Montana labor news., 1939-08-10
Welfare COMMISSION STARVING PEOPLE

IIG1ls n AA(0hAAAS N0o ~ ~ go
Placer hotel to which everyone in
terested in the relief situation was
invited. At that meeting, Joseph
Parker, state administrator of the
WPA, appeared at our request and
explained the relief condition with
especial reference to the federal
governments participation in the
water conservation projects which
would employ several thousand re-
lief workers. If the water %conserva-
ton appropriation was reduced, he
explained, of course the federal
money available would be cores
pondingly reduced and a reduction
in the number of men employed
would naturally result. It might be
we'll to mention here that the Gov
ernor besides recommending a cut
in the welfare appropriation also
recommended a cut in the water con-
~servation appropriation as passed by
the House in House bill No. 426 from
$750,000 to about $45O,000, or a re-
duction of $300,000 well knowing
that this potential source of employ
ment for men on relief would be
lost and that they, the workers,
would be thrown back on our public
welfare department for means of
livelihood. The result Of the dis
cussion at this meeting over which l
presided was the adoption Of the
resolution requesting the Senate and
House to suspend the rules in order
that revenue measures could be re-
introduced to provide funds to
properly take care of our relief prob
lem. An effort was made in the
House by the progressive members
to bring up this program, but it was
impossible for us to muster enough
strength to pass a resolution sus-
pending the rules. l might say here
that out of 102 members in the
House, we, of the progressive bloc,
could muster no more than 80 or 81
votes. All we could do then, was to
await the strategy of the Governor
and his board of corporation advisers.
1t might be pertinent to inform
you at this time that for three or
four days after the defeat of the
gambling bill, the corporation lob
byists, who were always in evil
dence around the corridors of the
House and Senate, were nOticeably
absent and the day that they re-
turned to their posts, the Senate
and House received a special mes
sage from the Governor, wherein
he stated that due to the fact that
the 100000 debenture road pro-
gram would soon go into effect
and afford employment to a good
many people on relief, and further,
that the unemployment payments
would begin during the month of
July, and as a consequence there
of, he recommended in this special
message that the Senate reduce the
House appropriations for the well
fare fund over One-half million
dollars, or as follows: for the quar-
ter beginning April l and ending
June 30 from S847, 500 to 100000,
or a cut of S247, 500; and for the
biennium, a cut from S2,350,0O0 to
S2,001,0O0, or a reduction of $780,
900. This made a total reduction
in our welfare fund of S596,500.
The Senate finance committee took
the matter under consideration, con-
suited with the state accountant and
welfare officials, and was advised
that sufficient money existed to
operate the welfare department as it
had been operated for the past two
years and would adequately take
care of our relief problem with the
cuts as the Governor had recon-
mended. Pursuant then to the Gov
errors request, the Senate finance
committee reduced the House appro-
priations and reported them out to
the Senate. That body passed the
bill as their committee had recon-
mended. It was necessary then that
the House and Senate both appoint
conference committees to adjust the
differences in the bill.
Now, again, the state accountant
furnished figures showing that there
was sufficient money to adequately
operate the department AS a result
of his testimony, the House confer
ence committee accepted the Senate
reductions.
/ might point out to you at this
moment, that at the start of the
session, when the original welfare
appropriation bills passed the
House, neither the Governor or
any state official or state depart
ment made any protest and did
not call the attention of the House
appropriation committee to other
revenues which could be made
available for the welfare depart
ment. But after the defeat of the
gambling bill and the conference
of the Governor and his advisors,
then the information was present
ed that sufficient funds existed to
offset the reductions asked for by
the Governor. II was the 59th day
of the session when the conference
committees report was brought
back to the House.
AS to the strategy now used by the
Governor and the conservative lead
ership in the House to drive through