davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1954-01-22
sc0a,cAL SOCIETY
o. MONTANA
nEf En,n
DELAYING ACTION BY OIL CROWD
HAS HELPED SCHOOLS, SAYS CONDOR

Montana has not lost anything,
and indeed may have gained from
the fact that no oil leases were sold
by the state in 1885," according to
Mary M. Condor, State Superintend-
ent of Public Instruction and vice
chairman of the State Board of Land
Commissioners.
Because of an injunction against
the Land Board no leases were sold
in 1853. This was not the fault, as
has been implied, of the Attorney
General, but because of the repeated
delays in courts, each instigated by
the representatives of the oil in
dustry. However, the state still has
the land, the oil is still there. When
the state supreme court decision is
made, one way or the other, the leases
will be sold and the income secured
for the schools. The first year rental
is the big source of income-and the
millions are derived only for the first
year, subsequent years only netting
rs cents an acre. Every time original
leases are sold, taxes will be reduced,
but the following year they will re-
turn to normal.
eve did not need the income
from oil leases this year as the
State was able to carry out it's re-
sponsibility to equalize up to 10000
of the foundation program WITH
OUT the oil lease money. BY law
the state can equalize only up to
the foundation program. This year,
as was true last year, the state
equalized 1OO9o-and we will have
balance of $1,000, 0OO-which
could have been distributed had
the Legislature raised the Founda-
ton Program to the level urged
by the School Boards Association,
the M.E.A., MET, and others
''The recently announced pipeline
through Eastern Montana, if con-
structed, will provide a much needed
facility for the Williston
Basin oil With this marketing bottle
neck, which has been one of the ma
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1954-01-22

rotary Aandahl announced that whole
sale rates for public power would be
increased to level comparable with
those of the private utilities.
z. Rural electric co-ops and other
publicly-owned distribution agencies
must by January l, 1854, sign con-
tracts for their anticipated needs
over the next 20 years, and bargain
to buy that much power now, or else
be out in the cold. Should this order
stand, it will force many rural cleo
tries into bankruptcy, since they al
ready operate on the narrowest of
margins and cannot afford to be pay
ing for power they can't sell at the
present time.
3. All public power not taken up by
preference customers by January l,
1854, is to be sold to private utilities
under 20-year contracts.
a. Partnerships between federal
government, rural electrics, public
utility districts and ''local" private
utilities are to be encouraged in pref
erence to the important role previous
ly played by the federal government
in bringing additional, low-cost cleo
tricity to the public.
At the same time the Interior De-
partment was enunciating it's new
preference to private power" policy,
that "local' private utility, Idaho
Power Co., of Maine was seeking to
take over the Snake River land Hells
Canyon for it's own private domain.
Another local" utility, Montana
Power announced intentions of seek
ing an FPC permit to build dam at
Buffalo Rapids on the Flathead thus
making the proposed Paradise dam
unfeasible.
And, in December, John Corette,
head of Montana Power propos-
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1954-01-22

but that does not affect the legality
of the act.''
Ralph Anderson attorney for Mr..
Cranston speaking in favor of the
1858 oil-leasing act of the legislature
said, "lf the court were to reverse
itself Con constitutionality of pre-
vious amendments to the Enabling
Act) the Juror would be so great
that it is impossible to contemplate
the chaos that would develop as a
result. (The Enabling Act) is not a
part of the constitution, it is a con-
tract or compact and may be amend
ed again when conditions arise when
it appears to the benefit of the state"
Attorney Anderson also pointed out
that North Dakota Supreme Court de-
cisions upheld an act under exactly
the same conditions as those in Mon
tana.
Going on to defend the act of the
legislature Anderson stated, that the
legislature has the power to regulate
and restrict as provided by law. Said
Anderson, "They may regulate and
restrict as much as they please. Regu-
late and restrict means details. They
can tell the land board as much as
they please. The Land Board does
not know as much as the legislature
about gas and OIL"
That was too much for the Chief
Justice. He asked Mr.. Anderson to
name one legislator who was more
qualified to determine gas and oil
matters than even the least qualified
member of the State Land Board. He
asked Mr.. Anderson if he remember
ed that one member of the board
had been there for 20 years working
with these matters.
Anderson said he didn't have the
list of legislators before him and it
would 'take little time" to GO over
them.
The Chief spun around in his chair
and reached a Journal which he of
fered to Anderson so Anderson might
look over the names and prove his
point. Anderson declined the Chiefs
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1954-01-22

