The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1940-03-28
Many Enjoy
First Easter
Egg Hunt
About $50 Children and
Many Elders Gather for
Popular Affair.
TALKS TO LIONS ON
UNEMPLOYMENT AID

An estimated $50 children par
ticipated last Sunday in the first
Easter egg hunt ever to be held in
Libby. That was the report sub
mitted to the Lions club by j. w
Farris, at the meeting of the club
Monday night. A large crowd, in
addition to those participating,
gathered at the school grounds for
the event and seemed to enjoy the
affair immensely. The common re-
mark was that it was one of the
best affairs ever staged by the Lions.
Jack Swarens also reported re-
garding the egg hunt He said he
had heard some objections to the
12-year age limit, and concluded
from the interest shown that here
after the age limit ought to be
placed at about IS.
Extends Thanks
F, Lion Paul Church, who presided
in the absence of President Driear,
said he wished to extend the thanks
of the club to the WPA recreational
council for their assistance in stag
| ing the affair. He also wished to
thank the management of the Koo-
tenai Theatre for the gift of five
free admission tickets which were
used as prizes in the hunt.
Barclay Craighead of Helena,
chairman of the Unemployment
Compensation Commission of Mon
tana, was guest speaker of the ev-
ening He explained at some de-
tail the workings of the commission.
He said the unemployment tax paid
by employers of the state would
average from two to three million
dollars annually. A fund of six
million dollars had been collected
as a reserve before the paying of
unemployment benefits was started
the first OF last July. Next July l
will be the. end of the first year
that unemployment benefits have
been paid Eve are hopeful that
the total amount paid out during
this first year." said Mr.. Craighead,
will not exceed the amount collect
ed from the employers during the
same year. However, it should be
realized continued Mr.. Craig
head, that we were fortunate in
striking quite a favorable year for
our first payments. We found in
dustry on an up-swing, which re-
suited in the payments being lighter
than they would be through a pc
Rod Of low employment. If this
favorable condition continues, we
will probably not have to cut into
the reserve to make payments
Is New Venture
Mr.. Craighead said the unem-
ployment law was new venture. 1t
undoubtedly has some faults that
ought to be corrected, he said Nat
urally the operation of the plan will
be improved as more experience is
gained, was his thought "Inas-
much as there are some people who
cannot. or will not, provide for their
own0car during periods of unem-
ployment and for old age, it appar-
emily is becoming more and more
the conviction that society must set
up some form of forced saving
whereby those people can be taken
care of. | presume unemployment
and social security laws will be
amended, added to and changed in
many ways for the next so years,
but after the plan is finally perfect
ed / believe it will prove as bene-
fetal to the nation as the public
school system has proved in its
field" said the speaker.
Mr.. Craighead said he believed
the plan would work out success
fully if the commission continued
on the plan it has adopted of pay
ing its way as it goes. But if the
commission embarks on the issuing
of bonds to finance its payments, if
it begins to draw on the future, he
was convinced it would head into
trouble and probable failure.
Boy Scouts Active
Ralph Child of Kalispell, Boy
Scout executive, was present and
spoke briefly. He said there are IS
Boy Scout cubs in Libby who are
holding regular meetings with their
mothers and are very active There
are from 80 to IS Boy Scouts who
are also very active. Mr.. Child
said there are a number of other
boys in the city who desire to be-
come Scouts, and stated he was
meeting that evening with those in
terested in an attempt to make ar
rangements to take care of them.
Marshall Murray was appointed
publicity chairman for the Boy
Scout rally to be held in Missoula
later in the summer.
Mr.. Murray also reported he had
drawn an ordinance to provide for
operation of the bicycle safety cam
paign, said ordinance to be submit
ted to the city council with a re-
quest for its passage.
M D. Rowland called attention
to the joint meeting of civic clubs
to be held April A.
; Don Orr reported that he and two
other Lions had done some repair
work on the pipeline to the foun-
tain at Kootenai Falls, but said 9TH