The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1947-01-31
,c.n,;nued from Page One)

fPnf10n. Jldl, alter lllOoO
readers had nodded approval by thelr
own firesides and had proceeded TO
forget the whole business, the whole
thing would be sabotaged by the party
in mower. l say l am not READY 10
make that accusation as yet. The evil
dence is not yet sufficiently conclu-
sive. but I cannot escape the feellng
that such calamity is about TO be-
fall the people of Montana. II we
can take the Workmen's Compensa-
tion bill-one of the earliest proposals
of the governors message. to come up
for legislative action as an example
we find ourselves faced with some in
teresting food for thought
Minority Hopes Dashed
Long study, both by the governor
and his committee, and by private
citizens of Montana, has shown that
the Montana Workmens Compensa-
ton Act is inadequate. The governor
certainly recognized the flaws IN the
nresent law. He recognized it strong
" enough that he could not in hon.
estv to the people of Montana, over
look these faults, in his message to
the legislature. He definitely proposed
+bo+ those faults he corrected. He
laid the proposal in the lap of leg
islature Overwhelmingly controlled by
his own party. We of the Democratic +
minority we're delighted that the
abuses of the present law were finally
to be corrected. What happened? [
have in my hand the Great Falls
Tribune for yesterday Jan. 25) morn 1
ing. I shall read just the headlines
of their story telling actually what
happened. These are the words,
MONTANA COP. KILLS WORK
MEMS COMPENSATION ACT; GOV
ERNOR'S PLEA FOR BENEFITS
TOSSED TO WINDS. The vote in
the house was very interesting and
We were able to get a
roll call vote on the motion which
sabotaged the bill The roll call is, of
course, a matter of record, and the
record shows that, Notwithstanding
the fact that many of the members
Of the Democratic minority represent
the so-called COW and wheat counties
where the small industrial population
makes the wastefulness of the pres
ent compensation law of less evidence
than it would be in the industrial
counties, | say in spite of that fact Z
more than two-thirds of the Demo {
rats voted for this constructive meas
ire. Now let us see how the gov 8
rnor's party responded to his pro-
osal to modernize the states COM Z
ensation law Only five Republicans &
their names are on record-voted Z
0 uphold the governors plans. Only q
i've out of fifty-eight members of 3
he COP. in the present house, or q
considerable less than ten percent. &
Majority Party's Sincerity &
Questioned ~
The first reaction of most people 4
INITIATED in the ways of politics z
ould be a feeling somewhat kindred Is
} sympathy for the chief executive z
state who would be so completely y
epudiated by the members of his e
wn party in the legislature. But q
NY OWh OooO, clIu lice W COul0SS o
y thinking has not stopped at this y
pint. Governor Ford has been the 5
lief executive of this state for six g
ears. He is an amiable gentleman, q
brilliant lawyer, and an experienced 8
1litical leader He has both directly 8
I'd indirectly in his hands the dis 8
osition of many types of patronage &
hich, in the American plan of ma 2
onal and state gives the executive x
dominance and leadership in his Z
arty which cannot be controverted by d
e average man running for office 4
the party of which this powerful q
dividual is the head. 1t is difficult &
r me to believe that man of Gov q
nor Ford's capacity and capability. s
Lcked by his six years of opportun- s
Y to build support for his policies 3
his own party, would have to sit 8
while fifty-three out of fifty-eight 81
embers of his party in complete 8
ntrol of the House of Representa- Il
res - brutally wreck any measure
)se to his heart I am wondering X
W many of those fifty three recall Z
rant Republicans were approached q