On the national level, shortly after
the first session of the 83rd Con-
gress convened, it became clear that
the Eisenhower Administration would
live up to it's promises to its major
oil company hackers to expedite the
giving of more than 500 billions in
off-shore oil reserves belonging to
ALL the people of the United States
to four states and their major oil
company assignees. Final determina-
ton of the validity of this first Ell
senhower give-away will be made in
the federal courts.
And, while Congress was being
'well-oiled" similar move was afoot
in Montana. The Cadillac Crusade"
after months of careful preparation,
persuaded the state legislature into
revising school oil land leasing laws
to a degree more to the liking of the
oil interests. This act, like the federal
off-shore oil give-away, is currently
being contested in the courts by At
torney General Arnold Olsen.
About the same time, and an
steps by the Eisenhower Admins
tration on the federal level, the
Montana Power Company also
sold the legislature on the idea of
repeating the State Identification
Authority Act of 1885. The signifi-
canoe of that repeater, taking from
the state the legal right to go into
the generation, transmission and
sale of elecric energy, was not to
be long delayed.
In August, the U. S. Department
of Interior announced its new power
policy, whereby:
1. The use of publicly produced |
power as ''yardstick" determine
the reasonableness of private utility !
rates, was abandoned. Assistant Sec
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1954-01-22
Attorney General Says 1858 Oil Leasing LawH =.
Stolen Common rom the Goose

| offer because it would take too much
time. The Chief pointed out that
thine" was no issue in this matter
for which the court had suspended
time rules to allow all parties to
present their case thoroughly.
Sam Ford speaking for Governor
Aronson said that the Attorney Gen
erals arguments that more money
would come to the schools under the
old law had no basis because no one
could say which law will bring more.
He said there had been waste under
the 20-year lease.
Asked if the Oil Conservation Act
would not eliminate much of the
waste, under whatever law, Ford
said the Oil Conservation Board could
not police the entire industry.
There was slight alteration be-
tween Ford and the Chief Justice
about who had messed up' oil leas-
ing the past year. The Chief suggest
ed it might have been the legislature,
Ford said it wasn't him and suggested
the Chief ask the Attorney General.
Ford also seemed perturbed over
the arguments of Wesley Wertz that
the Enabling Act has not been prop
erly amended and he said. if the court
ruled that it was not properly amend
ed eve would have conditions the like
of which we never have SEEN"
He said that it was not possible
for the state to enter into agree
ments such as could N. P, but eff we
could :. we could do much better"
Attorney General Arnold Olsen
gave the rebuttal for the State Land
Board. He started out by comment
ing that the arguments in favor of
the 1853 law were just "circum-
venting the bush"
Continued on Page Four)
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1954-01-22

jor causes of delay in oil produc-
ton, eliminated the state school land
will undoubtedly draw higher prices
for leases now than would have been
true last year.
eve did not need additional oil
lease revenue this year to meet the
states responsibility. We probably
will need it next year. Unless those
who have caused the delay to date
think up some way to tie it up fur
Their, we certainly can anticipate oil
lease sales in 1854.
1--WE have not lost $6,00O,000
as some people have implied. The
delaying action of the oil interests
and t h e Governors attorney,
though | doubt if this was their
purpose, has actually resulted in
aiding the schools financially for
another year. Amy further delay,
beyond this year, will work hard
ship on the schools unless the land
board can continue to increase the
income from other resources of
state land as has been true this
year.
From resources other than oil on
state school agriculture, graz
ing, timber-the state almost tripled
its income in 1853. Little has been
said about this evidence of efficiency
on the part of the state land board.
This return is still far short of what
it could be. The state is realizing
approximately one dollar year per
acre of state land. No private land
holder could stay in business on that
basis. This should be matter of con-
Germ to all the people. Oil is not the
most important factor in our school
lands-it merely is the one that gets
the most attention.
'The state still has the land,
the oil is still there, and despite
hysterical predictions to the con-
trary, the leases will be sold, if the
majority of the land board has it's
way, in the best interests of the
school children of Montana"
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1954-01-22

