The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1958-01-17
FOREST ROAD HIGHWAYS

ClOU.
FOREST ROAD HIGHWAYS
Montanans in Congress are putting
the finishing touches on a 10-year
program to complete the Forest High
way System.
Each year Congress appropriates
money in addition to that voted for
federal aid highway construction to
build highways in states with national
forests within their boundaries. This
years $50 million was divided among
40 states, Alaska, and Puerto Rico,
for construction of highways within,
adjoining or adjacent to national for
ests. Montana got 1891, 346.
Another $50 million is authorized
for the year beginning July 1.
In it's working draft form, the Mon
tana delegations new bill would in
crease the authorization to $50 mil
lion for each of two more years. 1t
would direct the Secretary of Com
merce in cooperation with the states
to lay out 10-year program to COM
plete the system. This program would
be submitted to Congress by January
1, 1860, and include recommendations
on how the money shall be divided
among the states. Pending action on
the study, the apportionment formula
used this year will remain in effect.
Montana has 1,194 miles of forest
highway system. The delegation main
tains that another 706 miles should
be added.
FORT HARRISON INADEQUATE
For several years the Montana
delegation has been after the Veter-
ans Administration to expand out
NODDED facilities at Fort Harrison.
Rep. Metcalf laid the delegations case
for Fort Harrison before the Veter-
ans Affairs Committee last year.
Chairman league of the committee
recently visited Fort Harrison and
concurred in the delegations view
that, despite the fact that Montana
has more veterans per capita than any
other state, it is not getting it's fair
share of money for veteran care.
Last week the Montana delegation,
in joint letter to Sumner Whittier,
new boss of the Veterans Admins
tration, asked when VA planned to
send survey team to Fort Harrison
to verify the facts upon which an
increased appropriation can be based.
DISTRIBUTE SURPLUS FOOD
In another joint letter, the delega-
ion asked Gov. Hugo Aronson to
start a program of direct distribu-
ion of surplus food to needy fami-
les, as governors of 38 other states
lave done. The families of unem-
'loyed Butte miners and members of
everal Indian tribes particularly
tand to benefit from such a program.
The Department of Agriculture will
hip the food to Montana. but state
gency must accept responsibility for
distribution.
WOOL BILLS INTRODUCED
Reps. Metcalf and Anderson have
Introduced bills to extend the pro-
isions of the National Wool Act of
954. Senators Murray and and Mans
leld and other senators introduced
legislation late last year.
WHEAT FARMING EXPENSIVE
1t isn't news to Montana farmers
hat it costs lots of money to raise
heat. But the Department of Agri-
ulture reported last week that it
axes an investment of $4,000 on
[ontana wheat farm to realize annual
arnings of $4,000. Oklahoma's cot
m farmers get the same return from
n investment of $4,000.
To realize annual earnings of So
DO, farm investments range from
1900 for the Oklahoma cotton
srm to $122,00O for a Montana
heat farm.
The Agriculture Department press
'lease ends this way:
"The detailed conclusions of the
udy, according to the economists,
e useful for determining safe credit
The Department could
I've concluded that a review of it's
'licies toward Montana wheat farm
S is more important than that invi-
ton to bankers to turn away Mon
ma farmers.
TATE OF THE UNION
AS the Washin uton ooh dr;yar