The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1945-01-04
Discusses Many
Problems in Message
Continued from page II

state Board OF Examiners for adj
certising Montana, especially .-fos
tourist travel and its natural re
sources.
He asked for additional funds TO
provide adequate housing it the
state hospital in Warm Springs.
calling attention to the fact thai
although the 100000 bond issue
for construction at the institution
is nearly paid off. construction
costs have risen from IS to 10 per
cent and more money is needed
Ford asked that S50000 be APP
propriated for use by the state
Board of Examiners for arcnitec-
tural and engineering services SO
that the state building program can
begin at the earliest possible mo-
ment' rather than delaying preliin-
mary work at a costly loss of time
Stresses Highway Program
Ford stressed the huge program
of the state highway department
for a general overall systerl OF
highways. including tie rebuilding
of all substandard highways. the
completion of the seven per cen:
system, and the construction Of sec
ondary or farm to-market roads
This program calls for the ex-
penditure Of SAT, 100000 in the three
years Immediately following the
war and provision for financing
long-term highway program NOR
its your present consideration" he
said
Ford called attention to Nor
tana's share of federal aid funds t.
be appropriated by Congress for
postwar highway construction, to-
falling s24,000,000. The present high.
way fund balance will be able tc
match federal aid ALLEGATIONS on !
| $3.50 basis for one year, Ford said
but provisions should Be made for
financing highway program to
extend for several years more.
The governor urged that joint
committees investigate the opera
tions and needs Of the states ning
custodial institutions with rur-
pose toward immediate corrective
action" Another necessary legs
lative task, Ford said, must Be to
raise the academic standing ol
Montana's university system so that
lit meets national accredited stand
ards.
Other Recommendation
He recommended that the state
Board of Education be reconstructed
through constitutional amendment
to give it broader powers, and that
| the university's six units be organ
lied as single administrative in
stitution with a unified budget and
an integrated educational program
Dealing with the $50 needy aged
now contributing to the population
congestion at the State Hospital
Ford recommended that home for
the aged be established as soon al
possible.
The time has come" Ford said
ito strengthen our social security
laws There is little Montana
can do to improve the federal ole
age system !. but perhaps our oWr
most effective way of counterlns
the growing threat Of fedelaliza
ton is to strengthen our own state
programs.
Similarly, we are nov iii a posi-.
ton where we can. with prudence
and safety, liberalize our benefit
structure" for disabled worker:
through the unemployment com.
pensation program. Also, our pres
ent teachers retirement salary Law
is wholly inadequate, Ford said
recommending that the legislature
cure its deficiencies and put the
plan on sound basis.
He added that serious attention
be given a proposal to establish !
'retlrement% system for state en-
ployes, warning that unless tht
state makes suitable provision 70,
its employees, federal social securl
ty laws will be extended to brint
these employees into the federal SIS
tenn.
Ford tempered his statement tha
the state government is in TIKI
best financial condition in its his
tory by warning that these ar,
not normal times" and that we
cannot safely assume that the state
governments income will remain a
j the current figure
He recommended that the prop
erty tax for state general funf
purposes, which has not been LEVIED
for three years, be renewed 80 a,
to build up as large a surplus a,
possible for less favorable time,
and especially for our postwar pro
gram.
| Finally, Ford recommended tht
creation of a separate Department
of Labor, and If not, I'VE should
either make more adequate finan
cial provision for enforcing our Ia
Dor laws or cease our attempt /,
enforce Them