davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1944-04-07

In time of war, with the eyes of the
world upon the free and democratic
government of the United States, the
senate cannot in fairness tolerate so
fragrant an abuse of the principle OF
majority rule. Abolition of the poll
tax will serve as mighty affirma-
ton of the rights for which this coun-
try is waging a world wide war"
Organizations supporting passage of
HR Z, which passed the house of rep
resentatives last May 265-110, include:
American Civil Liberties Union, Amer
lean Federation of Labor, Brotherhood
of Railroad Trainmen, Congress of In
dustrial Organizations, Council Against
Intolerance in America, Farmers Edu-
cational and Cooperative Union, Fra
ternal Council of Negro Churches,
League of Women Shoppers, National
Association for the Advancement of
Colored People, National Conference
on Social Work, National Federation
for Constitutional Liberties, National
Federation of Settlements, National
Christian Council, Ma
tional Lawyers Guild National Negro
Congress, National Urban League, Ma
tional Women's Trade Union League,
Railway Labor Executives Associa-
ton, Southern Women's Committee
to Abolish the Poll Tax, Townsend
Plan, United Christian Council for De
Womens Christian Service
Division of the Methodist Church,
Young Peoples Religious Union,
Young Women's Christian Association.
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1944-04-07

Most incorporated cities and towns
of the state, that are being supplied
with water by privately owned com
panied, are being deprived of great
amount of revenue, justly due them,
owing to the improper assessment of
these companies.
The supreme court of the state of
Montana, rendered a decision in 1908,
relative to the proper assessment OF
these companies, by incorporated
cities and towns, and school districts,
located within these cities and towns,
that has evidently been overlooked
by the mayors and city councilmen
of our various cities and towns. Also
by some of our school district trustees
Helena, is the only city l know of
that ever assessed privately owned
water company properly and the only
city that ever received for itself and
the school district located within its
borders, the proper amount of revenue
due them according to the decision
of the court that ! refer to.
| am not in a position to know how
many privately owned water COM
panies there are in the state, servic-
ing the various cities and towns, but
do believe the majority of them are
being serviced by privately owned
water companies, as | know of but
few municipal plants, located in the
state of Montana.
The decision of the supreme court
was, that water impounded for do
nestle use, had no value where it was
impounded, but became valuable when
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1944-04-07
UNIONS TOLD
FACTS ON MONT.
POWER HEARING

Jerry J. O'Connell, state CLIO polit-
ical action director, who is keeping
his unions appraised of the proceed
ings during the week, called attention
to the real issue at stake in the hear
ing, and pointed out the purpose for
which it is being held, and the bene-
fits which can accrue to the consum-
ers and the preferred stockholders If
the Federal Power Commission can
win it's case against the utility.
O'Connell said: "The hearing going
on in Butte today against the Montana
Power Company was really started by
our own late Sen. Thomas j. Walsh,
who introduced a resolution in the
United States senate to investigate
the power trust in the United States.
The resolution was passed and the
Federal Trade Commission authorized
to make the investigation, which be-
gan in 1927 and continued until 1882.
This expose of the power trust brought
to light the incredible Vaccinations
and inflated writeups of these utili-
ties, and showed that there was more
than one and one-half billion dollars
of watered stock in these electric
1t is significant that at
that time the Montana Power Com
pany, so afraid that it's illegal manip-
uations might be exposed, refused to
let the Federal Trade Commission
look at it's books.
1.-THE result of this investigation by
the Federal Trade Commission"
O'Connell continued, was the passage
Of the public utility holding act in
1885 by the congress. This act re-
1uired the Federal Power Commission
10 enforce proper accounting methods
On the electric utilities of the nation.
The federal body set up uniform
system of accounts and it went into
effect in January 1887, and since that
lime the Power commission has
squeezed out s375,0OO,OOO of watered
and common stock of
.hese companies. Nearly all of this |
las been accomplished by the volun- |
airy action of the utilities themselves, !
)ut very rare few have fought the |
government. One of these is the |
Montana Power Company, which sub
nitted study to show what was in
heir accounts, and the Federal Power I
CONTINUED ON Page Four)
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1944-04-07
AN OPEN LETTER TO MONTANA
MAYORS and C0UNCILMEN

