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THE PRODUCERS NEWS Paper of the people, By the People, For the People By the Peoples Publishing Company, Publishers, CONTINUING—The Outlook Promoter, The Outlook Optomist, The Dooley Sun, the Antelope Independent, The Sheridan County News, The Pioneer Press and the Sheridan County Farmer. CHARLLES E. TAYLOR, Manager P. J. WALLACE, Editor FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 1928. PEET MAY GET FOOLED In his "What Say" column in the Smyth County News of Virginia, Sherwood Anderson recently quot ed an editorial written by Herbert Peet in the Great Falls Tribune. The article commends Sherwood £*' mixing with all the Rotarians, Uplifters and Hill Billys in the hick town of the Old Dominion stale. Chances are that Brother Anderson is also mixing with the vendors of corn liquor in Marion and is as good a customer of theirs as is H. L. Menckin of the beer gardens of the ancient city of Baltimore. But Mr. Peet doesn't say anything about that. He just commends Mr. Anderson for associating with the best people" of his home town. The editorial re flects Mr. Feet's frame of mind. It shows how sitting behind the editorial desk of a controlled paper like the Great Falls Tribune can atrophy a good man's mental outlook and cause him to look upon the commonplace as sacred and desirable. For a time there was when Mr. Peet was a pro gressive: when he edited the Equity News and mixed with the rest of us in the co-operative congresses and the big meetings of the days of the Nonpartisan League. Now he conforms to the ideas of the powers that be and misuses his alert mind writing panagerics on such worthless montebanks as Wheeler and Flat head John. Wont it be a joke on Herbert when Sherwood An derson puts the characters he is now associating with and studying into a book that will back "Babbitt" off the shelves? 1C ABOUT GREAT FALLS Great Falls is to build a big school. There is a clause in the contract that union labor is to be employed. Enemies of organized labor got busy and have an opinion given that such a clause would not stand up in the Supreme Court. The Great Falls School Board obligingly acquiesce and the clause is stricken out and the door left wide open for the importation of cheap outside labor into the electric city. The workers—the people who built up Great Falls by establishing an American standard of living—are again menaced by competitive bidding on the labor market. And the body responsible for this threat to the business man, the worker, the small property holder, the profes sional man and the taxpayers of the city, is their own school board. But that is not all. There is to be a lot of brick used in the construction of the new school building. A rumor got abroad in the city that an eastern brick firm was to get the contract for the supply of brick to be used by the contractors. The people of Great Falls naturally wanted a Montana product in preference to a foreign article. Instantly public bodies got busy and unanimously passed resolu tions asking that the brick made in Montana and in the city of Great Falls be given preference. The Cascade Trades and Labor Assembly, representing one section of the population and the Commercial Club represent ing the other went on record in favor of Montana brick. The sentiment in favor of home industry was as unanimous as it could be expected to be in a typical American city. But the School Board said that the Architect's plans called for a sort of a rough finish red brick and they didn't make red brick in Great Falls! On such a flimsy pretext home industry is turned down and the contract is let to a Twin City brickmak ing concern. The prosperity of Great Falls, the expressed views of its citizens and taxpayers, the fact that a few dozen extra families would make a living producing the brick that would be used in constructing the school didn't seem to make any difference to the School Board of that city. They wanted foreign goods. And they made the excuse that no red brick to meet the specifications was produced in Montana. Page Dan McKay. He knows about as much about brick as any other man in the State. Dan is producing brick samples in Redstone right now that have been tested in the greatest laboratories in the United States and pronounced A No. 1. Dan McKay wasn't given an opportunity to bid for the supply of red brick by the Great Falls School Board. If he were they would not have used the "red brick" excuse. Because Dan could demonstrate that he was making his product out of Montana red brick clay and not out of Minnesota sand. The acts of the Great Falls School Board brand that body as being out of harmony with the citizens of its own town. The Board has placed the interests of peo ple living in distant cities above the interests of Great Falls and Montana. The members of the Board owe their present position of power and responsibility to the voters of Great Falls. They have been tried in the balance and found wanting. The citizens of Great Falls have one remedy—the ballot box. They should use their power at the next election. They should walk sternly to the polling booth