The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1942-03-06
ON OUR
DOORSTEP
By PARKER t. ANDERSON

| L
We are not shocked to see in the
list of those voting for the pension
grab the name of Sen. Wheeler who is
generally wrong, but we are dismayed
Of the sedate Senator Murray who is
generally right. If either one Of these
worthless had advocated such a meas
ure in his campaign he would still be
making out briefs in his Butte law
office instead of plotting the nation
| in it's most trying moment. 1t has
become an adage that few persons can
be trusted to spend other peoples
money and this instance is simply a
verification. School children, ditch
diggers and chore women who buy
victory stamps will wonder how much
of their hard earned cash will go
to build tanks and aircraft and what
part will be used to pension politi-
clans already receiving $4,000 year
for their services.
1t was Woodrow Wilson who said
in his New Freedom every time 1
start to write the word reform some
one nudges my elbow and says, Don't
do that it hurts my business"
President Roosevelt is having the
same experience in getting his de-
Tense program to function 1009d. The
big industrialists who have hundreds
of millions in government orders
which will require two or three years
to complete are loath to surrender
any part of the business to small
plants which are idle because of the
rationing of raw material. Since la
Dor has settled down to steady pull
it is big business that needs to be-
have itself.
During the Civil war Lincoln doubt
less had a similar experience which
led him to say: Must we shoot the
innocent deserter boy while the arch
traitors go unhung?"
There is little doubt but the wheat
farmers will vote for marketing quo
tas on May 2. There is sufficient
bread grain in storage and in sight
to serve the nation and take care of
our normal export requirements for
two years. The growers must realize
If there are to be no quotas there will
be no granary loans. This would
leave the wheat market standing on
thin air.
A nasty quarrel seems to be going
On at Washington between the Ma
tional Farm Bureau Federation and
The Federal Security Administration.
The Bureau has virtual control of fed
oral moneys arising under the Smith
Lever act and is said to be using it's
influence and personnel to promote
he welfare of the big cotton planters
If the south and neglecting the poor
President O'Neal of the Bureau Fed
is accused of following a pol
cy akin to that of Montana's Grass
Commission; take care of the big fell
ows and let the small fry learn to
,e rugged individuals. The Bureau
federation is backing Senator Byrd
md his southern colleagues who want
0 abolish Farm Security on the plea
Il national economy. G. B. Baldwin,
lead of Farm Security in testifying
efore the Byrd committee pulled no
lunches. He said: "Mr. O'Neal by no
tretch of the imagination can be con-
idered representative of the low
ncome farmers"
Farmers are in better position to
leet the demands of war time con-
itions than any other group of pro-
ucers. SURPRISES in many lines are
till oppressive and hold markets at
wv levels. In the first World war
lontana wheat fetched two dollars
er bushel and supply was not equal
, demand. If it were not for the
DOR of IS cents bushel provided
y the New Deal wheat at primary
arkets would fetch around SO cents
'day. Five months ago an alert was
FUNDED for more eggs. Now the
ountry is threatened with surplus
I'D the market is jittery. Just drop
HiChel Ill lie ldTmeIS SiOL anu the
IN hears 1t jingle.
A Red Cross drive is in progress
Blaine county and the rural folks
q as usual responding literally.
be assault on Pearl Harbor, the
mixing of American shipping, the
,mbing of our shore at Santa Bar
ira and anxiety for the beleaguered
rces under General Macarthur have
ndled the flames of war in the citi-
ms of our peaceful country side
le Big Flat quota is twelve hundred
liars which means one and one-half
liars for each man woman and child
the settlement. May every penny
eed upon it's mission of mercy.