Montana labor news., 1946-04-25

lung diseases due Il dust. inflamma
ton of the wrisi. hand. knee and ell
bow are prevalent. due to the dark
ness. bad air and the cramped posi-
ton in which Il miner must work. The
mines are isolated from hospital serv-
ice and miners must depend ON com
pany doctors, who often testify against
them in compensation cases.
rs part of their NEGOTIATIONS. the
United Mine Workers are making two
demands to meet these problems: That
operators carry ont The safety recon-
mendations of Emitted States mine in
spectors, and that a health fund be
set up. supported by a Zoe royalty
per ton of coal British miners have
had such a health fund for - years.
These are minimum requirements to
meet the CHASTITY hazards Of this indus
Try. They should hf accepted without
further delay.
The World Food Crisis
An emergency conference Of II ma
tons. includine representatives. of
United Nations agencies. met in Lon
don on April 3 10 consider the Euro
pean wheat and grain crisis. lis state
ments show world wheat. grain and
flour requirements of 1876 million long
tons for the firsi half of 1916. with
II supply in sight Of less than - mil
lion tons. leaving Il shortage of almost
seven million IONS due largely to war
rayagos and druulhs. The United
States. which is committed to supply
a million tons Il month for six months
talmost half The II million tons avail
able). has fallen short over 10 per
cent in the first quarter. sending only
2.6S1 900 tons instead of the promised
three million. Government efforts in
March prevented a still greater fail
nre and added almost 3oo.o00 tons to
orr shipments. or the countries sup
plying the other half. Canada and Aus
ralla are meeting their commitments.
Argentina is falling behind because an
acute fuel shortage makes it impos-
sible TO transport her quota. Even if
all four exporting countries meet their
quotas. world supplies will still be
seven million tons short. Soviet Rus
sia and Argentina refused to attend
the London emergency conference.
To meet this crisis will require the
greatest possible effort on the part
Of all. We in the United States must
do our full part. Tor we have the larg-
est supplies oil any country. Former
President Hoover now touring Europe
10 study the need. reports that Of 300
million people in Europe west OF Rus
STA, only 40 million have assured food
supply till the next harvest. Some %
million children are already develop
ing tuberculosis, ricketts, and other dis
eases due to undernourishment. As the
Pope stated on April +. THE shad-
ow of famine rests on al least Il quar-
ter Of the entire population of the
globe, SOC. 600, 600 people in Europe
and Asia.
We Can Help
What more can we do in United
States Of America TO meet the need?
Everyone Of us can cooperate in the
presidents program by reducing our
consumption of bread and wheat by
10 per cent and Of fats by 20 per cent.
Full compliance by everyone could
save almost 500, 900 tons Of wheat and
rescue 35 million persons from starry
alton. The government has also cut
production Of beer and alcohol to a
minimum to SAVE grain. workers af-
fected by this program should work
with their unions to devise ways OF
supplementing employment during the
emergency. Government plans to re-
lease wheat held on farms are most
important As requested, farmers are
raising unprecedented numbers of
livestock this year and reserying
wheat supplies more than two million
tons above normal to feed them. a