davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Montana labor news., 1945-12-27
LEGISLATION TO HURT LABOR INTRODUCED
In CONGRESS BY ENEMIES OFPEOPLE

INDIANAPOLIS-(FP)-Th Hobbs
bill is another attempt to cruelty labor
with endless legal procedure President
Ganiel J. Tobin OF the International
brotherhood q !eamsters tAFL} told
Federated Press here.
We're bitterly opposed to it and will
fight it to the end" the whlte-haired
leader of one OF the largest AFL al
~filiates said, interviewed following pas
sage by. the house on I voice vote OF
the bill, which was aimed directly at
the transfers union.
Now up before the Senate for action.
the measure CIR 32) would make the
notwithstanding law applicable to
unions and union members and pro-
vides a maximum $4,000 line and 10
years Imprisonment for anyone who in
t~erferes with interstate commerce by
ROBBERY or cNtortion."
The so-called friends Of labor in
Congress who voted for the Hobbs bill
were putting an ordinary working man
who had a family and was trying to
get a days pay or organize his Union
in the same classification as a murder
our holdup man." Tobin said angrilv.
I'VE do not know how far this Hobbs
bill will go, and all the plausible ex-
cuses that it does not mean this and
it does not mean that are just SO much
ballyhoo," he asserted, expressing the
belief that the bill would harm all of
organized labor. Interference with in
t~crstate commerce can be construed to
mean anything, depending upon the pre-
JUDGE of the court"
Tobin whipped into those congress
men who claimed they were voting for
the measure because of a fight many
years ago between members of Team
sters Local 807 in New York and other
drivers coming in from outlying districts
miles away from New York city.
At the time Of the dispute, Tobin
pointed out, about half the members of
Local S07 were out Of work and des-
perately seeking means Of obtaining
employment They succeeded in passing
motions that out-of-town trucks bring
ing merchandise into the city from
rural districts OF various states should
not be permitted to penetrate farther
than the edges of the city and that
unemployed New York truck drivers
would be given the trucks to deliver
the goods from there.
1T must be borne in mind that in
all these proceedings, even in the court
proceedings, the international union was
never involved" Tobin explained. "On
the contrary, it had condemned this
procedure as a violation Of U. S. law
and the union constitution and it had
succeeded in cleaning the matter up
Montana labor news., 1945-12-27

to the mif they should vote for a verdict
unwelcome to the mining interest, is OF
itself a sufficient explanation of the
%company's success. Another reason is the
fact that state judges, having to run
for election every four years, reason
ably fear what the political machine
Of the company might do in the way OF
asserting its power IN election day.
On top OF this, it is not too easy to
get witnesses who have to make their
livelihood in Butte to take the stand
against the company interest.
This all-too-familiar local picture
composed of niggardly money settle
ments and lawsuits won by fear and
economic pressure, has long been a
"stinkcr" in the consciousness OF the
inhabitants. The company people are
intelligent enough to realize that The
less said about it the better for them
So the triumphant progress OF the Sub
sidence litigation" has not been trump
eted forth in the Montana Standard and
the Butte Daily Post
A shocking turn of the tide recently
happened. The case Of Amerman VS..
Anaconda Copper Mining Co. was tried
in the u. S. District Court at Butte
for two weeks, November liza At the
conclusion Of the case Judge R. Lewis
Brown granted a motion for a directed
verdict against the defendant mining
companies, ruling that the evidence
showed without dispute that the sinking
and cracking up of the Reynolds-Mc
Dowell Block was caused by mining
operations at the Emma Mine. The jury
returned a verdict of $4,000 for the
buildings owner.
1t has proven impossible to discover
in the columns Of the STANDARD" and
Post" any reference to the trial or
the decision in that case The most
important lawsuit tried in Butte for
year is mot news" A court decision
which gives hope, at least, to small
property owners that they may obtain
restitution for their losses, is mot
news"
This answers once more the question
often asked, why should a mining
company own all the newspapers7"
The people affected by this suppress
sion of important news are not militant
labor organizers, or strikers or Outside
trouble-makers," nor are they members
Of any group which has been critical
of the economic and political Dictator
ship with which Montana's dwendline
population has been struggling. They
are just people who have accumulated
a little savings, a little investment
taxpayers who have built schools; de-
vout people who have built churches.
They are conservative people, who own
private property and believe in private
property. They are the people to whom
the mining and power companies APP
peal in political campaigns to vote for
the preservation Of the right to own
private property.
Just how dumb are these property
owners? When they learn at long last
that the mining company destroys their
property with one hand, and with the
other throttles the channels of public
information, will they continue to dance
to the same old tune. Save, oh save
private property 1.-THE Yellowstone.
Montana labor news., 1945-12-27
STEEL
HOAX