The law locks up the man or Wo-
man who steals the goose from off
the common.
'But turns the greater felons loose
who steal the common from the
Goose"
Quoted Attorney General Arnold
Olsen in his closing arguments be-
fore the State Supreme Court Jan
uary IA on the constitutionality of
the actions of the 1853 legislature
on leases for oil on state lands. Con-
tinued Olsen in his finale, "The oil
companies are attempting to steal
the common from the goose in the
face of the constitution that required
full market value for our school chill
dren from the school lands"
( Opening the afternoon session in
the State Supreme Court were argu-
ments by Wesley Wertz and Willis
Jones who asked the court to decide
whether the Enabling Act has been
constitutionally amended since it's ac-
ceptance i n 1889. Congressional
Amendments to the Enabling Act
have been approved by Montana Leg
islatures in 1927, 1888, 1889, 1949.
"Does the legislature have the power
to approve amendments to an act
that was accepted as part of the con-
stitution by approval of the people?"
Wertz asked the Supreme Court. eff
this is not proper way of approx
ing these amendments to the En-
abling Act We have no alternative
but to so find. Many things done in
behalf of the State of Montana are
not proper. But whether this legis-
lation (1953 Act) is wise or unwise,
if the Enabling Act has been prop
erly amended this law must be upheld.
Conceivably there could have been
better legislation for the schools and
for the oil interests but until some
thing is done to change it this is
what we have to deal with it is
true that the children of Montana
might have been given a better break
than they have been given under the
1858 law, and it is true the state is
now only getting minimum royalties,
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1954-01-22
MANY J0BLESS BUILDING
CRAFTSMEN NO LONGER
ELIGIBLE FOR COMP

More than 25 per cent of all build
ing craftsmen in Montana are no
longer eligible for unemployment
compensation, it was brought out at
the last meeting of Great Falls Build
ing and Construction Trades Coun-
ell. The reason for so many workers
in the building field losing jobless
benefit eligibility lies in the extreme
ly restrictive amendments added into
the Montana Unemployment Com
pensation Act by the 1854 Legisla-
ture, and approved into law over the
signature of Governor ]. Hugo Aron-
son.
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1954-01-22

ed formation of generating cor
poration" by six northwest private
utilities to develop most of the
areas remaining power potential.
Should this proposal get by the
Sherman Anti Trust Act and the
Wheeler-Rayburn Holding Com
pany Act, the future indus trial de-
velopment of the Northwest would
be firmly in the grip of the eastern
Observation-Disclosures interests con-
trolling Montana Power and the
other five utility companies.
NOT THE ONLY
PIECE DE RESISTANCE
The grasping for control of power
production and distribution, however,
was not the only raid ON the public
Continued on Page Three
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1954-01-22
CONGRESS will IGNORE IKE'S new
farm Plan, SAYS MURRAY

WASHINGTON, D. C. = Senator
James K. Murray, last week, predict
ed that the Congress will virtually
ignore President Eisenhower's NEW
farm plan" and extend 900 of parity
supports for basics three years, pos
sibly adding additional crops. He said
the Eisenhower plan, if adopted,
would be cruel new economic blow
to recession-ridden farmers, and it
would further deepen the overall ma
tional recession.
The farm plan is not new, the
Senator said, but the "same old slid
ing scale" with an emergency reserve
added which is intended to numb
farmers judgment through the COM
ing Congressional elections.
Following is the text of Senator's
Murray's statements:
president Eisenhower's farm
message to the Congress calling for
the same old sliding scale farm price
supports would be serious blow to
the farmer if there were any pros
pect that Congress will seriously con-
slider it. Fortunately, it is apparent
that it will be virtually ignored, and
that Congress will extend mandatory
900 supports for basics, possibly
adding some crops and giving at least
serious consideration to similar sup
ports for some of the perishables, in
Guiding beef
WOULD BE A CRUEL BLOW
TO THE NATION
Enactment of the Eisenhower
proposals, even though they include
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1954-01-22
By GRETCHEN G. BILLINGS

Where the obligation in the oil
interests the schools and the children of the
the Enabling properly
ments? IF what happens?
lands dedicated to educ
o. of oif
negotiate before oil
How far Legislature before
their action dreaso within the law?
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1954-01-22
c0NUNDRUM 49,.

