Montana labor news., 1946-05-23

INTOl1.%NCEo or
DISCRIMINATION
Guest EditOrial)

III OItdH League recently /
formed here and sponsored by about 30 Butte labor organiza-
tons, is worthy the moral and financial support, of all right
thinking persons in this community, regardless of the allegi-
ance some of these people might feel they owe the company.
The action of the officials of the Anaconda Copper Mining
company, in discharging employees who had been in their serv-
ice for years, simply because they would not bow to the will Of
these company officials and become "Scabs' by going behind
the fence and bearing arms against their fellow citizens it is
"Hitlerism" in its worst form and if our armed forces fought
this war to preserve democracy then it is high time we start
ed practicing democracy in this community; if Macarthur can
make it work in Japan, we certainly should be able to make it
work here.
Not many months ago a meeting was held at the Fox The
atre, protesting intolerance. Many of the clergy and others
from all walks of life attended this meeting, including some
of the high officials of the Anaconda Copper Mining company.
All present appeared to be against intolerance of any kind,
being countenanced in this community and at the time it APP
peared that all present were very sincere in their desire to
eliminate intolerance.
What has happened to change the views of these officials
Of the Anaconda Copper Mining company? They are respon-
sible for the discrimination being practced on the Richest
Hill on Earth at the present time and if they do not know
that intolerance and discrimination are practically one and the
same thing, it is about time they were informed Of that fact.
Would Not Destroy Ideals o n Democracy
There are about 1875, of these former employees (who be-
work, not because they took an active part against the COM
pany during the strike, but because they would not destroy
their ideas of democracy by bowling to the will of these COM
pany officials and making themselves, what is known in labor
circles as the lowest form of human life, a "SCAB."
Many OF these men were born and reared in Butte and many
of them have lived here many years and the positions that
many of them held were responsible ones, with better than
the average pay and with a certain amount of security Cor SO
they thought). Many of them have families and many of them
own their own homes; is it right that they should be forced
to tear themselves up by the roots, sacrifice their homes and
become wanderers on the face of the earth until they are for
tunate enough to secure another position?
One of these discharged men has been an employee of the
comnanv for AZ wears. 30 wears of this time working on the
rescue station, a technical and responsible position. All but one
Of this rescue station crew have been laid off, leaving the he'll
met-wearng miners at the mercy of men who know practically
nothing of the art of taking care of these helmets or Of any
of the other paraphernalia used in fighting fire, which is con
sidered very technical work, requiring considerable expert
ence. The members Of the rescue stations also take care of
injured workmen, and getting them to the surface requires
considerable skill. Is the discharge of these experienced men
and their replacement by men Of no experience a new angle
of the company's boasted SAFETY FIRST?'
1t is a certainty that the company will lose money by replac-
ing these experienced men by men with little 0 no skill, 50
the only conclusion we can come to is tina. this is a vicious at
tack on these men who refused to let the company officials
do their thinking for them. This most certainly is intolerance.
Unions Proposal Given Cold Shoulder
When the miners were negotiating their contract with the
company officials the miners suggested that the contract be
signed without prejudice; the miners would forget about the
men who worked behind the fence, and the company would
rehre all whom they had discharged, because they would not
work behind the fence. The spokesman for the company in a
very explosive manner and in words not printable informed
the miners that they, the company would hire whom THEY
JOLLY WELL PLEASED but not in those words.
One can hardly believe that such a condition could exist
in any part of our "BOASTED DEMOCRACY" but these 1925
or more men who are being Disseminated against know that
this condition does exist and it should be the duty Of every
one who calls himself a citizen of the GREATEST DEMOC-
RACY" to do everything within his power to eliminate this
INTOLERABLE, UN-AMERICAN, condition as soon as pos
sible, and see that these our fellow citizens are given a square
deal.
The case of these men has been placed before the National
Labor Relations board and as soon as the case has been studied
by this agency suit will no doubt be filed IN the federal court
on behalf of these men but this will no doubt take considerable
time.
In the meantime the labor unions of Butte have started So
liciting the different organizations in this community for funds
to assist these former employees wherever financial assistance
is needed. The Miners Union pledged $4,000 and practically
all labor organizations have indicated willingness to do their
part.
This discriminatory action on the part of the company will
be fought to the bitter end by organized labor and every right
thinking person in this community should assist labor in this
movement.
The trouble with the company is that they are DRUNK
WITH POWER" They figure they control practically every
industrial and political job in the state but that is not enough
They now wish to control us BODY AND SOUL But this
shall not happen. The Montana AntiDiscrimination League
can do a good job at this time if given the proper support, sc
every person who is interested in the welfare of this community
should put their shoulder to the wheel and do their BIT.
The newly organized and much publicized "CITlZENS
COMMITTEE" Box SO, Butte Daily Post, can also be Of assist
ance in this CONSTRUCTIVE movement, if their interest il
the welfare of Butte and vicinity is as strong as their desire tt
please the COMPANY" THE OLD TIMER.