The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1944-03-30
Graham Is
Opposed To.
Wagner Plan

WASHINGTON, March Zl.-Sen-
ator James E. Murray, Democrat, of
Montana, made public today state
ment by William Green, president
of the American Federation of La
Dor, reasserting the declarations de-
termined policy favoring extension
of social security and endorsing the
principles of S. 1851, commonly
known as the Wagner Murray Din
CELL bill.
The Green statement was
prompted by the effort of James
D. Graham, president of the Mon
tana State Federation of Labor, an
affiliate Of the national group, to
swing organized labor's support
away from the pending measure.
Press reports from Helena recent
ly quoted Mr.. Graham as having
branded" the bill as "totalitarian"
and foreign to the American way
Of life" He also was quoted as say
ing: "The Montana Federation Of
Labor is in favor of social security
but at what price are we to give
our democracy away for it? s. i.
We've got to stop this thing, this
government by decree from Wash
ington !. :. They've gone crazy in
Washington"
Calling on President Green for
an expression of views on Mr.. Ora
hams declarations and activities,
Senator Murray told the national
labor chief he had been under the
impression that the principles of
the bill were satisfactory to labor.
The Senator in this connection OBJ
served that, 1T is, of course, en-
barrassing to me as sponsor of a
bill designed to be beneficial to Ia
Dor to find its leaders in my own
state, opposing the BILL The reply
of the head of the A. F. of L. was
prompt direct and unequivocal, a
virtual Reputation of all that Mr..
Green has said or done. Senator
Murray's impression, declared Mr..
Green, was absolutely correct
I'VE have gone further than en-
dorsing the provisions Of the bill"
he added. "The Convention of the
American Federation of Labor
which was held at Boston, Mass
last October unanimously adopted
the Wagner Murray-Dingell Bill.
President Graham of the Montana
State Federation of Labor was in
attendance at the convention when
it voted in favor of this bill. Not
one single voice or vote was raised
or cast in opposition to the measure
or to any section of the measure. :"
President Green continued: In
my opinion the Wagner Murray Din
CELL bill represents decided step
forward in the application of So
cial Security legislation. The Amer
lean Federation of Labor is giving
a full measure of support to the
Wagner Murray Dingell bill. feel
sure that if President Graham of the
Montana State Federation of Labor
is privileged to gain thorough
understanding of the provisions of
this bill, he will be for it and will
support it. However that may be, |
am Of the opinion that undue i'm
portance should not be attached to
the opinion of some one individual
regarding pending legislation. 1t
would be well nigh impossible to
Oliii6 dDOul uIldlilillOAS oAPPOit VI
legislation which is SO far-reaching
as the Wagner Murrav-Dingell bill" =
The Montana State Federation of
Labor, under direction of Mr.. Ora
ham, as president, adopted resolu
ton favoring substitution of gen
eral revenue financing for the pay
roll tax plan advocated in the Wag-
ner- Murray -Dingell bill. Senator
Murray, in November, advised Mr..
Graham in some detail that the pro-
posal would not be in the interest
of labor" He invited the Montana
labor official to indicate at what
points you believe my line of rea-
soning is wrong" There has been no