Tuesday the price of coffee drop
ped six to eight cents per pound
on the New York import market,
reports Frank Edwards, radio COM
mentator for the AFL. At the same
time, the retail price of coffee
skyrocketed to $1.10 per pound in
St. Louis. ? Z? =?
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1954-01-22
IL Months of Broken Promises IS
First Year Of Cadillac Crusade Pro'<H,es Few
Reasons For Popular Rejoicing )

One has elapsed since the Eisenhower Administration
took office January TO- 1858 1t has been character
lied by increasingly depressed farm prices growing unemplo
ment ackenng of international tension and acceera
ed big business interests grab great chunks
public wealth and resources
AS the year progressed and following the theme laid
down by Defense Secretary Charles Wilson that Wha good
for General Motors good for the country and
people the state and national levels have begun under
stand the implications of when administered by
and in the interests of big business.
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1954-01-22

device to avoid what the Administra-
ton regards as too abrupt fall in
farm prices, would be a cruel blow
to farmers already staggering under
recession. Their prices have de-
clined 1919 since Eisenhower was
elected. 1t would be an equally cruel
blow to the nation by further deepen
ing the overall recession that now
grips our economy.
1T is unfortunate that the PreSi-
dent has proposed to establish an
emergency food reserve for such OBJ
viously political reasons-to delay
the full impact of the sliding scale
beyond the coming Congressional
elections. A reserve should be adopt
ed, but the President has injured the
chances of the reserve proposal, which
some of us have been making for
several years, by his political pur-
poses in backing it.
at is equally unfortunate that the
President has not used the principle
underlying his wool plan-the pro-
duction payment proposal widely
known as the 'Brannan Plan'-for
more extensive application.
"The impact of what the President
has proposed can best be realized by
applying it to specific situation.
HOW WHEAT WOULD
FARE UNDER PROPOSAL
GIN the case of wheat, the Presi-
dent proposes that in 1856 we shall
let both sliding scale and new parity
become effective. Old parity for
Continued on Page Three)
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1954-01-22
WOULD BE A CRUEL BLOW
TO THE NATION

Enactment of the Eisenhower
proposals, even though they include a
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-06-11
Sontee and BortheI Expected
ToRoce Tonight Just to Win

Santee, in what may be his
last major race of the year-he
goes into summer training June
IA at Quantico. Va, with the
Marine Corps-is the logical
selection.
Just last Friday at nearby
Compton, the 22-year-old Kan
san ran the second fastest mile
in history-4:00.6-for a new
American record. And en- route
to the mile finish he bettered the
world 1,500-meter record with
a time of 3:42.8.
The race tonight also will be
clicked at $500 meters, roughly
100 yards less than a mile.
Barthel has nothing to ap-
proach the Santee marks this
year. because as he explained,
II have not had the COMPETE
ton" He has been studying to
gain a masters degree at Har-
ward and running has been
strictly secondary.
Barthel said he expects to run
the mile in 400 or 4:03-maybe
even slower on a track that is
regarded as slow. who knows
what we will run for sure?" he
inquired.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-06-11
? Mt. Vernon Coaches Resign;
Yednock Likely Grid Mentor

Mount Vernon High School
has lost two members of its
physical education staff and
added one replacement. it was
learned today.
Lee Roberts, scheduled to
coach the football team in the
fall. and Johnny Grinnell, bas-
ketball coach for the last four
years, have resigned.
Roberts, a University of Mary
land graduate, will enroll at the
University Of Kentucky to study
for a masters degree, while
Grinnell is slated to take over
as athletic director and basket
ball coach at the new AMMAN
dale High School in the fall.
Johnny Yednock, a versatile
athlete at George Washington
University prior to Joining that
staff in 1852, has been appointed
to the Mount Vernon staff as a
replacement for Roberts. Since
Roberts was slated to coach foot
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-06-11
Strong Trojan Team
Starts Quest Of Sixth
NCAA Track Title
BY the Associates Pres.

