the infamous
Bedaux speedup system, cursed by work
ers on two continents, to help the Nazis
and the international Quislings become
dictators of Europe. He killed himself
to escape trial for treason to the U. S.
Bedeaux got the idea of his industrial
efficiency system when he worked as
a sandhog in New York's East river tun-
mel 40 years ago. In the period between
1915 and 1925 he introduced it to in
dustry as Scientific management de-
signed to increase the profits of the
owners. Cut labor costs, speed up pro-
duciton and turn the worker into a
robot.
The system was actually a dressed-up
version of the old speedup and stretch
out, used to force the last ounce of effort
from workers at the smallest possible
cost in wages. 1t spread rapidly over
Europe and America, was fought vigor-
ously by unions and caused strikes
wherever it was introduced. Bedaux
was condemned everywhere as an arch
enemy Of labor"
He became a ulti-millionaire from
royalties earned by the speedup system.
With these millions he bought a chateau
in the south of France and became a
member of a group of international plot
tiers who manipulated the wires behind
fascism.
Upon Bedeaux's death Attorney Gen.
Francis Biddle revealed data on his ac-
tivities during the past few years in
association with Nazi Foreign Minister
Joachim Won R~ibbentrop, Vichy Collabor-
ationist Pierre Laval, Otto Abetz, Nazi
ambassador to Accupied France and
other Nazi and Vichy bigshots.
In 1887 Bedaux rented a summer home
near Berchtesgaden, Hitler's mountain
hideout. There he arranged to carry out
various commissions for the Nazi govern
ment. That fall he tried to promote a
tour through the U. S. for his friends,
the Duke and Duchess of Windsor. The
trip, on the heels of the dukes abdica-
ton from the throne of England, would
probably have been exploited by the Nazis
to help disrupt British and American
unity.
The plan failed because American
unions set up a howl-they did not know
then about BedaUx's fascist connections,
but they did know the creator Of the
Bedaux s%tretchout was labor's enemy
and up to no good with the duke. (Fed-
Grated Press was the first to reveal that
Bedaux was behind the dukes tour in
an exclusive story on Oct. 20, 1879
Bedaux vas arrested by American au-
thorities in North Africa in 194l on
charges of trading with the enemy. He
was building a pipeline across the Sa-
hara desert to ship oil into Nazi-domi-
mated Europe.
Montana labor news., 1944-03-02
THE MUTINY OF
OUR SENATORS
AND CONGRESSMAN
BY LOWNDEs MAURY

The establishment of the country was
great at the split with the President Of
these leaders of the party machine of
the administration.
Often successful politicians intention
ally deceive the people about why they
act in a certain way. Often they them
selves do not understand why they act
in a particular way.
The real battle between the President,
wishing to make the rich pay for this
war, and the Congress, anxious to make
the poor pay for, as also fight, this war
has been one ever since Mr.. Roosevelt
declared that for the duration, no n in
this country should be allowed an an
nual income exceeding $~2o,0OO.O0. Gle
gave back all his own income last year
in excess of that figure)
The mutineers also suspect the Presi-
dent of what is in their minds a still
greater crime. They fear he intends to
heed the last prophecy of Woodrow Will
son, that capitalism is the prime danger
to this republic, and also to the peace
of the world. They realize he may actu-
ally go out of bounds. If given the
power, he may modify the present CAPT
talistic control of this country SO that
u chemical and other industrialists
cannot, after peace comes, rebuild other
ornaments, as English and New York
bankers did for Germany and Italy in
the thirties.'
Mr.. Roosevelt may want finally to i'm
press the SURPRISES of our rich to pay all
these bonds poor folks are skipping to
buy. and thus prevent the diversion, of
what the owners exploit from the work
ers after the war. to building up a NEW
FASCIST NATION.
The vice president should not NAME
NAMES. The press chided him recently
for not doing it. 1 can and do.
The next world war, if British and
American financial, chemical, munition
boys have their way, will begin in South
America. The Argentine is as fascist as
Spain. Germany Italy CFrance) were
five years ago. The Christ on the Andes.
the symbol Of eternal peace between
Argentine and Chile, will not thwart the
greed of men who kept chemical chartels
with Hitler for five months after Pearl
Harbor, who cheated the United States
last year selling sub-standard rifles, who
for our front line communications sup
piled spools with 1000 feet Of good wire,
hiding 1000 feet of worthless wire, who
put button boxes under wire testing
tables to fool government inspectors.
Measures that make for further democ-
racy, the social economic uplift Of the
Continued on Page Four
Montana labor news., 1944-03-02
Butte Girl Honored
at State University