PITTSBURGH-(FP) - The United
Steelworkers (CIO) wage policy com
mittee followed up its strike vote De-
cember y by branding as "a legal
hoax" efforts of the steel companies
to convince the public that a strike
would violate their union contracts.
The union made public a legal opinion
by Clio Counsel Lee Pressman, who de-
clared that the United S~teelworkers
% has legitimately exercised its rights
to reopen the matter Of a general wage
increase, % has a right to engage in
collective bargaining on the matter of
a general wage increase and since an
impasse has been reached, to engage
in a strike without in any way violat-
ing any Of the provisions Of such agree
ments."
The steel companies base their anti
union propaganda on an agreement
which is to terminate Oct. 10, 1916.
asserting that if the union engages in
a strike over the demand for a s. daily
wage increase, it will violate its out
standing collective bargaining agree
ment.
FRESHMAN in his letter to Steelwork-
ers Pres. Philip Murray pointed out.
however, that the agreement contains
"a provision that in the event of a
change in the national wage policy The
matter of a general wage adjustment
can be ~reopened by either party for
collective bargaining" This change in
national wage policy was officially pro-
claimed by President Truman on August
II and later by the National War Labor
Beard on October Is, which said The
issue Of a general wage increase when
SO reopened should be the subiect of
collective bargaining between the
parties"
In the event the subject is ~reopcned
and in the course of collective bar
gaining the parties cannot agree"
FRESHMAN asserted, Clearly. the union
would have a perfect right to strike
on this issue. To deny the union the
right to make meaningless the right of
the union to reopen the matter of a
general wage increase. If the right
to reopen means merely the right to
discuss the unions request with the
J corporation and to hope for a mutual
agreement, this right is devoid of mean
ing"
Affirming the right of the union to
strike against the steel companies. the
policy committee charged that under
the cover of pious announcement
about the s~anctity of contracts" the
steel companies now threaten to
achieve their long-standing objective of
violating their contractural commit
ments with respect to checkoff and
maintenance Of membership. This cam
paign is merely a smokescreen behind
which Messrs. Grace (Pres. Eugene c.
Grace of Bethlehem and his associates
hope to restore the steel industry to
the open shop citadel which it was in
the 1o20s." ~
AT his daily press conference Murray
announced that the policy committees
decision to strike on January II is
being hailed in kilograms received from
steelworkers in all parts of the nation.
He revealed that weekly earnings
OF a s~teelworker average from $45 to
$40. While the workers wages have
fallen by 80 per cent since VI day,
the steel companies are saving So on a
ton OF steel due to downgrading of
workers jobs and the return to a 40
hour week, Murray declared.
Montana labor news., 1945-12-27
GM NEGOTIATIONS
RESUMED AFTER
SHOW BOOKS hint

Forced into an untenable position aft
er President Truman in a surprise move
said that employers should submit their
books to fact-finding boards in wage
disputes, General Motors resumed ne
gotiations with the CIO Auto Workers
Dec. q in Washington, where union
and management Representatives had
come to appear before such a board.
JAW ce-President Walter Reuther
had told the board that the union would
not enter into any collision with ON
to get increased wages at the public
expense and that it stood firm in its
demand for a 30 per cent pay hike.
Montana labor news., 1945-12-27
STEEL PACT OK'S
RIGHT TO STRIKE

