The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1950-04-28
By LAVERNE HAMILTON
Thompson Falls, Montana

Having maintained a (for me)
somewhat lengthy and more or less
discreet silence of several months
and being by nature unable to re-
main long in such a quiescent state,
now take my typewriter in hand to
make a few nasty remarks anent
current conditions, occurrences and
policies.
First, the rapidly rising tempera-
ture of what has been previously
termed the "cold war;. News purvey-
ors and national officials exhibit con-
siderable heat over the loss of an
American plane somewhere in the
Baltic, which the state department as
sumes was shot down by the Rus
slams.
Both news Commentators and state
officials take entirely too much for
granted. We have no evidence that
the missing plane was the one fired
on by the Russian planes or that
the Russian plane scored a hit if it
were. We have never credited the
Russians with excellent marksman-
ship so why attempt to stretch this
incident, if incident it was, into an
excuse for a shooting war;?
Personally, | have lived through
the period of two world wars, neither
of which accomplished any of the
things which their proponents claimed
would be accomplished, and both left
the human race worse off morally,
spiritually, and economically than it
was before. Consequently | am en-
tirely "fed up" with war talk, and
completely Disguised with news pur-
veyors and public officials who at
tempt to keep a "chip on the ma
tional shoulder" Talk me no war
talk please.
Next, Witch hunting. Conviction of
defendants on the testimony of a
self confessed perjurer. How can a
jury tell when an admitted liar is
telling the truth?
The Charley McCarthy's" both
in and out of Congress remind me
of the "red-baiting" delirium tremens
Of A Mitchell Palmer and, if the
truth is told, are exhibiting consider
ably less intelligence, if it is pos
,ible to have less than nothing.
| have never been a member of
he Communist party but 1 have
come in contact with hundreds, pos
,ibly thousands, of Communists and
haven't found many of them in
he least dangerous to people of in
True some of them are
very smart but taken as a whole
heir average 10 is slightly higher
han that American 'free enter
)riser" which, | must admit, isn't
anything to write home about.
sn't Seeking a State Job
Next, on the home front, there
seems to be a somewhat odorous
condition emanating from our state
.apitol in recent weeks. Papers give
he news but what is that faint smell
behind the news Seems as though
he state employees only cooperate
With the chief executive when they
esign. Well, its nice to be resigned
O your lot. For my own part | have
een resigned to my own lot for many s
ears but Pm still not sufficiently
esigned (under present conditions) {
o desire an appointive job in the {
tate administration. Estate depart t
lent heads please note). I
Next, and most important to all
americans is a recent ruling of the 5
IS Supreme court. t
The first amendment to the US t
provides tn t Con
ress shall make no law restricting
he freedom of speech or of the press S
+ the right of the people to peaceably t
ssemble, etc."
Contrast that plain, easily under /
tandable statement with recent {
nd assinine ruling of the Supreme d
,ourt couched in the following lang