| it reached the consumers premises
and should be taxed where it became
valuable, or at the consumers prem
Uses.
For example, the city of Butte and
the residents living within the incor-
porated limits of the city of Butte,
supply the Butte Water Company with
about 80 percent of its gross revenue;
therefore the city of Butte and School
District No. 1, located within the city
of Butte, should receive from the
Butte Water Company a tax return,
based on an eighty per cent valua-
ton of the full taxable valuation of
the Butte Water Company's proper
ties, or close to eight times the
amount of revenue they are receiving
at present.
The various mayors and councilmen
of the cities and towns of the state,
should take immediate steps to rem
edy the existing condition, by assess
ing these privately owned companies
in the manner prescribed by the SUI
preme court of the state and recover
for the various cities and towns, this
increased revenue that is justly due
them.
The title of the action | refer to is,
Helena Water Works Company VS..
Settles; case is reported in 81 Mon
tana 237 and 95 Pacific 1913.
In addition to this particular case,
there are a number of like decisions
given by other supreme courts of vari-
GUS states, so it cannot be freak
decision, as some of our tax experts,
would lead us to believe.
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1944-04-07

cOmmlCCoo, winch last NOVom-
Der reported out the bill favor
ably IL to 6 after hearings as
to it's constitutionality. The
decision was to give the bill
full right of way after the re-
cess. HR 7 is a bill to abolish
the poll tax as a prerequisite
to voting in federal elections.
Pointing out that even Senator Bill
DO of Mississippi, bitterest opponent
of the bills passage, has stated that
it would pass if it was ever brought
to a vote, Mrs Katherine Shryver,
chairman of the National Committee
to Abolish the Poll Tax, today pre-
dicted victory for the bill.
Mrs. Shryver's statement in full
read as follows:
1.-THE decision of senate champions
of poll tax repeal to call up HR 7
on their return on April 18th marks
the final stage of fight that for five
years has gathered support among all
branches of the American people. To-
day, as ever Senator Bilbo conceded
before the Mississippi legislature on
March 22nd, a majority of the SEN
ators favor it's passage.
"In the way of the bills passage
looms only the threat of an irrespon-
sible minority to filibuster the bill to
death, as was done in the last session
of congress. The means exist to de-
feat this filibuster and the champions
of the bill are well aware of them.
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1944-04-07

WASHINGTON, d. C.-Dear Dave:
Last week l tried to answer some of
your questions about the Arabian oil
situation Here are some other side
lights of the battles of Washington,
Canol and Arabia.
One of the most interesting bits of
gossip in this story-gossip which is
creditable to Ickes-is that the oil
titans began to fear that he might be
helping htme into public ownership
and control of oil deposits. Some of
the oil barons have expressed such a
fear 1t is interesting because this is
the first time that the oil barons have
expressed anything but loving friend
ship with Ickes. That has been so
much the rule that the finest of gov
ernments servants in other depart
ments, and who are experts on the
oil question, have criticised and de-
nounced Ickes friendship for the oil
companies.
Voorhis talked about the "CanoP
deal in his recent expose.
The "CanoP' incident is another one
in which Ickes irritated Standard of
New Jersey and under circumstances
which caused a finger of suspicion to
be pointed at Standard of California.
In the "CanoP' deal, the government
is building pipe line from the Mac
kenzie fields in Canada to White
horse, Canada, where a refinery is
also to be built. The pipe line will
tap oil reserves owned by the Imperial
Oil Company which is owned, 70 per
cent, by Standard of New Jersey
Through the development of this pipe
line, it is entirely possible that I'm
perial-Standard of New Jersey would
become dominant in a field which has
been dominated, heretofore, by Stand
ard of California.
The "Canol'' deal is one engineered
by the War Department and particu-
larly by 1t Gen. Brehen H. Somervell.
You should mark his name down as
you will hear much of it in the future.
Somervell is in charge of supplies"
and supplies" are the binding link
between Big Business and the military
power. Sobervell is more important
figure, in so far as the postwar world
is concerned, than is any other mill
tary figure. He has been and is a
man of great influence in this admin
istration. He has been denounced for
waste and extravaganza, just as Voor
his denounces his Canol project. But
he has gone ahead, just as ne has in
the Canol deal, brushing aside his
critics.
In the Canol deal, as in the Arabian |
deal, the people of the United States
provide the credit, or debt financing, |
to enable the oil monarchs to exploit
natural resources and then exploit |
consumers. And the people are as
sured of absolutely nothing in return
for their kind consideration of the ex-
ploiters.
There was much cloakroom gossip |
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1944-04-07
CAPITOL LETTERS
The Canol incidental Chapter in the Oil Battle
Ickes, Somerve and Moffett
More Sidelghts the World Struggle for Oil
By JOHN CARSON