F~ull-page ads by the American Iron
and Steel Institute have been belabor-
ing the tune that the Clio United Steel
workers haven't &c" the right to strike
the steel industry, which has flatly re-
fused the unions request for a S2-a-
day wage increase.
The following resolution, passed unan-
imously at the recent Steelworkers
Wage Policy Committee meeting at
Pittsburgh, outlines clearly the unions
position
!. The major steel companies in this
country have banded together in a
strong and well-financed propaganda
campaign to deceive the American public
into the view that a strike by the
United Steelworkers would be a viola
ton OF its contracts with these com
panies.
2. This campaign is an effort to per
petrate upon the public a legal hoax.
The companies have wilfully concealed
from the public the following facts with
respect to the contracts and their back
ground
(a) Each and every contract between
the union and the major steel companies
contains a clause permitting the union
to reopen the contract for a general
wage increase upon a change in national
wage policy, The union has served notice
under each of these contracts in ac-
cordance with these clauses.
% These wage r%eopening clauses are
based upon the following background
% In the Steel Wage case decided in
November, 1914, the WLB explicitly
declared that it was not closing the
wage question but retained the power
to reconsider it.
~ In a directive Of February Is,
l945, the WLB, in fixing the termina-
ton date Of the contracts with the steel
employers as October Is, 1910, again
expressly provided that the matter of
a general wage increase would be re-
opened whenever a change in the ma
tional wage policy occurred.
Co A change in national wage policy
has been announced and the WLB, in a
unanimous resolution, has expressly
recognized that the union is free to
bargain with respect to a general wage
increase.
I'D Under the terms Of its contract,
tie union may now exercise all of the
lights and remedies which would be
available to it in bargaining for a new
contract with respect TO a general wage
increase. These rights and remedies in
clude the right to strike.
3. The no-strike clause in the con-
tracts which the companies have so
%blatantly misrepresented does not sur
render the right to strike with respect
to general wage increases but deals
only with strikes concerning grievances
and matters subject to arbitration. A
general wage increase is not subject to
the grievance and arbitration machinery
provided in the contract.
4. Despite the fact that the union has
meticulously adhered to the terms Of
the contract and will continue to do so,
the companies have w%ilfully %repudiated
their solemn obligations under the terms
OF the contract to engage in barga mig
with respect TO the requested general
wage increase.
s The true design OF the steel com
names is plain. Us;;g ihc false charge
fIaf fEe union ie o., nr ;tc ron4ract,
as = pretext, the companies seek to
conceal the fact that they themselves
nave refused to oafs ~ in accordance
'wt their obliga.i2is under the con
Montana labor news., 1945-12-27
WEAK MIND

WEAK MIND
Brawny Back-Say, Coach, did you
see me cross the goal five times this
last quarter?
Coach - Yeah, nitwit. But il only
counts when you have the ball.
Brawny Back-Gee, every year dey
make new rules.
Montana labor news., 1945-12-27

tract. But their self-righteous arrogance
goes further than this. Under the cover
of pious pronouncements about the sane
tity Of contracts, they now threaten to
achieve their long-standing objective of
violating their %contractual commitments
with respect TO check-off and mainten-
ance OF membership. This campaign is
merely a smoke screen behind which
Messrs. Grace and his associates hope
to restore the steel industry to the
open-hop citadel which it was in the
l920's.
Therefore, be ii resolved
J.. That the union is now fully within
its rights under the contracts to strike
concerning a general wage increase.
2. That the campaign of the titans Of
steel is a maneuver to conceal from the
American public the justice Of the
unions demand for a general wage in
crease.
3. That any attempt by the employers
to ~repudiate their obligations under their
contracts is a violation OF such con-
tracts and a contemptuous disregard Of
commitments solemnly undertaken
Laurel outlook., 1945-07-25
ASPHALT PLENTIFUL FOR
HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION

