The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1952-10-31
MEL HAS HIS MADE!
BY GRETCHEN BILLINGS

BY GRETCHEN BILLINGS
In an editorial in his Hungry Horse
Newspaper last week, editor Mel Rud-
! er viewed the two candidates on the
First District congressional ticket
with the conclusion that he would take
neither.
In summing up the reasons he
would not take Judge Lee Metcalf,
the editor who usually makes calm
and reasonable appraisals of situa-
tions before he lends his editorial
pen to the task, must be getting heady
from the recent prosperity being wit
messed in the Flathead valley.
Mr.. Ruder said, "Metealf's fault is
that the man is a left-wing darling,
and certainly should not have been
elected to a deliberative body such
as Montana Supreme court where he
now serves. Now he wants to go to
Congress. 1t would seem intelligent
for the country now at least to APP
ply brakes to the so-called program of
social development"
is 1T FAIR TO ASK FOR PROOF?
Not having followed infinitely the
decisions of Metcalf on the court,
would hesitate to judge whether any
of them have been dangerous to the
State of Montana. | have not agreed
with some of his decisions, however,
that does not indicate that they have
hna,o l.,
served conscientiously for six year on
the bench of final review for the state
as Supreme Court justice, | would |
like to have some proof that he should |
never have been elected. Only by his !
record of service can we Judge the |
capability of our public servants. If
he has not served well, then it seems
reasonable to ask in what manner has
this man indicated he should never
have been elected? Without that evil
dence | would still be on Metcalf's
side
THE HAYES" AGAINST THE
''HAVE-NOTS"?
The Hungry Horse editor goes on
to say g.. now at least apply brakes
to the so-called program of social de-
velopment.
Hop on kids and let's take a birds
eye view of the F'lathead valley. Let
us cast our suspicious eye around
this western wonderland Do you see
what | see? Over yonder is a mon
strous dam. How did it happen? What
are all the new buildings around this
lovely little town of Columbia Falls?
Do you notice that the local citizenry
are reading a weekly newspaper?
Hang on and we'll buzz little near
er. Note! 1t is one of the largest week
lies in the state. Before construction :
Of that dam started a weekly news :
paper couldn't even survive in the :
small town of Columbia Falls, let i
alone print from 8 to II pages a 7
week. :,
Mr.. Ruder went into a town that
would boom from a program of So
JAILED social development where no
newspaper existed for five years
because of lack of support. Circula-
ion and advertising for a weekly
newspaper had not justified its ex- -
stence from 1940-1945. Il
Today with the circulation of Mon "
ana weekly newspapers down over =
10000 from 1915 figures the Hungry y
Horse News has circulation of g.
1911 Il
Do we dare call the backbone of
his new found prosperity part of
"so-called program of social de- u
b
Or HAVE WE FORGOTTEN? II
The social development of the ex- ~
ct type that has made Columbia =
'alls and the Flathead valley a new -
rea of potential industrial develop
1ent via public power cannot be dis SC
ssociated from Judge Metcalf. He ~
as worked throughout his political d
fe in the interest of bringing cheap d.
over development to the state of
lontana. The work the Judge did in Is
is earlier political life helped lay sc
lie groundwork for such projects as e
-ungry Horse Dam. The prosperity IL
nat has come to the Flathead valley
L \