The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1943-05-14
The Special Session


special session of the legislature temporarily,
avoided the need for not appar
but because the with the help of the State Wei
possible do by employing the general
the State Welfare Board for the purchase of supplies
the at the State Hospital for the Insane
and the Boulder training school,
The State Welfare Board may may not be exceeding
authority opinion that had the question
been submitted to the state supreme court would
held that could its appropriated funds for the
purchase of materials and for the payment of salaries for
state institution Were is not for the hardship enaed for
many the representatives to to Helena for
ca session at this time court action to stop the Welfare Board
from using its funds in that would probably have been
instituted Because of the difficulties that of the leg
would have had meet there be for
it's action.
to be stretching points The in its
Gently opinion take the view that the
sponsy for supplying needed funds to the state hospital
wholly and completely the legislature, that body
having appraised of the needs of the institution.
may also definitely be assumed that neither the last
legislature any previous had appropriated money
the State Welfare Board with the plan in mind that
part such appropriation should be used for of
institution in the state The question OF how 1t happens that
Welfare Board had surplus of $4,000 to for
purposes apt be raised by the people of the state de-
pendent upon the judgment OF the State welfare Board Tor
assistance
Moreover whether the action board legal or
whether strikes the ayman only of the
important features Does this action by the State We'll
Board establish precedent? Can the other state ns
buttons upon Welfare Board ace in the
hole in they find themselves short of funds? Will flu
re legislative sessions look with suspicion on the requests for
appropriations for the State Welfare Board the grounds
apparently had funds than needed for its
now? And will not the next session of the legislature bel
justified doing We wonder if the members of the
thought of all possible future of their act
We do not mpute the the Welfare Board
unworthy motives in their action but question the wis
the believe that there ethical
involved which rebound adversely upon them
nullfy their probably entirely good nten
tons.
The State Welfare Board should certainly know by
after of experience that generally speaking the
average legislative assembly Montana not too deeply
with providing adequate funds for the welfare work
the for other performing social service
the of the last and previous legislative
be about the welfare of the patients at the State Hospital
Both Of the last two sessions had conditions at this institution
forcibly presented them But the conditions there still
today of disgrace the people of the
state
We know that many of the members of the last
deeply disturbed by these conditions But they
helpless in the face of the leadership and the majority
We believe that important that the people of the state
cognzance these conditions and demand that they be
remedied and adequately
Moreover believe state operates under
law loosely drawn that heller SHELTER transfers of its funds
another be made the law should be amended And
above ALL believe that the welfare department should
all of it's appropriated funds for old assistance aid for the
needy blind and aid for dependent children not to pull the
chesnus of stupidity reaconary and recacant legislature
out of the fire.