Contrary to belief, because OF
a recent governmental regulation
restricting shipments of highway
asphalt into certain areas, asphalt
for use in the Rocky mountain area
is more plentiful than it has been
for several years, and is not re-
stricted.
When interviewed, C. E. Cox, vice
president of the Asphalt Institute,
a national organization of asphalt
producers, advised that although
there have been certain government
al directives issued prohibiting the
manufacturing and use of certain
asphalt materials, there r still IS
grades of asphalts, available for use
in the states of Montana, Wyoming,
Idaho, Colorado, and the western
portions of North and South Da-
kota. The 18 grades of asphalts
available give a wide range or selec-
ton for use on highways, airports,
municipal street construction, etc.
A recent governmental directive
restricts the shipment of all grades
of asphalt from Montana and Wyo-
ming east of a line drawn from
Langdon through LaMoure, N. D.,
through Aberdeen, Huron, and
Mitchll, S. D., and on through
Grand Island, Hastings and Super
ior, Neb.
States, cities, municipalities, etc.,
that are planning highway or air
port construction or maintenance,
and who are situated in the Rocky
mountain area, can obtain their full
requirements of any of the 18
grades of asphalt which are not re-
stricted, as mentioned above.
Laurel outlook., 1945-07-25
The News
ofLAUREL

Mr.. and Mrs. Lester Gerard ano
children, Bobby and Barbara, spent
last week in Yellowstone park. Ac,
companying them were Mr.. ano
Mrs. Henry Ray of Red Lodge.
Miss Peggy Russell, employed as
stenographer at the j. c. Penney
company store in Billings, was a
weekend guest of her parents, Mr.,
and Mrs. J. j. Russell.
Mr.. and Mrs. C. L. Starbard and
Mrs. Starbard's mother, Mrs. George
Marsh, had as guests during the
week Mr.. and Mrs. Trevor Sysum
and daughter Betty of Roundup,
Mrs. Hildred Wheeler and Patricia
Wheeler of Billings, L. Berkeley of
Rapelje and Frances and Dale
Marsh of Shepherd.
Mrs. Katie Conner spent several
days last week with her daughter,
Mrs. Alfred Dom of Billings.
Laurel outlook., 1945-07-25

Mr.. and Mrs. Fred Schiller and
Mr.. and Mrs. Ed Sommers and son
attended the funeral services of the
women's mother, Mrs. Emma Jones,
Sunday. Mrs. Jones died at the
home of her son, Ralph Jones of
Glendive, and was buried Sunday at
Wibaux.
Pvt. Edward Herman returned
this week to Camp VOTERS, Tex,
after spending a furlough with his
parents, Mr.. and Mrs. Fred B.
Herman.
Mr.. and Mrs. A. C. Gets and
daughter, Betty Jean, were guests
from Billings Sunday of Mr.. and
Mrs. P. A. Johnston.
Mr.. and Mrs. C. E. Rodgers had
as guests this week Mr.. and Mrs.
John Stevens and Mrs. Phyllis
Humphrey of Billings.
Alvin and Butch Darrell spent
Sunday as guests of MI. and Mrs.
A. L. Altman and family of the
Byam community.
Mr.. and Mrs. William Gerling
of Livingston we're guests Monday
of their niece, Mrs. H. j. Bottger
and family.
Mr.. and Mrs. W. E. C~hamberlin
have returned from Bozeman where
they spent from Thursday to Sat
urday.
Mr.. and Mrs. Russell Hard have
moved to the Herbert Bailey prop
erty on Elm avenue, which they re-
Gently purchased.
Mrs. Leonard Ferrin was hostess
Wednesday of last week to mem
bers of her bridge club. Those
scoring at the games were Mrs. C..
P. Lawless,- Mrs. Harry Penninger
and Mrs. Ferrin.
Mr.. and Mrs. R. B. DeAtley and
Mr.. and Mrs. Wilbur DeAtley have
returned from Livingston where
they picnicked Sunday with rela-
tives. Mr.. and Mrs. Wilbur De-
Alley made a trip through Yellow
stone park during their stay.
Laurel outlook., 1945-07-25
Laurel News Items