Ruth Risken, sophomore at Montana
State University, was initiated into the
active chapter of the Sigma Kappa
sorority Sunday afternoon, February 20.
Miss Risken, daughter Of Mr.. and Mrs.
clinton w. Risken, 1909 Phillips avenue,
Butte, is taking a %pre-nursing course at
the University. She graduated from
Plainfield high school in New Jersey in
1912. During 1942-43, Miss Risken at
tended Mary Washington College in
Fredericksburg, Va.
Montana labor news., 1944-03-02
Clio UNIONS
PLAN FOR COMING
POLITICAL DRIVE

With their eyes on the crucial 1914
elections, the Butte unions and their
Ladies ~auxiliaries. affiliated with the
Congress Of Industrial Organizations,
have begun their campaign by formu-
lating plans to mobilize their member
ship for concerted political action on the
widest possible basis, Jerry j.. O'Con-
mel, newly appointed State CLIO Politi-
eel Action Director, announces.
1914 Most Important
The approaching elections we're
never more important to labor than in
1914. This year a President and vice
president will be elected, as well as two
national congressman from this state.
In Montana, a new Governor must be
chosen, along with two associate justices
of the state Supreme Court, all Of our
state officers except one, all state rep
resentatives, one-half of the state sena-
tors, and our district judges. In this
county several important county and
township offices will be filled, including
two school board trustees, and precinct
committeeman and women from every
one Of the 90 precincts will be named.
Labor is vitality interested in every one
of these offices, and intends to have its
full voice in selecting the men and
women who will fill Them O'Connell
asserted.
Tnnn parsefraffov, VV,,fod
THE registration Of every member Of
our organization" is the goal Of the
Butte Miners Onion, as planned by the
legislative committee at its recent meet
ing, headed by William Neary, former
progressive state legislator. A future
issue of the Miners Voice, organ of the
will be completely devoted to the
Political Action program, with particu-
lar emphasis on registration, the com
mittee decided, after comforting with
Of the press committee. A de-
tailed check Of the membership roster
is also projected, to determine the per-
centage not registered to vote.
In line with this program, Adds Nc
county clerk and recorder, gave
his cooperation and assistance by assign
ing three Of his deputies to the Miners
Union hall during the vote last Monday,
February %, on the War Labor Board
directive, in order to register all those
desiring to do so. More than 300 mem
bers were registered and made eligible
to vote. The deputies giving their time
and aid we're Gus Bolton, Andy Aleki-
SIGH and James Nugent.
Active
That the women will play a most vital
and leading role in the approaching
campaign is the assurance given by Mary
president Of the State Council
Of Ladies' Auxiliaries Of the CLIO. They
will be fully represented at all gather
of the CLIO membership for political
action. The Butte Stationary Engineers.
Local No. SO, voted at its last meeting
set up a Political Action committee,
md Charles whitley, veteran member
If the Union. is expected to be named
chairman. The Brewery Workers Union
has also appointed a Political Action
committee, and are concentrating their
Efforts On the registration Of the mem
and their families, according to
he announcement Of John o. O'Brien,
secretary Of the group. Mike Lacey,
State CLIO Council president, reports that
lis organization, too, will take a leading
md active part in the drive.