about the "dirt in the Canol DEAF be
| fore the Truman committee of the
senate suddenly exposed it and turned
a sorching blast on it.
The Truman committee then sum
moned Ickes as a witness and Ickes
sorched the deal even more viciously
He was scorching Somervell and the
army, but also Imperial Oil-Standard
of New Jersey
In the cloakroom gossip of the war
between Standard of New Jersey and
Standard of California and the Oppor-
tunity given Ickes by the Truman
committee to blast the Canol deal, it
is noticed that Ralph K. Davies, vice
president of Standard of California, is
Ickes assistant petroleum administra-
among the oil men.
Ickes and others could not halt the
"CanoP deal, apparently. But until
three days ago, it seemed that Stand
ard of New Jersey and it's associates
might halt the Arabian deal, in which
Standard of California was interested.
Three days ago, one of my friends
reported to me that Somervell had
just said that he ibid not approve of
anything Ickes had done in oil until
he helped to put over the Arabian
DEAL but that he approved of that J"
That was a warning note that some
kind of a compromise might be in
the making to end the possibility of
war between Standard of New Jersey
and Standard of California.
You ask just who James A. Moffett
is and how serious is his demand for
impeachment of Tckes.
Moffett's in this story is important.
New Jersey many years ago, and
very powerful figure in the oil world.
He was then and has always been
very friendly with the Roosevelt fam
lily He was once friendly with Ickes.
Early in this administration, in 1888
or 1884, he decided that Ickes should
administer the oil code. He went to
the White House and Ickes got that
authority despite the protests of the
bosses in MIRA, despite Gen. Hugh
Johnson and his friends.
Moffett's friends said he then
wanted to "do something in the public
service" He resigned his job with
Standard of New Jersey and became
a "dollar-a-year-man" in the govern
ment housing project. That job, in
cidentally, put him in close touch with
Ickes and with the administration of
the oil code.
Before long, however, Moffett re-
signed and returned to New York and
there were rumors that he and Ickes
had agreed to disagree.
The unanswerable question about
Moffett is that he became chairman
of the board of "Caltex' many years
ago and that he remained in that posi-
ton until he resigned recently and
returned to Washington to lead the
CONTINUED on Page Two)
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1944-04-07

CA story of labor participation
in an election campaign-and how
the press covered it. Prepared by
Newspaper Guild of Detroit and
published by American Newspaper
Guild, SO Park Row, New York Z,
New York;
One of the first and foremost func-
tions of the American Newspaper
Guild is to guarantee, as far as it is
able, constant honesty in the news,
to raise the standards of journalism
and ethics of the industry :" (Arti-
Gle 1. Section 2, ANG constitution.)
Therefore, the Newspaper Guild of
Detroit finds it its duty to investigate
the rumors and charges made against
all three Detroit daily newspapers dur
ing the mayoralty campaign ending in
the election of November 2, 1913.
1t should be emphasized that the
Guild in this instance is acting only
as a watchdog, protecting the ethical
standards of journalism. The Guild
never exerts its economic power as a
union to influence editorial content
of a newspaper.
1t should also be emphasized that
the Guild is interested only in the
actions of the newspapers not in who
won the election, whether 1t was
Mayor Edward Jeffries, Jr., victor sup
ported by all three newspapers, or
whether it was Frank FITZGERALD, de-
feated candidate whose chief support
was the labor and negro vote.
VIOLATION"
The Guild believes that the follow
ing facts, gathered by working news
paper men and women, reveal most
fragrant violation of newspaper ethics.
1t believes that these facts should
be made public wherever possible, in
the hope that newspaper manage
ments will think twice in fear of pub
lie opinion before they attempt sim
liar actions in the future.
The most fragrant peryersion of
involving freedom Of the
press was concerned with a radio
speech made in behalf of FITZGERALD
by Milton Murray, member of the
Guild of Detroit, Local %.
and president of the American News
paper Guild.
Murray made a recording OF a
speech intended for the radio 1t was
by the FITZGERALD headquart-
srs as by far the best given during |
he campaign, and the advertising
agency handling FitzGerald's account
lecided it would make good newspa-
DER advertising copy.
The speech was reproduced as an
i'd and entitled Reporters Inside
Story of The Election (Uncensored."
The agency first attempted to place
he ad in The Detroit Times. But the
Times advertising officials rejected it
IN the grounds that they didn't think
t was authentic copy. The agency
hen went to higher officials, finally
he publisher
EXCUSE" is SOUGHT
The publisher candidly admitted he
vas seeking an excuse to keep the
d out of the paper. He finally re-
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1944-04-07
ON THE MARGIN
By BOB
By BOB