and mark their disapproval of official conduct that is harmful to the interests of the people of their city and state. THE FARMERS UNION AND THE GRANGE—NATURAL ALLIES OF THE A. F. OF L. The following quotation set in black face type in dented, constituted a circular sent to the Producers News by Mr. P. A. Spain, M. D., of Paris, Teaxs, in the advocacy of a "third" or nonpartisan policy of the farmers organizations known as "The Farmers Union and "The Grange" and the labor organizations, the major American labor organization, "The American Federation of Labor," points out the absolute failure of such a policy and the necessity for these organiza tions, now very strong, to take a definite constructive stand and declare for political action by the farmers and workers by and thru the medium of the Farmer Labor party. This circular is interesting by reason of the fact that it comes from a professional man in the south—it indicates that more and more the fact of the necessity of independent political action by means of the new party is being realized by the thinking public: "THE FARMERS UNION AND THE GRANGE NATURAL ALLIES O FTHE A. F. OF L. H Whatever may have been the seeming triumphs of these three orders in the way of "legislative achievements," the final beneficial results have evidently been small. Mr. James M. Lynch, a royal member of the American Federation of Labor and a frequent writer in the labor press, in one Statistics of his recent articles says: show that labor has been getting a smaller proportion of the fruits of industry year by year. Organization of the various crafts and restriction of immigration have help co some, but the millenium is stHl afar off. A new economic deal in government and improved organization policies will help." Thus he most likely speaks the unvar nished truth. That it applies with equal truth to the farming element, is clearly shown by the fact that the country popula tion, especially the home owning class, is yearly on the decrease. The American Federation of Labor since its formation in 1881, has steadfastly re fused "to engage in partisan third party movements." At almost every annual meet ing it has voted down a resolution to that effect. It declared in the beginning "the American labor movement is not partisan to a political party. It is partisan to a principle—the principle of equal rights and The National Grange and the freedom.' National Farmers Union have likewise led nonpartisan ways. Thus these orders have gone on orga nizing and organizing and preaching their "principles," and now just what do we find? They are powerful even beyond their own estimate, but they are emasculated and ineffective politically. Under organi zation the workers have become self-con scious and in principle, self-assertive, and are gradually evolutionizing into an educat ed and combined force the like of which has never been seen before in the world's history. They are so powerful that the amalga mation of the three orders as natural allies, would make a combination invincible and supreme in government. In this combina tion they would reach the final goal of suc cess for both city and country workers, but so far they stand asunder, divided even in their own ranks into different politics, and steadfastly refuse to unite in their common, political and economic betterment. If the millenium is ever reached on earth, it will be when city and country workers realize that they are in their common needs, and that they are together the com mon prey of a heartless and usurious money system that tramples alike the rights and freedom" of both. If this combination is never realized then the farmers had just as well continue out of politics, and the American Feder ation of Labor would equally as well re main out of third party movements. An agricultural movement for political domin ance would get nowhere. A Federation of Labor party would equally fail. Why should they combine arid enter up on a great union campaign? Because they have but one great common foe, and that foe is so entrenched that it ■Can whip them, and will whip them singly in every combat. The strongest call for their unity comes in securing national legislation. Really there is small need for a third party in lo cal affairs. The legislation most needed to give working people their just rights, is national enactment, and this cannot be secured until all labor elements combine their votes so as to elect and control the dominating party in Congress. What are the city workers and country workers donig today for their own relief? Not only do they remain separated into two great groups with no serious move towards harmonious action, hut one-half of each group is voting with their common oppress ors, arid calling themselves democrats, and the other half of each group is voting also with their common oppressors and calling themselves republicans. Their exploiters no doubt approve of this method and not only applaud them for it, but are spending money lavishly to perpetuate such divisions and disruptions. Their thinking friends, however, on the outside see in such a situa tion, not only the acme of foolishness the