Evening star., 1936-08-17

switch for three years-they haven't
been putting up a fight"
What the brakeman said happens to
coincide with what SO many people
active in politics said in this vicinity
that I thought 1t might be interesting
to reproduce his exact comment.
Among people who follow public
affairs rather closely. I found also
tendency to worry about the effects
of the election itself For purely CAM
paign reason it might be thought, the
defense of Mr.. Roosevelt is sharp
among his supporters and opposition
comment is bitter among business men
and merchants But there is genuine
concern, too about what Federal pol
icy is to be toward these western
States, irrespective of who is elected.
Think of Vain Cost.
There is, for instance. quite a con-
troversy going on as to the use OF
public funds. Criticism is heard that
the New Deal spent a good deal OF
money hereaboutS and has very little
to show for it. What is the use, 1t Is
asked. of spending $25000,000 to feed
people and not give them permanent
Jobs? Also, one group which is in
tereSted in a proper water policy for
the State of Montana points to the fact
that the Federal Government over
period Of years has spent S2O,OOO,OO0
for speed, and yet the same amount
spent in water development would
oil ND
lection against drought, especially In
Eastern Montana.
This State has plenty of water. But
the drive here is to conserve it and
use it properly. 1t is not question
for Montana alone, but for Federal
and State cooperation in this whole
region. 1t seems regrettable that
both Republican and Democratic ad-
ministrations have been permitted to
tumble with conservation in this
Western country and have not worked
out better plans for the worth while
use OF land with adequate watering
facilities.
Self Sustaining Projects.
I asked some of the eXponents of
this idea If they expected the Eastern
people to pay taxes for these expert
ments and what benefit the Eastern
folks would derive. The answer given
me was that these water projects
would be self-reimbursing because
water rights would be direct charge
upon the settlers.
I was surprised to find so much
complaint about the New Deals failure
to understand Western problems. I
had supposed that money was being
poured into this Western area to
everybodys satisfaction. 1t turns out
that there are many sources of COM
plant about the nature of the projects.
AS for the w. P. A. the argument
heard is that the prevailing wage scale
idea, when based as it is on wages
in building trades and the like, gives
a w. P. A. worker about $40 a month
and he need work only six or seven
days out of the month This is done
in order to conform to the act of
Congress which Mr.. Roosevelt signed
after some controversy with the Sen
ate. The point is that the wage rates
per hour are high and the only way
the officials have found 10 get around
the law is to give the w. P. A. workers
only six or seven days month.
That's how the prevailing wage rate
per hour is paid without running up
the expense of the Government.
No Labor for Farms
But a man who can get $40 a
month and actually work only a few
days is not interested in working on
farm for S35 or even $40 month
with board and room besides For on
farm the hired hand has to get up
early and work six full days a week
in the fields. The w. P A. job is,
therefore, more attractive.
The effect of this upon Montana
farmers who want labor to harvest the
crops is one of great irritation. 1t
will cost the New Deal a good many
votes.
Butte. of course is strongly pro-
Roosevelt, as it is labor center. Re-
ports from other parts of the State
indicate that the Republicans may
have fighting chance to win if they
can marshal the discontented vote
between now and November. 1t looks
doubtful if they can. The campaign
here, however, unlike the Eastern
States, has hardly begun.