The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1943-10-21
Great Flood of
Federal Employees
.
'om Caverly in The Valerianl

(Tom Caverly in The Valerian)
MontanaS war council hit the nail
on the head and minced no words
in telegram sent Friday to the
head of one of the various alpha
betical war agencies when they
wired protest to the employment
of another army of federal en-
ployes IN the state at high salaries.
The council termed the expense as
being needless and a wrongful use
of money being raised by the sale
of war bonds
This policy should be immediate
4 ~ followed up by individuals and
organizations writing and wiring
their senators and representatives
along the same line.
The council was informed that
word had come from the district
headquarters that additional en-
ployes should be put on the payroll
of both the OPA and WPB and that
the heads of these agencies in the
state had entered their protests but
were told that the budget was set
up for more employees and that they
would be put on.
When OPA was set up in Mon
tana the program had nothing more.
than ratloning to handle and up
to that time one man, who hap
pened to be the writer. was hand
ling work on a voluntary basis. The
order came to Immediately make
arrangements to put on 81 men.
Vigorous protests were sent in
against this needless waste Of money
but to no avail The writer refused
to have anything to do with the
matter, and as the records will
show, quit. Many more than the
81 have been employed with many
of them having little or nothing to
do.
The salvage division of the WPB
had a vast program ahead at that
time IN getting scrap iron gathered
from all over the state There was
one employe taking care of the
work and the writer then Joined
him. The bulk of the work, in fact
practically all of it. was being done
by volunteers in the various coun-
ties One paid employee was to re-
main in the office and direct things
from there, keeping track of the
places where the scrap was needed
most while the other was to help
the various county volunteer COM
mittees with any problems they
were unable to cope with. This was
working good until the budget was
greatly increased and for that rea-
son only, two more men were add
ed. This was protested without
avail. There was nothing for these
men to do outside of ride around the
state at five cents per mile and at
flat $500 per day allowance for
living expenses beside the salary.
Later the budget was increased
again and two more men were add
ed, one Of these at $4,000 More
vigorous protests were made to
Washington against this waste of
money. When word came that the
seventh man was to be put on, the
writer wrote a strong letter of pro
test in resignation and refused to
have anything more to do with the
program on. paid basis He then
came to Waller and as all readers
at that time will recall, exposed the
waste of money in all departments.
As direct result, all but two of
the men were soon taken from the
salvage division payroll in the state.
Protests then ceased and things
were running smooth with the bulk
of the scrap material all shipped
out of Montana Then came word
that the budget had again been set
up to fake care Of an additional
six co men on the salvage division.
Both Governor Ford and State Sal
wage Chairman William E. Rec pro-
tested this increase in employees
who were needless. As a result the
number was cut to three
These men have not as yet been
put on and it is hoped that enough
protests will be sent to Washington
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