The producers news. [volume], March 23, 1928, Page PAGE TWO, Image 2

About The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937

Image provided by: Montana Historical Society; Helena, MT

                
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