| You'd think. wouldn't you, that by
this time in an election year, there
would be rumors so thick that one
would get dizzy sorting them out. But
II there are any great number float
ing around, this chronicler hasn't been
exposed to them
Sam Mitchell has announced that he
will be candidate for reelection this
year, which probably didn't make any
ones hair stand on end with surprise.
1t will probably be disappointment
to his prospective opponents on the
| Republican ticket. Some of these
would probably be willing to pay Sam
a good round sum to retire to his
ranch. From our lookout, there isn't
anyone that can beat him in the race.
Stanley Foote is reported toying
with the idea of making the race for
ticket. He is the first of the Repub-
lican crop of attorneys to be said to
be interested in going to work for the
state. l have already told that Har-
rison Freebourn of Butte and Strom-
mes of Great Falls are aspirants
among the Democrats. Attorney
Stromnes is one of the lawyers sup
posedly retained by the stockholders
of the Montana Power Company to
guard their interests in the hearing
going on in Butte. He will undoubt-
eddy enter the race for the attorney
generalship with the support of the
power company whatever that may be
worth.
Middleton who has announced that
he wants to fit his frame into the
governors chair, finds himself in a
somewhat peculiar position. AS a
present member of the Montana Pub
lie Service Commission he is Sitting"
in his official capacity in the hearing |
now going on in Butte, on charges by |
the Federal Power Commission that |
slipped some fifty million dollars of
into their set-up that just
'aint there" This puts Middleton in
a sort of spot, politically If he
should show any extraordinary fair
ness to the company, he might win
its support, but will then be damned
by the general public; and the general
public has something to do with elect
ing folks to office and might decide
that he wasn't the one wanted for
governor. To add to his embarrass-
ment, a close relative of his is one
Of the attorneys for the power COM
pany Not so good
There is a complete silence about
Burke Clements and his intent about
yielding to the pressure" by the ex-
scutive board of the UNIV, that he
get in and try to get elected governor.
Apparently the governor isn't doing
lnything to make him "toe the mark"
Is to his intentions, and he is still
IN the state payroll without appoint
nent
Clarence Hanley, assistant attorney
general, is said to have definitely de-
,ided to make the race for one of the
supreme court offices, and they say
hat he should be strong contender.
lie is recognized as an able, liberal
awyer, and will have strong support
rom organized labor and organized
armers in his race.
Maybe next week Il hope = there
will be some more news and gossip.
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1944-04-07

