The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1941-04-02
In OTHER
WORDS
By JOHN sTAHLBERG

Editors Note: Mr. Stahlberg re-
lates some of his personal expert
ences below, and in so doing, pre-
sents a graphic picture of conditions
obtaining in our state. The Voice
considers the story Of the existence
of the political and economic sys-
TENS of the state and nation, in
which every individual must share
responsibility. READ 1T, THINK
AND ACT
EXCERPTS FROM AFFIDAVIT mad,
before Oscar Crutchfield, a Notary
Public of Missoula, Nov. 2, 1910:
State of Montana.
County of Missoula, IS.
John Stahlberg, being duly sworn, de
poses and says:
l have long been troubled with /.
pterygium, a progressive thickenine
of the conjunctiva of the eyeball. All
my plans and the plans of my family
have been made with the hope OF
some day having this obstruction to
vision removed. The certainty OF
otherwise slowly losing my eyesight
| is a horror with which | have lived
in daily intimacy through many years
From February 1885 to August 1899
worked for the Federal Writer'S
Project !. In August 1897 became
chief editor for Montana. A year
later I became in fact regional edi-
tor in charge of final work on Wyo-
ming as we'll as Montana copy. In
January 1889 l was also placed in
charge of Utah copy. =. I worked
virtually night and day despite con-
slant trouble with my eyes. The
State Guides l edited were rated
among the best of the forty-eight;
proofs of the Montana Guide were
sent out as models to many state edi-
toria1 staffs besides those in Utah and
Wyoming.
had no friends in political or WPA
administrative circles. The admins
traitor for Montana, Joseph E. Parker,
had in fact conceived stubborn per-
sonal antagonism to me because of
his failure in 1887 effort to replace
me with (another NAM When
the State Director of the Writer'S
Project protested that (the change)
would hinder the project, Administra-
tor Parker shouted: 81 don't care
whether you get any work done or
not, as long as you keep things
quiet!"
In September 1899 the project
passed from Federal to State control.
Knowing that it would be shut down
during the change, l (went) to Port
land, Oregon, to consult specialists
Despite the shutdown I took the pre-
caution of obtaining a months leave
of absence, with the understanding
that l might need more. +. sub
mitted to an operation upon the left
eye, then waited to learn the outcome
before undergoing second operation
On September rs Michael Kennedy
I. wrote me: Report directly to
Missoula by the first of October or
let me know where you are" . He
anu MI. oil hCI UOLu hu0W WuGI0 i
was and why :. Against the protests
of my doctor, left the work on my
eyes unfinished and made the 600
mile return trip to Missoula I re-
ported for work on the first workday
in October and repeatedly thereafter,
but did not find the supervisor in the
office until Octboer 16. He then in
formed me that the only staff position
besides his own had gone to Mrs.
Eleanor Plummer, my former assist
ant, who had often boosted that
she had got her job as my assistant
by applying pressure" Other men,
bers of Mrs. Plummer's family were
drawing Federal salaries at the same |
time.
Missoula, Mont, March 81, 1871 |
Dear Friend
l am satisfied that Senator Wheeler |
has done all that can be done in the |
natter of my Civil Service status. An
operation for me at this time is out |
If the question; even if it could be
arranged l am not sure that it would
Iolve that problem. The Civil Serv-
ce Commission now demands evil
Ience Of complete cure" Pterygia
AN be relieved by surgery, but If I
understand the condition, complete
ure is not even possibility. At
'est 1 should probably require two
perations instead Of one. My left
we never had a fair chance to heal
and the only work l found
o do last summer and fall exposed
to wind and dust and re-established
o some extent the irritation which
aused the first pterygium to develop.
llthough l have tried as hard as l
ould to avoid going back on the
vPA, it looks as If everything else
J closed to me.