part of the workers, but they see also the Machiavelian hand of the crafty and deceitful politicians. Would it not be better for those workers to stop and hold a consultation, get their true bearings, and then proceed in a solid phalanx? on Perhaps it has been better that both groups have thus far remained outside of partisan politics. It has been their of education and organization. They have been getting ready for the final drive. The great decisive period in their development has come and now the stage is set. The great drama of labor's season emancipation is ready for forward? Or will they stand as they are, Idivided and powerless, exploited and dom inated by the same arrogant aristocracy of wealth that drove the Roman legions to warring among themselves until Rome's magnificent cultural structure had fallen into ruins and decay? Capitalists live to exploit labor, both in city and country. Capitalists live to take interest and profits from labor's output. This exploitation of labor and its products is the thing that makes capitalists. They will continue to leech the public as long as they control congress, and they will control congress as long as all workers allow them selves to he herded into the two present do minating parties. Capitalists control the two machines that run the two old parties^ and these two machines are a unit in their ambitions to exploit labor and labor's pro duct. Labor will always be exploited by capital as long as one of these parties is in power, and the other stands ready to join it whenever a showdown is needed to hold the capitalist rule unbroken. For these reasons, the American Feder ation of Labor, and a federation of the farm societies of the United States, should come together in the formation of a new party machine which will function with the avowed purpose of setting in operation a new money system constructed for labor's benefit, and not her spoilatino. It might be addde that the spirit which prompts labor leaders to affiliate with the present banking methods, is certainly out of line with the noble impulses of redeem ing labor from oppression. No honest man can read the history of the methods used in building up the present financial system. move him of all and have any respect for the finished pro* duct coming as it has through all sorts of secret plots, bribes and intrigues. The so-called labor bank can succeed only by exploiting their own ranks, for under the present system all banks must have big profits in interests and discounts in or*der to overhead idling managers. P. A. SPAIN, M. D„ Paris, Texas." feed their many What Other Editors Say TWO SENATORS FROM MONTANA From The United Farmer, Bismarck, N. D. For a long time it appeared as if both Senators Wheeler and Walsh of Montana were fighting on the r side of the people and against the Power Trust of their state, but then, all of a sudden, they were unmasked by the ever watchful farmers' government of Sheridan progressives trying by every trick known to politicians to hide their black records. They were apparently fight ing the Power Trust openly but in secret actually aiding and furthering its interests. An article on the front page of The United Farmer points out how both Walsh and Wheeler are operating to help the capitalists who are robbing the farmers and workers, betraying in the most shameful manner the trust and confidence imposed in them by the producing masses of the state of Montana. The capitalist newspapers have for months been tell ing about the oil graft which is supposedly being "ex posed" by the progressive senator, Mr. Walsh, when a? a matter of fact he is merely a tool, fighting for the Rockefeller interests. Clipped From Our Exchanges county, Montana. These two senators, especially Wheeler, are posing as • The people of Montana, the masses of farmers and workers of the state, should speak in no uncertain lang guage on this great piece of treachery and get the ground good and ready for launching an energetic Farmer-Labor campaign for U. S. Senator. There is Xienty of material here for a Famer-Labor senatorial candidate to talk about while confronting the corrupt Wheeler—the tool of the Power Trust, the Anaconda Copper Mining Company and the Rockefeller interests. CHICKENS COME HOME TO ROOST From The Butte Independent. When Senators Walsh and Wheeler have enjoyed their summer holidays in foreign parts—the former in Geneva and the latter in China—and have returned to this poor benighted State of Montana to look over the natives they incidentally paid some much needed atten tion to their political fences. Thes fences are in a wretchedly bad shape and it would seem to us that it will require more than the combined political acumen of our senatorial brace to effectively repair before the next election the tremendous damage which these fences have sustained in recent years. There is no enthusiasm manifest in any locality of Montana for either of the gentlemen but the dill blasts of adverse criticism are not unlikely to assume the proportions of a tornado be tween now and election mom. The storm of disapprov al against these men has long been gathering force and intensity and is destined soon to break. -T HiW ABOUT DIXON Honorable Joieph Dixon of Missoula is again very Fron "Dawson County Review 1 much in the linelight. For several months the far seeing political prognosticators have been speculating to what "JoJ" would do in the coming campaign. Would he run fir governor, would he run for the United States Smate or would he keep out of it tirely ? Mr. Dixon has been saying nothing and saying it loudly which of course has only stirred up the excite ment the more. as en It goes without saying that the Republicans want BA1NVILLS WOMEN FORM BOOSTER CLUB Mrs. Kirch Heads Organization De signed to Further the Civic Inter ests of Progiesive Village. Bainville, March 17.