cost of plant as listed in its &C
counting procedure, filed with
both of the utility commissions
is now completing the second
week of testimony. G.. F. Kel
ley, better known as "Con" tC
the people of Montana, has
been on the witness stand prac-
tically all of that time. His
testimony has been featured by
his evasiveness under the cross
examination of Attorney Reu-
ben Goldberg, counsel for the
Federal Power Commission,
whose unusual ability has i'm
pressed even the Montana
Power adherents, particularly
Kelley, chairman of the board
of directors of the Anaconda
Copper Mining Company.
The Montana Power Company is
still putting its case before Trial Elk
aminer Edward B. Marsh of the fed
eral commission, and the members of
the Montana board, as well as rep
resentative of the Idaho public utility
board. Kelley has been testifying to
the transactions which took place in
late 1912 and early 1913, in which the
Montana Power Company was created,
after consolidation of the interests of
John d. Ryan and his associates with
the Butte Electric Power Company,
of which Ryan was also the directing
genius.
The company is attempting to show
that these dealings we're above board,
genuine, and at arms length as re-
quired by the public utility holding
act of 1895, under which the proceed
ing has been brought. The Federal
Power Commission counsel, which in
cIudes Goldberg and Howard Wahren-
brock, young but able lawyer, has
succeeded in showing that the deal
ings were actually financial manpu-
Iations, by which Ryan as the direct
ing genius of both the Great Falls
and the Butte interests apparently in
fated the common stock of both of
these corporations, and then added
this manipulated write-up into an in
fIated common stock of the Montana
Power Company, which he then Gre
ated. The power commission in its
cross examination actually shows that
Ryan was on both sides of the table
while the so-caIled bargaining was
going on, and merely transferred hold
ings from one of his pockets to the
other.
This happened away back in 1912
and 1913, and the people of Montana
and the preferred stockholders have
been paying the bill on this inflated
stock ever since, while Ryan
and Kelley have reveled in luxury
from the fruits of these unlawful ma
Kelley Squirms
Most amusing has been Kelley's per-
Torrance on the stand. He is most
and expansive under the
of the Montana Power
lawyers on direct examination, and
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1944-04-07
BEHIND THE
BATTLEFRONTS
BEGIN WORK ON
M EXiCAN AIRPORT

Work on the new airport, Aero
puerto Central, was begun recently In
Mexico City, the Office of the Co-or-
dinator of Inter-American Affairs an
nounced. Almost twice as great in
area as the New York LaGuardia
field, the Aeropuerto Central will
have five main runways ranging in
length from $40 to $500 feet and
about $50 feet wide, besides several
smaller runways
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1944-04-07
DUTCH HAVE SHARK
REPELLANT

Netherlands airmen on duty off the
coast of Australia carry powdered
chemical sewn into the pockets of
their belts, Wilhelm case they are
forced down at sea-serves the double
purpose of warding off attacks by
sharks and enabling rescue filters to
spot them easily, Aneta, official Meth
erlands news agency, reports. The
chemical mixes with the sea water to
form a protective wall and produces
a distinctive color which pinpoints
the downed flier for the benefit of
rescuers.
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1944-04-07
HOME LEE IN POLAND

The womans daily life in Poland
is a ceaseless effort to provide her
family with nourishing foods, warm
clothing, fuel. medicine-either priced
too high or unabtainable, the Polish
Review reports. Among $50 children
of pre-school age examined by doctors
temperatures for lack of nourishing
foods.
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1944-04-07
WHITE PAPER

This White Paper story important municipal
community mishandled
ande ditoriaI covera campaign.
The executive board of the News
of
shows Detroit newspapers pre-
abors
candidate opposed by the
The American Guild of unprn
in
labor another It Is warn
expected the crucial
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1944-04-07

PM takes its hat off to Sen. James
E. Murray d., Mont.) for continu-
ing, courageous fight on many fronts
for a better America. Murray, one
of the authors of the Wagner-Murray-
Dingell Social Security bill, has been
leader in exposing the propaganda
campaign of the reactionaries against
the proposal for national health-in-
surance program. He has also ably
headed the senate small business COM
mittee which has fought to save little
business from emasculation in the
war And now he is heading the mill
tary affairs b-committee investigat-
ing wasteful cost-plus contracts and
measures to reconvert in
dustry to peacetime production after
the war.
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1944-04-07

BUTTE-Specia to The Voice)The joint hearing of the
Commission and the Montana Public Service
Commission being conducted in the courtroom the Post
office building in Butte order to show issued by
the federal body to the Montana Power Company why $685.
900 waered stock should not be squeezed of its
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1944-04-07
MURRAY RATES
HATS OFF" in
n. Y. DAILY

New York's liberal daily PM, in a
recent issue, featured Senator Murray
in its Hats OFF, column, with the
following statement: