The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1948-12-31

tetiiei pSOpiS tildI lUey may UeCOHic
better acquainted with what Senator
Murray's Missouri Valley Admins
tration" bill will accomplish in the
overall development of our valley,
once it is enacted by the congress.
Lewis and Clark MVA Chapter
Meets
Tuesday night, following the board
meeting in Great Falls, the Lewis &
Clark MVA met, heard a report
from Regional Engineer Jerome
Locke on the Omaha regional execu-
tive board meeting, and considered
ways and means of putting this coun-
ty over first among Montana coun-
ties in meeting its quota of funds.
Twenty per cent has already been
subscribed, and it is anticipated that
the next ten days will see Lewis &
Clark go over the top.
Besides the above, L&C MVA'ers
also heard a prepared statement
from MVA regional board member
Left Erickson, which reviewed the
import of the recent election, the
number of MVA congressman and
senators who were elected, and the
new look' which is beginning to be
assumed by more conservative bust
ness interests in the country.
Highlights of Judge Erickson's
statement follow:
For the past two years hope for
early passage of an MVA bill was
rather dim in the hearts of many
of us. Leadership in the last con-
gress was not disposed to even listen
to our side of the case, or to grant
the MVA proponents any kind of a
hearing.
Now our opportunity has come in
what looks like abundant measure.
Overwhelming defeat of Governor
Ford, who has been one of our active
opponents and chief spokesman for
the opposition, together with the tri-
lmphant election of Senator Muir
ray, father of the MVA bill, is a
natter of national Importance Elec-
ion of Senator Humphrey, mem
Der of the Regional Committee for
VIVA, is a matter only slightly less
important than was the result in
Montana. The election of Senator
Douglas in Illinois, Kefauver in Ten
lessee, Gillette in Iowa, and replace
nent of our most effective oppon-
mt, Senator Overton of Louisiana,
~ Senator Long, an open MVA adj
-ocate, are other distinctive mile
h A \
Wide Support, Both In and
Out of Congress
These are but a few samples of
What has happened over the nation
Indications now are that Senator
1urray's MVA bill, which could Sc
ure only or co-sponsors two
ears ago, will go into the next legis-
alive hopper with three or four
ines as many. We are now fairly
ssured that when the bill is intro
uced in the house this time it will
e sponsored by 25 or 80 congress
len from Missouri Valley and prob
bly, by three or four times this num-
er from outside Missouri Valley.
ssurance has been had that the
reat national and international or
anizations of A. F. of L., CLIO, Rail
Dad Brotherhood and Americans for
emocratic Action will all actively
lpport and fight for an MVA in the
,ming congress.
From contacts l have had with
LIBERAL leaders in many parts of
his country, l am now convinced
hat our chance to secure favora-
Die MVA legislation is very much
better than ever-if we all put
,ur shoulders to the wheel and
,ush. OF course the things that
We want are not going to just hap
zen. A vast amount of work has
o be done in the coming all out
light.
Much Work To Be Done
We will have powerful allies. Much
IS to be done with these in the
ay of conference, planning and CO.
dination; this means time and
avel and a lot of it. MVA forces
wv have abundant information in
e way Of engineering data, eco