—The latest progressive to the Bainville commer cial club and junior voters' league is a women's boomer club, formed re cently. At a recent organization meeting Mrs. B. H. Birch was elected president Mrs. A. E. Hilling, vice president; Mrs. S. E. Jolnson, treasurer, Walter von Escheon, secretary, meetings of the Club will be held semi monthly at the home of one of the members. The organization will work along similar lines to the chamber of commerce. Although there is no con nection between the two their fields will be similar. Mr. The First Prohibition Cases in Richland Section Are Heard Sidney, March 17.— Antone Mesmer who operates a pool room at Fairview but who lives at Sidney, was found guilty of selling whiskey to a minor. The jury was out but a few minutes and returned the verdict, ately following the return of the jury Mrs. Mesmer went on trial charged with the same offense. These are the first prohibition trials in Sidney courts since the repeal of the state law 18 Immedi months ago. For some people the week-end seems to have seven days. FARM LAND FOR SALE Hear are some real Land Bargains Get Our Terms 320 acres—N Ms 13-37-64 near Ray mond. 320 acres— NW V* 36, SW& 25-34-55 near Antelope. . „ . 320 acres— Wright Farm in Sec.3, 4-34-54 near Plenty wood 80 acres—E%SE& 13-34-54, price. $600, terms, near Plentywood. 320 acres— SE V* 16, NE V* 21-33-56 near Reserve. ., , , Secure our Dependable windstorm Insurance now.' You can t tell how might be caught unpro soon you tected. F. D. MORCK AGENCY Established 1911 Fire - Windstorm • * Automo. Montana bile Insurance Plentywood ) and fortune. want é~Doar Sedan »1295 at a New Price, Amazingly W .Cuflk* —long the leader in fine-ear vaine —now increases its margin of leader ship by new reduced prices. Now at $1295 t, o. b, the Nash factory you can buy this bi« Special Six 5 passenger 4-door Sedan—a car built to the highest standards of quality «nd style—brilliant In performance —one qf the finest. Ton can have this Sedan in an option of colors—done in the new Nash deep Instre finish The interior is upholstered in first quality mohair velvet, with inlaid wal nut paneling and period intcriorware to heighten its charm and luxury Inn« are deep tufted and fonu This Sedan, like all Nash cars, **|^J eared by the great, Nash-type motor, has Nash 2-way A-whcdbra^ the Nash straight-line drive? ^ extra easy steering, and all . luxuries of performance whic exclusively to Nash. "Wire wheels and side -carded t iooal a* "*» wheels and tires are op extra cost* Save your money, time enjoy a finer Buy this 7-bcaring and at the mode of motor** Nash Sedan! The Farmer's Garage M. E. HILL, Prop. him to enter the arena again and run—for either the senate or the governor's chair. And it also goes without saying that the copper in terests don't want him to run for anything—and least all for governor! Last month, however, he appeared in Butte as the orator of the day at a big Washington's Birthday cele bration—and was greeted by an enormous and enthusi astic crowd. He then went to Helena for a day where the Republican wheelhorses from far and near gath ered and talked things over. But still Joe said noth ing at all about his intentions! The betting, however, is that before very long he will announce himself—and probably for governor. This suspense is terrible for all the other Republican If Joe declares himself there will be no care to enter the lists against so candidates, opposition as none redoubtable an opponent. But there are a flock of ten tative candidates among the Republicans both for sena tor and for governor—and the day Joe makes his deci sjon known the air will be full of hats cast into the r *ng for other job. HAVE THE SENATORSHIP FOR THE ASKING, WHEELER HAS ABOUT RUN HIS COURSE AND IS DUE FOR A LICKING. IN FACT ANY ABLE RE PUBLICAN WILL TAKE THE TOGA AWAY FROM WHEELER IF INDEED HE ISN'T BEATEN IN THE PRIMARIES, THE GENERAL OPINION IS THAT DIXON CAN It is generally thought, however, that Dixon would much rather win the governor's chair again and indica tions are that that would not be so difficult for him to do. Governor Erickson is vulnerable, very vulnerable indeed. He made the fatal error before the last elec tion of promising to reduce the state's indebtedness. The facts are that at present Montana's indebtedness is much greater than it was four years ago—even with the added revenue from Governor Dixon's pet revenue measure, the metal mines tax, and