The people's voice., 1958-05-09
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
By GRETCHEN G. BILLINGS

| Do the members of the board, indi-
vidually, worry about being quoted?
If so, should they, then, accept pub
lie responsibility?
| Everything has been said in the
present controversy over whether the
resignation of President Carl Nc
Farland should be accepted, in
statewide debate, it seems to me.
And because the debate and interest
has been statewide it also seems the
Board of Education owes it to Mon
tana citizens to debate the issue, if
such it is, in public. en
That there is a difference of opin-
ion on the board was more than evi-
dent Monday when reporters got
peek at any of the members.
When they recessed for lunch on
Monday, Ernest Immel walked up to
Msgr. Emmett Riley and asked if he
could ask him any questions. Msgr.
Riley said eff you would ask how I
feel, and tell me you think am look
ing we'll l think | could give you a
straightforward answer. Attempts
to get anything out of anyone was
absolutely futile.
George Lund took walk around
the Capitol building.
Then at a :15 when they opened
the meeting to hear representatives
from labor speak, the Governor dis
played good case of NERVES" by
roundly scolding student from MSU
who was bringing in tape recorder,
for not getting permission "out of
respect and courtesy to the board''.
The young man was very embarrassed
(as was most everyone) but he was
polite through it all, and with humil-
ity, asked permission. Not satisfied,
the Governor had to retort- -"why
didn't you think of that before?"
By evening when they reconvened
at 8 pm. the Governor was in much
better spirits, however.
Tuesday morning from am. till
almost IL am. reporters again cooled
their heels, till they were called in
TO hear final results -McFarland's
was accepted.
There is an attitude among public
officials that the press is to blame for
every public controversy. If the press
lad been fully informed over the last
controversy there would have been
more light if not less heat.
To the best of my knowledge the
'ress has always been fair when COW
ering meetings about not quoting
people who ask them not to. Even
his is dangerous ground to tread.
The reporter is put in a compromis-
ng position with the job he has to do
nd this also can be carried to ex-
But when things are secret the only
lternative of the reporters, who have
job to do after all, is try and find
ut what happened.
Everyone is better off when there
) less secrecy.
A candidate for legislature who
ad an invitation to appear before
labor group to express his attitude
n public policy has been quoted as
aging he thought this wasn't neces-
AFTER election was soon
nough to formulate policy. That
light be real safe stand for a can
ldate, but for you and me it is sort
risky, I'd say, because AFTER
ection we've had it.
Here l go again, but I don't think
eople should run for public office
Mess they have some ideas about
hat they can do to further the gen
al welfare-whatever their thinking
lght be on how to accomplish it. /
Ill insist the basic problems facing
wmakers haven't changed for CEN
rles-they may have variations
ey may be complicated by chang
g times-they may be aggravated by
onomic conditions-but basically
ey are the same.
It's about time people woke up to
e fact that political races are some
ing besides popularity contests.