Mrs. George Marsh and her
granddaughter, Lynn Hudson of
Nibbe, visited in Reed Point last
week with Mr.. and Mrs. Charles
S~windler, son-in-law and daughter
of Mrs. Marsh.
H. J.. Bottger, who has been off
work for the last month because
of an injured hand, returned to the
Northern Pacific shops Monday.
MI. and Mrs. C. A. Duncan and
son Dick have returned from a
vacation spent in Livingston with
Mr.. Duncan's mother and sister,
Mrs. Ada Duncan and Mrs. George
Olmstead and family.
Second Lieut.. Neoma Thorne, who
had spent a furlough with her par
ents, Mr.. and Mrs. J. E. Thorne,
returned Monday to her
duties at Baxter General hospital
in Spokane, Wash.
Laurel outlook., 1945-07-25

awarded the following medals OF
decorations:
American Defense Ribbon, Coco
Conduct Medal with clasp, ETC
Ribbon with eight Battle Stars
Bronze Arrowhead, Presidential CT
%tation, French Medal.
He is the son of H. E. Herbert.
12O West Main street, Laurel.
SNOWFALL is the name of an army
air transport operation which has
been running to Europe since July,
1914. During the winter and spring,
the outfit brought back yer 1000
litter patients from Orly Field,
Paris. Currently the fleet is carry
ing ex-combat boys home for re-
deployment. SNOWFALL also operates
a line from Presque Isle, Maine, to
Stockholm, Sweden.
Laurel outlook., 1945-07-25
The Outloo ok Says:

Miss Marie Johnston of Ranches
ter, Wyo., was a guest last We'd
nesday of her uncle, P. A. john
ston and family.
Mr.. and Mrs. John Heiser of Bill
lings were guests Sunday of MI.
and Mrs. Frank Heiser and family.
Mr.. and Mrs. Henry Flagler are
the parents of a daughter, born
Monday, July %, at a Billings hos
pital.
Names of Laurel men inducted
into service recently at Fort Doug
las, Utah, as announced this week.
included from board 1 Neil w.
Baker and from board 2 Henry
Gratwohl, Jr., and Francis E. Mayes
for the army. Robert Rider was
indicted into the marine corps.
Mrs. Kenneth Olson and daughter,
Rosalee Ann, who had spent some
time with Mrs. Olson's parents, Mr..
and Mrs. R. W. Easton, have re-
turned to their home in Boise, Ida.
Mrs. Chester Murphy and daugh-
ter, Teddy Rae, and Mrs. George
Blevens and children of Powell,
Wyo., were weekend guests Of
Mrs. B. A. Shively.
Mr.. and Mrs. Marshall Hunting
ton entertained at dinner Sunday
for Mr.. and Mrs. Fred Huntington,
Mrs. William Bayerd, Mrs. Ruby
Jamison and Arthur McWhorter, all
of Billings.
Mr.. and Mrs. Ralph Norris had
as guests last week MI. Norris par
ents, Mr.. and Mrs. E. R. Norris OF
Staples, Mimi.
Mr.. and Mrs. Edward Anderson
are the parents of a son, born Sat
urday, July 81, at a Billings hos
pital.
Laurel outlook., 1945-07-25
Letters From
Boys
and Girls

