The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1948-01-16
BY Great Falls Correspondent

Mr. Walter Aitken of BOZeman who
took sharp issue with the Great Falls
Correspondent in regard to the article
on the city manager election published
in THE PEOPLES VOICE, November
%, deserves commentator for bring
ing before us information on the com
mission-manager government of his
city.
Coming as it does from a man who
has had an intimate acquaintance with
the city manager idea, his statement
should be studied carefully. We are
not finished yet with problems of mu-
nicipal government in Montana. Let
us hope there will be more discussion
of city and community affairs.
This writer is grateful to The Peo-
pies Voice for permitting space for an
answer to Mr.. Aitken. The charge Of
attempting to influence the election
will be taken first.
When the request came to present a
summary Of labor's views on the city
manager debate in Great Falls, the
writer assumed other viewpoints also
would be presented. Timing" never
came to mind, although the "timeli-
ness" of the subject in view Of the
nearness of the Great Falls election
was a motivating factor
1t should be clear that The Peoples
Voice had no particular interest in
the election other than in presenting
information and opinions on the pro-
posal.
Article Had Little Effect
AS matter of fact, the article in
question could have had very little
effect, if any, on the election anyway.
Few of the 13,485 qualified electors
in Great Falls get The Voice-perhaps
there are 200 subscribers. The writer
did not see his copy containing the
article until after the polls had closed
at pm. The Voice ordinarily does
not reach Great Falls until Monday
following publication Friday. Inquiry
days later among several working peo
pie who subscribe to the paper re-
vealed not one who had yet found |
time to read the paper. (Most work |
ers do most of their serious reading
Sundays.) The Cascade County Trades |
and Labor Assembly receives about /
25 copies for distribution at each meet
ing on Friday. Assembly delegates,
who represent more than 20 local I'M
ions most of whom do not otherwise
take the paper, got their first peek I
at the statements four days after the
electioni
1t was unfortunate, indeed, that the
publication coming Inadvertently as
it did raised doubts as to honesty of
purpose.
Labor Short on Propaganda Funds
Had The Voice or the writer wanted
to influence the election through the
article enough copies should have
been printed to permit distribution of
a copy to every electors doorstep.
That is what the JayCees did with a
of their own day or so
before the election. The labor folks
did not have enough money for such
coverage and had to depend on a half
mage advertisement in the Sunday is
sue Of The Great Falls Tribune Jay
Gees, however, could afford full page
in Saturdays Tribune.
JayCees went further to get their
vote out and used the telephone and
3 changing fire engine on the day OF
The election The noisy fire extin-
guisher was hauled mainly through
areas of business and pro-
'essional people. Labor, using the
telephone only, couldn't afford the fire
engine.
The election was typical American
democracy in action.
Now as to Mr.. Athens charge OF
alsifying- that did hurt little, even
In anonymous writer. Anyone SIN
,erely interested in democracy should
20 honest at least in presenting his
arguments Ignorance is another
hing, and opinions based on ignor-
tnce, of course, are to be avoided
But who knows all?
What Was FaIsified?
The intent of the original piece on
he city manager election was to pre-
ent labor's views mainly, and 1T is
omitted there was some partisanslnp
n the phrasing. Surely it is possible
-et to take sides in the only paper
n the state devoted to carrying ex-
,ressions of opinion as well as in
ormation! H
A Summary of Views III
First Of all, the article was sum- II
nary Of the views of those opposed II
o the city manager plan. The IN II
Il. 4 - Il tsa1n hsDd