The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1960-02-26
Rep. Leroy Anderson
Reports TO You From
The Nations capitoI

battle lines here in the Nations Cap
ital are not yet firmly traced but
behind the-scenes maneuverings are
gaining intensity and direction. This
last two weeks there has been rela-
lively little action on the floor of
the House of Representatives, but in
offices of members. in the committee
rooms, and at many downtown gather
ings. there has been lot of discussion
leading up to the forthcoming presi-
Dental election battle. These battle
lines generally are known to those
who serve here in Washington, but
the struggle now is to etch certain of
these actions firmly on the public
mind. These lines will be sharply
drawn between the Republican Ad-
ministration and the Democrats in
Congress.
The so-called Democratic-con-
trolled Congress is that in name
only, as an elementary check of
key votes will reveal.
On many vital issues, the Republi-
can membership in the House can
cook up a majority vote by having
so-called Southern Democrat support.
Many of the Southerners, long in Con-
gress and firmly entrenched in COM
mittee chairmanships, can control the
destiny of certain legislation. The end
result is not general Democratic con-
troll, but about draw or even slight
edge for the Republicans and friends.
in the House. f
There is an exception, however,
and that is farm legislation. Farm
state lawmakers, regardless of where
they are from, are still poles apart
from Eisenhower and Benson, who
have shared all these years approba-
ton. of Nixon in their farm-price-
slashing moves. a
Secretary Benson a few days ago
thrust the House Committee ON Agri-
culture bill detailing the wheat pro-
gram he prefers which would cut
price. supports for wheatgrowers and
eliminate present controls on the
number of acres they can plant. Ben
SON. as did the President in his recent
Farm Message to Congress, said the.
Administration will accept some conn
promise this year. Agriculture Com
mittee members then attempted, with
little immediate success, to find out
how much. AS most everyone in Mon
tana knows. the seven years of this
Administration headed by Eisenhower
and Nixon have set an all-tiMe record
for slashing farm income--a massive.
of 40 per cent in net
income Ike's friends La the
big corporations on Wall Street glee-
fully report record-breaking IN
CREASES in net profits.
Could it be that this session of
Congress again will encounter a dead
lock with the Administration on a
good workable farm bill? Might that
be arranged so that after the Presi-
Dental Nominating Conventions are
over. SOMEONE can come forth from
behind a dark black stage, riding |
confidently on a pure white horse,
bold, new plan for the
oof the farm problem, in a
manner reminiscent of the day the
recent steel strike, was settled by a
bold, new plan?
For Montana Women-The U. ,.
Departm emit of Labor has just released
a publication entitled NThe Legal
Status of Women in the United States
If America, which is subdivided into
reports for each of the states, includ-
ng Montana. The 15-page booklet
IN Montana cites the legal rules on
a digest of the constitution
and statutory provisions affecting the
egal status of women in Montana,
md includes changes in the law up to
January /. 1860. Such things as home
;teads, ownership and control OF prop
,rty. earnings of a married woman,
liability for family support, damages,
Inheritance, and political rights, and
many other subjects are discussed. II
you wish copy of this informative
booklet. send your request to my
office. have obtained
limited number of copies from the
Government Printing Office.
.rty. earnings of a married woman,
4