The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1941-12-10
The Observers Col
Continued from Page one)

1 imam tney Will receive. Because tHe9
are reorganizing other state govern.
ments at the same time, they have
large and well-proven facilities fol-
carrying on the job.
SOME OF THE RECOMMENDA-
TIONS of the committee have caused
violent opposition in some quarters.
On the other hand the great majority
of the committees findings have been
supported Fundamentally because
they prove that large savings in op-
Grating costs can be made without a
loss of employees or of operating eff
cheney. The reorganization of the
state hospital for the insane at Warm
Springs is a good example of this.
Everyone knows that In recent years
the hospital for the insane has been
criticized for falling to take care prop
erly of its many patients. From the
Griffenhagen group the state has re-
ceived CONSTRUCTIVE criticism for
the first time-criticism which tells
what is wrong and further and more
important, tells what can be done
about it. The same is true of the re-
port regarding other state institutions
such as the Boys Industrial School,
the Girls Vocational School, the
Montana State Prison, the hospital
at Galen, and others. The state for
first time is finding how these units
can be operated for the welfare of the
state and more important, for the well
fare of the individual patient. Here
alone, the small cost of the study will
bring many thousands of dollars re-
turn in efficient operation, rehabili-
tated citizens, happy patients and
smiling children. These intangible
values must be recognized, and we
must realize that in cleaning up these
institutions and putting them on a
sound basis, the governors commit
tee has done a fine job.
ALL THIS HAS NOT been accom-
plished without criticism. The charge
has been made that the committee is
anti-labor. The basis for this is the
urging the abolition
of the office of Labor Co-ordinator as
well as recommendations urging the
use of institutional workers to grow
and other produce and
make useful articles in order to help
themselves. Many short
sighted labor leaders seem to forget
that the FUNCTION OF the labor CO.
ordinator has not been abolished, but
that in reality 1t has merely been
transferred to another department.
Labor has long urged that Montana
have a real honest-to-goodness state
of labor. This recommen- |
dation, it is submitted, will have much
to do to make this a reality. A state |
labor department can only function If
it is able to deal with ALL labor dis
putes. In the past, the legislature |
has reduced the appropriation for the |
labor department because 1t claimed |
that its functions were being carried |
On by other departments.
AS FAR AS PRISON or institution
al labor being used to take the place
Of regular labor, that is something |
which has not been recommended by |
the Committee Their object was
merely to provide useful trades which |
he convicts and others could learn
IN order to help rehabilitate them
selves. The state has the right and
he duty to employ its own prisoners,
If inmates of other custodial institu-
ions for their own benefit and to util-
ze It's farm products in order to re-
luce the tremendous cost of maintain
ng the same, and to improve the
standard of living particularly for the
1000 unfortunates at Warm Springs
WE CAN ALL BE SURE that I'M
Ter the leadership of Governor Ford,
he reorganization committee will not
ngage in an activity detrimental to
he state. The whole purpose of the
tudy is to secure better operation of
tate government to the end that it
8 more representative and that more
md greater benefits will flow to each
Individual citizen. AS time goes on, l
m sure we will all realize the value ;
# the reorganization study. Our job
low is to see that capable legislators,
n sympathy with the reorganization
lans are elected to represent us in
he state legislature, so that this pro-
ram may pass unimpaired.