The people's voice., 1959-06-12
Repr. Leroy Anderson
Reports To You From
The Nations Capitol

national defense and the nations agri-
cultural programs. Committee meet
7 ings have been numerous and lengthy,
) and what free time remained has been
taken up with special strategy meet
, ings of the various congressman who
. have mutual interests with me in ma
tional defense and farm legislation.
AS a result of the House vote on the
Department of Defense appropria-
tions, we have further cut the Presi-
dents budget by nearly $400 million,
yet to marked degree have made
changes that should substantially firm
up our nations defense posture. In
cluded are appropriations for Nike
Hercules missile bases at Great Falls
and Glasgow.
This week, too. Montana's more
than $4,000 wheat farmers, major
ity of whom participate in the var
ious government crop support pro-
grams, will get floor action on a rea-
sonably good Wheat Act, which will:
1. Reduce wheat acreage from 55
million to Al million acres-a reduc-
tion of 25 per cent of the present
acreage.
2. Reduce government costs of the
wheat program, including storage
costs by $528 million for the two
year life of the bill, and at the same
time, through supports at 80 per cent
of parity, maintain the level of in
come for farmers.
3. Reduce wheat production 480 |
million bushels during the two years.
Earlier, along with other repre-
sentatives of wheat growing states,
l conferred with Speaker Sam Ray
burn urging that the Wheat Bill, bot
tied up in the Rules Committee, be |
freed for action. We then appeared |
before Rules, and now the measure
has been scheduled for floor action.
Meanwhile, the Speaker told me he
had interceded with the Rules Com
mittee. After the granting of the
rule, the same wheat-states congress
men met in my office to discuss stra-
tegy for floor action, and decided
also to write a joint letter to the
other congressman enlisting their
support, and explaining the legisla-
tion. The measure will not increase
the price of bread, There is less than
three cents worth of wheat in a one
pound loaf of bread.
Outstanding Students-This week
it was my privilege to present Bache-
lor degrees to Montana students grad ]
uating from Gallaudet College in I
The Montanans are Rob-
ert John Herbold, Great Falls, and
Nelly Nerhus, Billings. Miss Nerhus t
plans teaching career; Herbold, who
S brilliant young mathematician, r
nay enter government service here 7
n Washington. Both are graduates
If the Montana State School for the
Deaf at Great Falls, and their COM I
,letion of college-level work at Gal s
aulet is fine tribute to the train i
ng they received at the Montana a
chool. 1t gave me wonderful sense d
# exaltation to see these extremely II
Intelligent young men and women b
IS they climaxed their four years o
It Gallaudet, the worlds only college a
or the deaf. The 81 students in this n
argest graduating class thus far II
in songs they could not p
ear, and marched in caps and gowns g
o applause they could not see. One a
ttractive young lady sang in sign CT
anguage, "Now Thank We All Our tt
iod," and two young men likewise pl
id, "The Star Spangled Banner" to tt
ne piano accompaniment of another ii
lassmate. 1t was truly an inspiring 81
vent. e
Pollution Control-The House of +
representatives is taking action on
lie Water Pollution Bill, measure
ltended to provide construction
rants to support state and local pol
ltion control programs. The Ma
onal Wildlife Federation says, "The
ollution of our public waters is
ack mark on America. Once clear
lnning streams, crystal lakes and
ajestic bays and inlets along sea-
,asts now are used as open sewers
cesspools for mans wastes, both
dustrial and human. Often these
,nditions are created near the source
river and compounded at each
downstream have long
ivocated continuing effective pro-
'ams for pollution control of our
atoms streams and shall give this
gislation my strongest support. In
Iditiop 7 cha11 c11pport 1a0ic1o+io