the huge contribu tions from the Clark estate under the inheritance tax law. Governor Erickson has proved to be a delightful gentleman who makes pleasant speeches and treats ev erybody cordially—but who obeys all orders from his copper bosses. In spite of the terrific power of the metal interests and their control of nearly every daily in the state, It will probably be hard to fool the people of Montana again and the copper interests shudder to think of Dixon's rushing up and down the state laying bare their iniquities and sins! They are prepared to spend any amount of money necessary to beat him as Joe is the one man they can't, positively can't, have as governor of Montana! DEMOCRACY'S DARK HOUR From "Pioneer Press" Cutbank Never did the Montand democracy face a more grim winter of discontent and starkness of spirit than in this year of grace. Facing the troubled prospect of a fight between the forces of A1 Smith and Senator T. J. Walsh, the lead ers are looking out of blue goggles upon a world bereft of joy and peace. The horizon's rim all round about is obscured by the sable smoke of war. Most of the outstanding leaders are for Smith. De bonair, dilettante Bruce Kremer, national committee man, leader of the McAdoo forces in 1924, is most con spicuous among the Smith leaders. The larger cities of the state, where abide the bulk of the democratic rank and file, are stout for A1 and detested McAdoo ism with its klan and dry implications. This McAdoo outfit backs Walsh to cancel Smith they believe. The bitter breach between the Walsh , and Smith groups is hard enough for the chiefs to contemplate, but the utter collapse of the regime of John E, Erick son in many ways presents a more melancholy problem. Some of those in the inner counsels say that the heart breaking aspect of the situation is that John is not so cognizant of the debacle and has given no heed the bluntest hints that he now take his well earned rest in the lovely vale of the Flathead. The state situation has simply baffled the best democratic minds and their pathetic predicament is actually eliciting the sympathy of the less hardened republicans of the com monwealth. .1928 NEW BRIDGE at«,., - T0N Missouri River ti. ^ Examination. Williston, MaSTn o . an engineer renre««,.,' « , of engineers of £ & visited Williston thisSv <le ^ the request of the comfr examine changes ta£ ercia > c5f 'Urrem of the"rive?"* ft« Mith directors 0 f the ofr to a point above tv. c ^ he ^ «ark W, cut into the bank I to indicate that comiS.\. a might cut a new ri. high « ** destroy or threate^frf 1 th « ÎJS proach to the bridge * Sootl > ÎÎ Major Robb declared *v * needs early action and JlLP*** vetment work should be *2 S 2 soon as possible De Unde ftaU? thte situation brourtttoS*UkJ the proper department f.î' " oti u 1 ! sidération. ni for early Trade Unionists Not on u Chicago - (FP)- Not trade unionist was call*A a , ate's Teapot Dome coml*?' ll » " in Chicago the past about any contribution by'h " the republican national 1 ™»«lf to §1000 or over in the vea mnil ^ee of 1924 Bu, . taX«! bankers, packers, public „tii;?*** 1 nates, brewers an/manuhi&f"« rich bootlegger took tfr — one after another and admitSü ^ mg out thousands of doCfr ** ttule for Harding.ctffX"'* The location of that pro $ came very evident. Onlv ™ ' "** gave evidence and he L a T 5* unemployed A half dozen lar men, of the class of of ! wT.d even a coi confidential their bosses. The lone worker witness was t f 0 , mer waiter m the Bankers Î New York where he often nfod Harry Sinclair, the Teapot i cind his âssociatfN Kod, I 1922 The was Edward Buckley and it I dent from his manner that he va« > j veteran of his profession. He ; that Sinclair discussed the i 1 Dome bribery with 3 associate« ,, them James O'Neill of Standard M ! who skipped to France rather tk testify Secretary of the Navy Denk ! Am 1° - the lease?; thou? ! Albert Fall of the interior department was willing, Sinclair was heard to r* I mark, adding that there were $80000 ■ to $125,000 in bonds that might be useful. "Gee, I'd like to be secretaiy of the navy for a couple of years", one of the unidentified men remarked! "It's a better job than the preg. dent's," was Sinclair's canny reply, I j O'Neill and Sinclair both told the ofr I ers not to worry about getting in i trouble about the deal. Sinclair said his company was big enough to take care of them and O'Neill added vigor , ously, according to Buckley, "If Sin j clair can't the Standard Oil is big enough to protect you. Hell, we can I make hundreds of millions a year." The net result of the hearing is to show that the rich know what toy are about when they contribute to the republican party, and evidence ra produced to show that they are al» i glad to contribute to the democrat!. Both parties agreed, it was further I testified by clerks of the republican j national treasurer (the late Fred W. I Upham) not to report their contribu tions of 1923. More of the tainted ! Sinclair Liberty bonds were traced and the hearing was adjourned toff 1 convene in Washington. appeared fur Dome ii swore to There are some writers that a nress agent can't write into fan