The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1943-03-12

Mr.. President:

Mr.. President:
We, your special Joint COMMITTEE
of the House and Senate, appointe,
tana State Hospital at Warm Springs
submit herewith our report on sucl
investigation.
A request has been registered tina
this report be made in considerable
length and detail, and there seen
good reasons for acceding to such
reques, namely, (a) because the mem
bers of the legislature and the people
of the state generally wish to have
the full facts with regard to condi-
tions at Warm Spring, (b) because
time and distance do not permit many
people to make personal visits to this
hospital and see for themselves just
how things go, and (c) because such
inspection tours are disturbing to the
patients and not to their best inter-
ests, hence are to be discouraged.
Because of these reasons, we feel the
Numbers of the legislature should be
given the complete story and thus be
in position to know all details of
our findings.
The responsibility for the welfare
of these patients and the conditions
under which they live, lies after all
with the legislature and the people
Of the state, and is merely passed
down, through the governor and the
state board of examiners, to the SUI
perintendent of the institution, who
in turn is held accountable. The SUI
perintendent's task has been made diff
tors, among which may be noted the
following, (a) lack of sufficient ap-
preparation to meet the many needs
of the patients and the institution,
(b) the stoppage, due to the war
emergency, of construction of new
buildings at the institution, for which |
bonds were voted by the state in 1940 |
which still leaves a badly over
crowded condition there, and (c) an
apparent division of authority at the
institution which has hampered the
superintendent in his management of
affairs.
General Management
This apparent division of authority
resulted from the setting up of three
departments of endeavor at the insti-
tuition, each with it's own head in
keeping with the recommendations of
the reorganization committee. These
three division heads are presumably
answerable to the superintendent.
But, while the medical and nursing
divisions are so closely associated
to look to him for guidance, the divi-
sion of business management has I
rather come to regard itself as sep ;
arate entity. And since the head of ,
his division had his appointment i
rom Helena, not from the superin- +
.endent, he does not feel answerable
% the superintendent to any great de- =
gree. There seems to be no outright c
conflict between the two, but the re- o
ationship is strained, and they man =
lge to work together in fair degree Il
II harmony by each keeping off the '
,ther fellows ground. This situation, +
however, is expected to be cleared up =
through legislation now before the as
emily, which will give the superin- +
endent full authority to chose his 7
wn assistants. u
business Management b
In the actual management of affairs Il
bout this institution, some questions 1t
ave been raised, your committee s
as to the judgment and abil-
~ of the present business manager. a
'hese have to do with the work about S;
ne farm particularly and may in some p
asses be justified, while in others it tt
an be shown that the business man fs