Montana labor news., 1939-06-29
BOARD OF EXAMINERS
GRANTS HEARING
CONTINUED from Page y

fore county and state boards and
administrators, and reports that it
was refreshing to meet public Off
cials who not only expressed sympa-
thy, but are willing to provide a
public showdown upon the welfare
situation.
County boards have alibis and
blame the Legislature, the Governor,
and the State Board. The State
Board and administrator blame the
Legislature. The Governor blames
the Legislature. The Supreme Court
blames the Legislature, and invests
the administrator and State Board
with power to keep the people in
restitution and degradation. Be
tween all of them, the result is that
single men and women were denied
clothing and shelter during April,
May and June. They were given
$40 for food in April; 81 in May, and
not one red cent in June.
Men who cannot work were forced
by necessity to submit to confine-
ment in the county jail buildings,
living on two meals a day, the last
of which was provided at 3 o'clock
in the afternoon.
The needy aged, needy dependent
children, and unemployed are forced
to live under conditions way below
the starvation line; and public de-
cency and health have been out
ragged.
Are we going to confess-like the
public officials-that nothing can be
done about it? Last week a plan
of campaign was published in the
Montana Labor News, and has been
sent to the liberal papers through
out the state. The statewide meet
ing was called. 1t is up to the people
to see that every county in the state
is represented. Each county repre-
sentative coming to Helena on July
8 should be familiar with local con-
ditions. The county commissioners
of each Countrywide are ex officio
members Of the County Welfare
Boards-should be present, and bring
with them accurate figures as to the
amount needed to administer the
Welfare Act. Senators and members
of the Legislature from each county
should be contacted and asked to
attend. Up to the present all alibis
blame them. The Supreme Court
has decided that they knew that the
amount appropriated by them was
not sufficient to carry out the pur-
poses of the act; and that they de-
~liberately intended that the needy
should 60 in want. They should
also be asked whether, if a special
session of the Legislature is called,
they will vote for an adequate appro-
priation to prevent further destitu-
ton in the state. Tell them this.
that the state meeting on July 9 will
make plans for the presentation oil
evidence to the State Board OF
Examiners, to show the conditions
under which the appropriations were
made, so that the State Board OF
Examiners can decide whether the
Legislature knew that it was moi
appropriating enough money to pro
vide for the needy.
Mr.. O'Donnell reports that the
committee was received with rea.
concern by Mr.. Freebourn and Mr.
Mitchell, a majority of the State
Board of Examiners. These public
officials have no alibis, but have
plenty of sympathy with the needs
of the people. But above all they
impressed the committee that they
would do something about it. This
is the first time that application ha,
been made to this board. The com
mittee feels sure that technicalities
blame-fixing and red tape will no.
be permitted by either Mr.. Free.
bourn or Mr.. Mitchell, to blind then
to the real issue: the need Of the
people.
The Plan of Campaign will work
But only if we have a large anc
representative gathering at Helen;
on July 8. There r many Other
matters to be discussed which need
the cooperation of all of the counties
Of the state. If your organization
was not represented before, you mus
send a representative to this meet
ing, unless your organization wants
to be classed with the buck-passeri
and neutrality-suspicious. whC
have made it possible for the we'll
fed, well-paid and indifferent publ,
officials to pocket their salaries anC
laugh at the distress Of the needy
This is not e%xaggeration. Governol
Ayers laughed in the presence of
committee, when asked to do some
thing for the admitted m~eritorioui
needs of those entitled to receive
public assistance.
Appeal is here made to every citi
zen Of the state to be in Helena, a
the Capitol, on July 8, at 10 o'clocl
a. m. All farmer, labor, ~fraternal
religious, Townsend, social anc
charitable organizations, and all or
CARNATIONS of any kind, interested
in the public welfare, are asked t
send delegates. Mr.. Frank Finne
gan, of Anaconda, state president o
the Welfare Council, will preside
and plans will be made, not only
for tLO ororoN4,4so~ 80 Az o,ro ~