Checking copyright.gov for Butte Montana Standard turns up no listings, indicating no copyright renewals. "King Features Syndicate" is shown at the bottom of the page and the word "copyright" or the copyright symbol was never invoked. Checking "King Features" found many renewals-most focused on their cartoons like Popeye, etc. Renewals for King Features Illustrated Weekly and King Features Weekly from that time frame clearly state they are for "text"-not photos, as follows:
Type of Work:
Text
Registration Number / Date: RE0000455926 / 1989-12-13
Renewal registration for: A00000511037 / 1961-06-29
Title: King Features weekly.
Copyright Claimant: King Features Syndicate, Inc. (PCW)
Type of Work:
Text
Registration Number / Date: RE0000455921 / 1989-12-13
Renewal registration for: A00000511032 / 1961-06-29
Title: King Features illustrated weekly.
Copyright Claimant: King Features Syndicate, Inc. (PCW)
Type of Work:
Text
Registration Number / Date: RE0000455925 / 1989-12-13
Renewal registration for: A00000511036 / 1961-06-22
Title: King Features weekly.
Copyright Claimant: King Features Syndicate, Inc. (PCW)
Type of Work:
Text
Registration Number / Date: RE0000455920 / 1989-12-13
Renewal registration for: A00000511031 / 1961-06-22
Title: King Features illustrated weekly.
Copyright Claimant: King Features Syndicate, Inc. (PCW)
This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published in the United States between 1929 and 1977, inclusive, without a copyright notice. For further explanation, see Commons:Hirtle chart as well as a detailed definition of "publication" for public art. Note that it may still be copyrighted in jurisdictions that do not apply the rule of the shorter term for US works (depending on the date of the author's death), such as Canada (50 p.m.a.), Mainland China (50 p.m.a., not Hong Kong or Macao), Germany (70 p.m.a.), Mexico (100 p.m.a.), Switzerland (70 p.m.a.), and other countries with individual treaties.