The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1947-08-01
NAM-Controlled-
Continued from Page one)

eign dominated. Funds to implement
the "hate Russia" program, although
forthcoming, were for most part dras-
tically curtailed. Attitude of many in
the congress seemed to be one of
wanting to play the game, but reluct-
ance over footing the bill.
Public Power
Continuation of existing public pow
er facilities and establishment of addi-
tional ones, are in a precarious posi-
ton at the hands of the present con-
gress. No less than six bills, one of
which passed the house only to be
blocked in the senate, were intro
duced, which, if enacted into law
would seriously cripple existing opera
tiOns, and kill off future developments
IVA, which is now paying return
upwards of SO million to the govern
ment per year, was hit by refusal of
the congress to appropriate sufficient
funds to efficiently carry on its null
tiple functions.
Worst power bills were those intro
duced by Representative Miller OR,
Conn.,, which if enacted, would free
most private utilities from federal
power commission supervision, force
publicly-owned operations to charge
higher rates, and drastically alter the
long-standing definition of "navigabil-
ity" of streams. Passage of the Miller
bills, in final essence, would make it
possible for the Montana Power Com
pany to own, for all practical pur-
poses, the Missouri river and its trib-
utaries here in Montana.
Control of Initiation
AS in most other fields, here again |
the congressional majority proved it |
self totally incapable of doing anything |
to stop the inflationary spiral the
nation has been in every since July 1, |
1916. This congress finished the job !
of the 18th in putting formal end to
price controls. Also, at the behest of |
the real estate and landlord lobby it
passed a phony rent control law with |
a blackjack" clause attached, where ,
by another Is per cent in rentals could |
be chiseled out of tenants In addi- |
ton, this same law washed out prac-
tically all controls over housing, mate
rials, ETC., leaving them in a free"
market much the same as meat.
Four Bright Spots
Strange as it may seem, consider
ing the amount of legislation to come
before the congress, there were only
four major bright spots on the agenda.
These included:
Confirmation of David Lilienthal as
head of the civilian atomic energy
commission after a long and bitter
fight by Senator McKeller and the
power trust lobby to block it via the
red smear" campaign method.
Confirmation of Gordon Clapp to
head IVA after shorter-lived opposi-
ton from same sources opposing
Lilienthal
Approval of bill making it possible
for GIs to cash their terminal leave
bonds Immediately
Establishment of a national science
Notwithstanding long needed to
effectively fight such killers as can
'er, heart disease, etc.
Unfinished Business
Black as was the record of what &
ongress did accomplish, possibly even B
more dismal was what it didn't do. B
1ere is a check list on what congress
allied to accomplish as reported by 4
he Federated Press:
Refused to consider raising the min h
mum wage level from the present 4Oc .
n hour to 65-75c.
Blocked long range federal housing
rograms, buried hopes for veterans
ONES.
Filed away proposals for Fair =
employment Practice act, while the
enate ignored House-passed bill
rohibiting the poll tax.
Refused to consider health insurance
nd medical aid bills.
Declined to extend the anti trust
TVS to restrict mergers.
Failed to approve federal aid to ed
cation by lifting the level of public
1ucation in the free public schools.
Stopped hope of widening the social
scurity laws to cover millions still
+<x4 L.