ANN ARBOR, Mich, June IL.
Southern CALIFORNIA; mighty
Trojans. rich in talent as well as
manpower. start shooting for
their sixth straight NCAA track
title in twilight preliminaries
this evening on the University
of Michigan's Ferry Field.
A record entry of 375 athletes
from so schools are seeking
places in tcmorrow's IA final
events.
There is a chance of scattered
thunderShowerS, but even a
downpour shouldn't keep South
ern California from qualifying a
strong team for the finals.
Jess Mortensen. Trojan coach.
who has a perfect 3-for-3 record
in NCAA competition, has a 20
man squad ready for the pre-
liminaries. It is the largest
team in the bulky field, and is
expected to double the score of
it's nearest rival.
A wide-open battle is seen for
runnerup honors. Among the
teams figured to fight 1t out are
Illinois, California, Stanford,
Kansas and Penn State.
Heading Southern California s
delegation is Jim Lea, defending
champion in the 440-yard dash.
Lea has turned in the best time
this season in the 440-a fiat At
seconds clocking.
PittSburgh's Arnie Sowell, a
swimmer turned runner, is given
chance to crack the $50 mark.
Gene Mathews. Purdue's OUT
standing 2-miler, is a strong pos
sibility to break the meet mark
in that event and Ernie Shelton
Of use and Chuck Holding O.
East Texas State may top the
high jump standard.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-06-11

ball, it is believed that Yednock
will get that assignment.
Yednock, a 30-year-old native
of Phoenixville, Pa, was a
varsity lineman at GNU during
the seasons of 1948-1951, in
elusive: played second base in
baseball and also lettered in golf.
He was an assistant football
coach under 30 Sherman in
1852 and a freshman coach and
scout last year.
In another shift in coaching
duties in nearby Virginia high
schools, Walter Schultz, head
football coach at Fairfax last
year, has been named an as
sistant football coach to Richard
(Tank) Johnson at Wakefield
High. Schulte'S successor at
Fairfax will be Bob Pulliam, a
former star at Randolph-Macon
College, Ashland, Va, who was
an assistant at Schultz last
year.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-06-11
Don Ralph in SemifinaIs
In Dixie Boys Tennis
SpecioI Dispoteh to The StGr

DAVIDSON, N. c.. June IL
Donald Ralph of Bethesda, Md,
meets Larry Cation of Pensacola,
Fla, today in the semifinals of
the boys division of the Southern
junior and boys tennis tourna-
ment at Davidson College. Paired
with Bruce Brian of Baltimore.
Ralph also is in the doubles
semifinals.
Ralph defeated Tom Richard
son of Baton Rouge, La, yeSter-
day, 60, 6-1, and Cation erased
Finley Lee of Charlotte, 6-1.
60.
Top-Seeded Ned Nicely of At
lanta defeated Don Cation of Pen
sacola, 6-1, 60, and meets
Brian in the semifinals. Brian
ousted David Parker of Bran
ford, Conn.,, 46, 60, 81.
In doubles, Ralph and Brian
eliminated Tom Carter. Column
bus, Ind. and Richardson. GO.
FI.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-06-11
Netmen From Four Cities
Open Hofchkiss Cup Play

The top tennis players from
clubs in four cities meet at 2
pm. today at Columbia Country
Club in the first round of the
Hotchkiss Cup tennis series.
Washington, Baltimore, Nor
folk and Richmond were to draw
for opponents Immediately be-
fore the start of the matches.
The winners will meet tomorrow
morning for the championship
of the series, which started in
1921.
The tentative lineup for Wash
ington, which is captained by
Charles Charming of Columbia,
included Alex Kettles, Doyle
Royal, Buddy Adair. AL Jacoby,
Ramsey Potts. Thomas c. Moor
head, Kahl Spriggs and Henry
FoSs.