Montana labor news., 1945-02-01
OPEN F0RU M
or
Disintegrate


check-off of ration cards for Montana
residents shows that there are 10000
less people in the state then when the
war began. Only about $4,000 depar-
lures can be traced to inductions in the
armed services.
Why have the other $4,000, 10 per
cent of our entire population, departed,
never to return, unless, until the AFRO
CANT Company overlords and their blind
allies, the big cattle and sheep men,
and their political tools change their
modus operandi.
There are only about 1000 miners
working on ore in Butte. The A. C. NJ.
could use, and would probably employ,
if available above 5000. Without writ
ing brief for the mining company, I
say that when lower rents, lower prices
for abundant better dairy products, and
other staple foods are considered, actual
wages are as high in Butte as on the
coast. Fatal accidents seem no higher
in the mines here than in the indus
trial plants there. The government
wishes men to work in the strategic
metals mines in preference to many
other plants.
There is a West-wide unpublicized boy
colt of laborers against the Anaconda
company. 1t springs from hatred Of
that concerns 3O-year policy. It is not
organized. It is effective. This dislike
pervades the mining fraternity in Ari-
zona, Greene Cananea, Nevada, as well
as in this colony. This silent hatred
exists with thousands of young folks
horn and reared here The inertia of
the company to cooperate with civic
welfare-minded people once living here
has taken the form of active hostility
to the good or happiness of Butte.
When I came here fifty years ago,
Butte was as large as Spokane, not far
behind Denver or Seattle To-day alter
nate vacancies exist on Broadway from
Main to wyoming streets; the $250,0OO.o0
Thornton hotel has, for 10 years, been
pigeon roost. A section 7OOX6000 feet
with residences, schools, churches, hos
pitfalls costing millions, has been under
mined, against express contracts not to
do so, and the outraged owners because
cur juries dare not go against the COM
pany) accept just what the company
lawyers arrogantly pass out as if it were
charity
There is one park for children, two
and one-half miles from town, opened
Thursday in summer. This exists prob
ably as covenant resembling a legacy
from the heirs of w. A. Clark. For
thirty years the company's program in
Butte has not been 'Rule or ruin; it
has been "Rule and ruin"
BY asserting title to the Missouri river,
by manipulating the state government
from governor down to janitor, so that
for tax assessment the valuation is SO
million dollars less than for rate assess
ment by opposing the Missouri Valley
Authority, the twin of the Anaconda
clearly shows that the policy toward
Butte of the Anaconda is the policy
toward the entire colony Of the Power
company.
Twenty-Five years ago there were
many public-spirited men of all classes
in Butte-now there are none here out
side of the labor unions that dare
speak up
All students agreed that the consolida-
ton Of city and county government had
caused growth and welfare in Denver in
san Francisco and elsewhere. The
movement here was so strong the Com
pany did not oppose it openly. OF course,
the Company could have carried it
through the election by only word to
its henchmen. But under consolidation
some outside mining property would
have paid city taxes. The Company Sc
cretly opposed it.
Anaconda Company chiseling is not
confined to Silver Bow county The
fungus legislature in 1941 enacted, Ford
signed, an Act putting silicosis compen- !
sation on the Welfare Fund, l. e., state
wide tax payers-not on the industry |
causing that frequent disease. The
self insurers" D." A. c. M, Montana Power, |
etc, pay none of the operating costs OF
the Workmen's Compensation Board
that comes out of the pockets of the
Company's political allies the cattle and
sheep men, whether they buy Workmen's
Compensation from the Board or just
pay taxes.
As the Scripture says "The Pestilence
walks by night,-in Lobby Bar, in the
Placer hotel. The present price of power
thwarts all small industries throughout
Montana. There is constant secret hos
tility of the big companies to all efforts
of individuals This hatred Flames |
against individual initiative when it Co
operates" Here the big fellows get silly
allies in Chambers of Commerce.
In 1886 the w. p. A. had well organ
lied, efficient tannery going and self
supporting in Butte. A professional tan
ner from Milwaukee had trained ITO men |
with families) in the work. The W. P
A. was willing to turn it over to the men
if they would form a cooperative cor
poration The men hired my associate
and myself to legalize the society. This
was done in SO hours. All was ready to
take over and go.
Members Of Butte Chamber Of Com
merce quickly got in touch with our
senior senator. Washington, willing to
turn over to the men, Thursday, per-
emptorily refused on Saturday. The
beautiful plant was junked to speculat-
ors, trained artisans set adrift.
This expert from Milwaukee estimated
that the business would employ 1000 CO.
operations in one year. AS he put it,
Hides bring one dollar to the farmer in
Montana, they are shipped to Milwau
kee, where, for three dollars cost, they
are sides of sole leather, and are sold
back to the Montana farmer for S4SOO'
A.,I A1aa.I