Montana labor news., 1939-12-21

Mr.. Ekern, who was always found
voting with the liberal progressive
bloc that was looking out for the
interests of the common people in
the last session, submitted a long de-
tailed report of the findings at the
university as he saw them and below
we give you excerpts from his re-
port:
Ladies and gentlemen of the as
sembly, as a member of the sub
committee of the special investiga-
tons of the Montana State Universe
ty affairs l feel that I cannot go
home to my people or face the citi-
zens of Montana with a clear con-
science until l have brought before
you certain facts now existing at our
state university at Missoula. My per-
sonal opinion is that we do not need
to go to Germany to find a Hitler,
we have one at the state university
at Missoula. I leave it to you, ladies
and gentlemen, whether my remarks
will support this statement or not.
In reading the report of the sub
committee signed by the gentlemen
from Flathead, Mr.. Moss, and Mr..
Lowe from Dawson and which l re-
fused to sign l concluded that the
report of the committee without the
amendment would simply mean this:
Go ahead DR.. George Finlay Sim
mons and raise all the hell you want
with students, faculty members
and the taxpayers money and no.
body is going to bother you until
the next two years when the next
session of the Legislature meets. The
state board of education has had
three years to remedy this situation
and no action has been taken. In
regard to the remedy recommended
by our subcommittee of two, l fail
to see that this is going to cure the
cause. Part sever of this report
states that replacing the office of
chancellor will cure the situation. l
fail to see it that way. The chan
~cellor's office is dead at the present
time. The Legislature has never
abandoned the office out no appro-
priation has been made for the func-
ton of this office for several years
by our state Legislature. In the Sec
ond place I cannot conceive how the
people of Montana a afford to
pay $4,000 for a chancellor to sit
in the capitol building here at Hell
ena as a generalissimo over the
heads Of faculty members of our
greater university system. Third, l
am satisfied the chancellor could not
remedy the situation at the state
university with DR.. Simmons as pres
ident. I feel that the situation can
be best remedied by appointing a
real president with experience to re-
store cooperation and confidence
among the faculty members. DR..
George Finlay Simmons is not big
enough for that job. 49,.
I submit, herewith, a letter writ
ten by one of the students now
attending the university speaking
for the students who have been so
severely censored by President Sim
mons:
Montana State Univ.
Missoula, Montana
February &c, 1899
III. o. Ekern,
House of Representatives
Helena, Montana,
Sir:
1t is our understanding that you
are supplied with facts and testi-
mony regarding the degree of stu
dent intimidation at Montana State
University by President George F.
Simmons. And it is our belief that
we can look only to the Legislature
for some relief from the situation.
So l make this statement on behalf
of a student body that dares not
speak its own mind, to verify the
existence of an intolerable condition.
AS a student, l was one of those
called to Simmons office, two years
ago, and told that Montana had no
place for a chapter of the American
Student Union; that students had no
business discussing the Keeney case,
or any other action of the admins
tration; and that we could either
disband and be "cooperators" or take
the consequences-which were pic
tured in no uncertain terms. We did
disband.
AS chairman of the student COM
mittee for voluntary ROTC, l saw a
petition signed by one-half of the
student body, resolutions passed by
student organizations, including the
Systematically council, calling for a
faculty vote on the ROTC question,
met with the flat statement by Sim
mons that the problem was one for
him alone to decide. Student and
faculty vote alike were denied us.
AS a member of the student body
I saw Simmons call a meeting of
selected trained seals from the stu
dent body, present them a Estate
ment of Union Policy" SHOULD be
Statement of Anti Union Policy")
and subsequently announce that the
students had drafted it as an ulti-
matum containing their defiance of
the unions.
AS one interested in campus and
state affairs, l have watched the
montana Kaimin" DEGENERATE from