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Show THE 7 SEARCHLIGHT They Got the $40 Eight Months Late We have pondered whether the Executive or dalled most with the old program, and have come the question as_ to the Legislature dillyfolks and the welfare to the conelusion it is a draw. The Legislature passed an impossible pension bill—SB 220—on the pretext that it would take care of the needs of the old folks. The Governor, on one of those rare occasions when he functions in an orderly way, quite properly consigned the monstrosity to the ash ean via a gubernatorial veto. That left the pensioners where they were at the beginninge—strugeling to keep alive on less than enough money. The Governor then ordered the Welfare Board to increase the pensions in perhaps a majority of cases to $40 a month. He cited the opinion of the Attorney-General, dated June 17, 1942, addressed to the Welfare Department as furnishing legal authority for the increase. All summer the Governor put off the cries of the old people for the $40 pensions with the stall that only the Legislature had authority to make the increase. Now, with the same statute in effect, and with the same opinion from the Attorney-General as was available last June, His Excellency finds he has authority to make the increase. The net result of the whole business is that The Legislature (Continued from preceding page) would gang up against the workers any old time. In the final showdown, several friends in the Senate rallied to labor’s support, and by the thin margin of one vote blunted the drive on collective bargaining. House bill 168, spearhead of the anti-union drive, which had passed the House by a vote of 33 to 24, was finally killed in the Senate by a vote of 11 to 10. Klsewhere we publish the vote of HB 168 in order that all Utah workers may have accurate knowledge about the close eall for collective bargaining. Labor should not forget the names of those 11 valiant Senators who so richly deserve the confidence and friendship of the working people of Utah. the old folks get the $40 pensions now that they were entitled to receive—and that the State had the authority to grant— in June, 1942. They have lost a total of $80 each, through the inability of the Executive to get down to brass If the unpredictable tacks eight months ago. Dr. Maw ever had the authority to grant the increase, he had it last June. The Searchlight pointed out at that time that the money should be given to the old people instead of piling it up in cold storage. A fund of 3 millions has accumulated while the Governor has fiddled. Racketeering--(Continued workers from from a eondition page 3) little better than ac- tual peonage. We submit to the people of Utah that it is time that they take note of the motives behind the vilificathe unending propaganda, abominable tion, and the malicious lies printed by the Deseret The time has come to News on labor questions. call a halt on the efforts of that miserable rag to blacken the good name of organized labor and force it into a false position in this community to the end that wages may be lowered and profits boosted when the supply of labor becomes more plentiful. prove to the people of Utah that the foreof the case, we going is not an overstatement Stephenchallenge the Deseret News, Backman, son, Edmonds, et al to print specific details of the definite informaalleged racketeering—publish tion tied to specific acts of individuals and orTo ganizations. We issue this challenge so that the labor-baiting clique may have an opportunity to prove its charges or face representations. the penalty If there is for deliberate missubstance to the print the truth, the charges of the News it can whole truth, and nothing but the truth and es- cape unscathed. If its charges are wholly groundless—as we know them to be—then suits may be filed for criminal and civil libel. |
