The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1955-05-13
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
By GRETCHEN G. BILLINGS

ey on those already down and out!
In recent years the democracy that
worked in 1889 is insufficient. In
stead of improving on the system
we try to change it.
1t would be less expensive land
who figures the democratic process
should be cheap anyhow to call
constitutional conventions everv
couple of years to consider certain
portions of the cherished document
each time. Portions of basic law that
| is antiquated could be handled by
some sort of convention, using the
| initiative method of getting govern
ment back into the hands of the peo-
pie instead of trying to concentrate
lit in the hands of IL men.
There are IL fine men on the 1866
"Little Hoover Committee. 1t is not
the men who have been appointed to
do the job that | am bothered about.
It is turning law making of the state
into legislating by committee that
seems hardly to contribute to the
democratic processes.
y
The case of who is to be chairman
of the Industrial Accident Board,
Harold McChesney or Robert Swan
berg, will be heard in the Lewis &
Clark District Court Friday morning,
probably before Judge Victor Fall.
Small and Heron, Helena at
torneys represented McChesney in u
proceeding that brought about the
disqualification of Judge George Pad
bury. The Judge was removed from
sitting in the case because of bias
and predujice, and there was no doubt
a good bit of political implication in
the disqualification. Judge Padbury
was brought to court for trial him
self at the insistence of the Aronson
administration, and was successfully
defended by w. D. Rankin, formid-
ible foe of the present Republican
Governor. McChesney is Aronson's
to the lab.
An interesting development that
has not reached the court records is
the rumor that E. G. Toomey, Helena
attorney, may plead the case for Nc
in court Friday.
If Mr.. Toomey appears for Nc
Chesney the interesting part arises
out of the fact that Mr.. Toomey,
twenty-one years ago defended Mr..
Stafford who was in the position of
Robert Swanberg in a case involving
The post of Commissioner of Agricul-
,ure, and brought the case to a sue
,essful conclusion for Mr.. Stafford.
Another interesting side-light about
he participants in the case is that
Ralph j. Anderson, former supreme
court justice, will defend Robert
Swanberg, who won't move out and
rive McChesney the job. Mr.. Ander-
on was on the Supreme Court bench
when the decision was made that Mr..
stafford would remain in the post
# Commissioners of Agriculture until
he Senate had confirmed another
ppointee, and the decision on which
,wanberg is basing his case.
1t is expected whoever gets the
ecision in District Court Friday the
ase will go to the Supreme Court.
DIR. Robert w. Swackhamer, as
istant professor of economics at
fontana State University, is dead.
lis death came as a great shock to
is many friends in Montana. He was
My 36 years old.
DR.. Swackhamer was well known
yer the state for his work at Insti-
utes of various sorts and his con-
tant plugging for the improved sta
is of the American family.
1t was just three weeks ago that
oent several hours listening to John
nd several others discuss the Indian
tuation in Montana, and it seems
lcredible that he can be dead. He
as talking about the research he
as going to do.
He leaves wife and daughter, and
e also leaves a State that will feel
eenly his loss because of his devo-
on to it's betterment.
The loss is great to his family, it
also great to Montana.