HuDllc heldClOn OIllce 40lSC ln1.,
38th Division:
With the 18th Division on Luzon
Blocking the exit to a Jap strong
point to prevent the enemy from
withdrawing while being attacked, a
weapons platoon of the 18th "Cy-
clone" division, which included Pfc.
Tony V. Bongiani, of Laurel, Mon
tana, killed 20 Japs.
The platoon set their mortars and
machine guns in the mouth of a
river gorge while other troops were
taking the strong point from the
other side.
In the six day battle, the platoon
knocked out a number of Jap wea-
pons with mortars and machine
guns.
; Pfc. Bongiani is the son of Mrs.
Lucia Bongiani, Route 1, Laurel.
Cpl. Ralph Ballard, somewhere on
Mindanao, Philippines, June %:
After a long time several Laurel
Outlooks have found me. Even
though they are old it is a treat
to receive them and read about
some of my old friends both at
home and in the service, and Pm
hoping that now we will be in one
place long enough for more of them
to get here.
This part of the Philippines is
much different than people would
think. There are thousands of acres
of idle ground growing up to brush,
then there has been some very nice
plantations, rubber, coconut and
pineapple, which are very much run
down.
AS l looked over a very large rub
Der plantation near here I was very
much surprised to see that the Japs
had never made any use of it while
they were here. With a little care
it can be put into production.
Before I came to the army |
worked for Fred Griffey as a truck
driver and I'd like this chance to
say Hello, and Pm doing fine.
Now I want to thank you for the
paper. It's really a treat over here,
and in the future l hope it gets to
me sooner, but new or old it makes
no difference-main thing it to get
it.
Paul H. Dull, S &c (FC), July
8, 1885,:
l have been getting the Outlook
quite regularly the last few monhs,
and even though it is usually two
months late I certainly appreciate
it and thank every one who helps !
make it possible for us guys-and
gals too-out here to get a copy of
that good old home paper every now
and then.
So far I rather like being a de-
stroyer man. We've got a swell
crew, every one knows every one
else. The officers are just part of
the crew and really a swell bunch
of guys. One thing about being on
a destroyer you are not bothered
with the monotony of staying in one
place too lonv, in fact it's just a
the other way round. We've
been in port nearly two weeks now
we can't understand it, something |,
is wrong somewhere-and we are
really taking advantage of the fact
The recreational facilities
on the beach are very good COM
pared to what we have been used
to. I've managed to get into sew
eral good basketball games.
The heat is rather hard on one
but I haven't paid much attention
to it except for one time when II .,
got a beautiful sunburn. !
We've been able to buy souvenirs
the natives, at an outlandish I
price, but then the poor guys have
70 live, besides there's no other /
place to spend any money, anyway L
It's fun to bargain with them, it u
never does much good though. c
Thanks again for the paper. ii
Laurel outlook., 1945-07-25

Public Relations Office:
Marine Pfc. Raymond E. Smith,
%, son of Mr.. and Mrs. Eugene F.
Smith of Silesia, Mont, recently re-
turned from overseas to the San
Francisco naval receiving hospital
for further medical treatment. He
is awaiting transfer to a naval hos
pital nearer his home.
The young Leatherneck, who en-
listed in June, 1914, participated in
the bitter Okinawa battle.
Headquarters Service Command,
Corvallis, Ore, July 10:
Private Everett E. Meyers has re-
ported for duty at Oregon State
college, Corvallis, Ore, for partici-
patton in the ASTRP. Private
Meyers while at Oregon State will
receive two terms of college educa-
ton prior to his reporting to active
duty with the army. Private Mey-
ers was a former student of Laurel
high school and is the son of MI.
and Mrs. John B. Meyers of route
l., Laurel.
SNOWFALL Public Relations Air
Command, North Atlantic
Division, Presque Isle, Maine, July
20, 1915:
Staff Sgt. Chester D. Herbert, SO,
veteran of 80 months service as a
sergeant in the European
theater of operations, arrived at the
Presque Isle army air field today
aboard an air transport command
plane of the North Atlantic divis-
on's SNOWFALL fleet. He has been