The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1947-12-19
By WALTER AITKEN


and farming population of Montana
The Peoples Voice does not, by ac-
cident or design, resort at times to
the propaganda methods it so vigor-
ously condemns in the so-called, and
quite correctly so-called, company
press of the state. The latest, and
perhaps most fragrant example of that
sort of thing by The Peoples Voice,
as it seems to me, was your publica-
ton in your issue of November 20, ult.,
of the article, page wide, top of first
page, and scare-headed Fails Labor
About Against City Manager PROPOSE
ton" It's authorship is concealed I'M
der the dubious and suspicious title Of
Great Falls Correspondent" What
personal and selfish interest, if any,
your Correspondent, aided and
abetted by that Peoples Voice publica-
ton had or has in defeating the "City
Manager Proposition" in Great Falls
is left open to conjecture and such
conjectures may, justifiably, be credit
able neither to the Correspondent"
nor to The Peoples Voice. The tim
ing of the article alone justifies such
discreditable imputations. The cleo
ton was to be held on December /.
The publication was made on Novem-
Der 2S, three days before the election
day, including the day of publication,
and one of those three days Sunday.
Such a timing of the publication was,
in spirit and effect, grossly unfair to
the proponents of the city manager
proposition, and certainly opposed to
the purpose and intent of the Mon
tana Corrupt Practices Act, if not of
it's strict letter. Obviously there was
no time for answer before the election
day and that quite apparently was the
intention. If that sort of thing is not
company" press election tactics it
at least looks a lot like it. In the
well known Sermon on the Mount
there is "a mote and a beam" refer
ence Matt. 7-3) which would seem to
apply
The purpose of the time of the pub
LEGATION is apparent, too, for it distorts
and misrepresents, as well as incor
rectly states, both the content and pur-
pose of the Montana City Manager
Act (Chapt 40S Pol. Code r. G. Mon
tana, 1885, State Elk. Rel Cory "
Cooney, 20 Mont. 355 p. $40; 225 Pac.
1000 as we'll as its effects in actual
operation for the past 25 years right
here in Montana, in The City of BoZe-
man. Your Correspondent" does not
mention that but goes far afield for
alleged examples of the laws alleged
"undemocratic" procedures and "dic-
tatorial" effects in municipal govern
ment. The Montana supreme court
in the case cited above has something
to say about that which is not at all
in agreement with your "Correspon-
DENTS views. Practically every state
ment your Correspondent makes
along those lines in his article is false
or misleading or distorted and could
readily be shown so if it were at this
time worth the time and effort.
The election procedure under the
Montana Commission-Manager law is
in reality far more democratic" than
such procedure under the Mayor
Council law of the state. Under the
ommiSsion-Manager law every cleo
i've official, and the commissioners
are the only ones, can be recalled any 6
line the electorate feels so disposed. t
t is not necessary to wait until the 6
lext regular election to get rid of an =
unsatisfactory commissioner as it is to :,
get rid of an unsatisfactory mayor or
council member under the mayor 6
council law. Every employee from the c
manager down may be removed in f
family for cause satisfactory to the Fl
commission as to manager, clerk of t
he commission and police magistrate, O
he commissions only appointees, and p
IS to every other employee except r
olice and firemen, by the city man.
ger. Conversely no city employe ?
yho does his work need fear for his u
OBJ with every change Of city admin e
stration as under the mayor-council tt
Ian. Under the city manager plan as b
4 operation in Bozeman for 25 years a
o city employee has lost his job be- n
ause some mayor or councilman new =,
= elected has a personal favorite or :,
ard heller he wants to have the -
)b, nor has any fireman or police y
ian been removed for such reason, M
or for any reason except of his own CT
zee will and accord, with the excep- 81
on Of one policeman whose guilt of in
le charges against him was so clear m
lat he asked permission to resign n
lstead of go on trial, and was per- e
lifted to do so. Can as much be said -
Great Falls under the mayor-coun- "
i plan? Perhaps it can. l don't I'll
now. NV hone is that it can And pl