The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1946-07-12
Continued from Page one)

end of the Missouri river" He also
contrasted the federal provision and
maintenance of downstream water
wags to barge operators with the
taxes paid to Montana by its rail-
roads.
Erickson, still chairman of the viz
tually defunct, year-old Regional COM
mittee for MVA, has changed his
mind about MVA as an issue, but he
has talked about it in some addresses.
At Butte, headquarters of Montana
Power Co., an Electric Bond & Share
Co, unit, he charged that, while
Wheeler had supported the Tennessee
Valley Authority he was against
MVA because the power company OPP
posed it, Wheeler has attacked MVA
in the past.
In some of his talks, Erickson has
questioned the value to Montana of
the huge Fort Peck reservoir. He said
that hesdisagreed with some features
of the current Pick-Sloan plan for the
Missouri, and particularly criticized
one Pick-Sloan project which would
divert Missouri river water from east
ern Montana into the basin of the
Red River of the North in North Oak
ota.
Wheeler takes credit for the Fort
Peck development and other power
and water projects.
Struggle for the Favor of
the Railroad Unions
A notable phase of the campaign is
the struggle for the favor of the rail
unions, which have several thousand
members operating the long mileage
IF transcontinental railroads in Mon |
lana. The chairman of Erickson's
committee is a Milwaukee /
Railroad conductor; the chairman of
Wheeler is a Milwaukee engineer.
The Brotherhood of Railroad Train
men is officially for Erickson. The
Erickson committee is circulating a
ecent letter by A. f. Whitney of |,
Cleveland, national president of that
lnion, favoring Erickson and denounc-
ng Wheeler. Alvanley Johnston of
Cleveland, national head of the Broth
rhood of Locomotive Engineers, has
otified Erickson that his union has
lot Endorsed Wheeler and would not
o so. The other operating rail unions
re either definitely or tacitly lined
ID for Wheeler, whose position as
ahirman of the Senate Interstate
commerce Committee is strategic in
abroad affairs.
Whitney and Johnston are the rail
trike leaders bitterly condemned by
res. Truman Erickson, a former ]
lpreme court judge of Montana, with 6
experience in rail labor q
by appointment of Pres. S
oosevelt, was chosen by President b
ruman as chairman of the emergency c
)ard which dealt with the demands
the Whitney and Johnston unions p
sfore the strike. r
The pro-Wheeler railunions are cri- $
Ching the Erickson award as insult s
Gent. They uphold Wheeler's stand +
connection with the Presidents 4
lave labor bill' on the ground the V
nator made an effort to conduct
bile hearings on it. They also APP s.
owe Wheeler's general labor record. la
owever the Whitney letter charged G
at Wheeler could have delayed COM O.
Ittee action but actually engineered o.
is fascist bill through his commit az
e." Il
While Erickson is busily condemn n
3 Wheeler for the senator's attitude
ward Roosevelt, Wheeler is bringing pl
t public and political affairs in NJ
itch he was friendly with F.DR. W
heller forces are reminding labor W
Erickson's tie-up with Truman in
3 rail strike, with the assertion that pa
ickson now wishes to keep still re
out Truman. In mid-May, however, WI
campaign letter featured az
tement that Truman had once said a
owed more to Wheeler than any w
Ter senator when Truman went to
senate from Missouri. ia
10 has perhaps 5000 to 10000 mem to
s in Montana. Erickson counts on ag