The Glacier reporter. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1953-current, 1961-04-13
A MINUTE
WITH nal

beaten US 10 the punch again by
putting a man into orbit. This is
beyond a doubt the greatest
achievement man has ever made
and the astronaut will probably
be acclaimed a world hero.
All OF this is well and good.
and is certainly another "first"
for the Russians but the way
in which il was accomplished is
quite another story, and will
never be mentioned by the Rus
slams
II will be remembered. that at
the time the Russians took over
East Germany, as well as the
other countries during their so
called march TO Berlin" prac-
tically every scientist worthy of
the name disappeared mysteri-
Ously and was not heard from
again until several years later
when word leaked out that the
Russians had agreed TO grant
political asylum TO these refu-
gees" Later yet. II was learned
that these scientists were being
granted many favors that even
the highest state heads had never
dreamed Of enjoying. and that
they were living like million
aires. Only one problem remain
ed 10 be solved by the Russians
and that was TO keep the really
patriotic foreign scientists from
committing suicide This, in
many cases, was accomplished by
permitting the scientists TO send
for their families Actually,
they had no choice If they want
ed 10 live and 70 be with their
families.
The success of the Russian
spaceman program goes back
farther than that. II goes back to
the stealing Of American atomic
and rocket information from the
start Of our program. In being
able to get our secrets il has
been estimated that the Russians
advanced five years ahead Of US.
So. while the Russians have put
the first man into space, they
have not really done il alone,
nor have they been able TO pro-
duce within their own country
the kinds Of scientific minds for
achieving the goal
Last weeks school election
should have made II abundantly
clear that there is a decided need
for amending our school election
laws. We refer particularly 10
that part of the law governing
the qualification of voters vot
ing on mill levies.
Why shouldn't the same law
apply TO mill levy issues that APP
plies to bonding issues? The tax
payers money is being spent,
and while the amount in most
cases msy not be as large as the
figures presented in bonding is
sues, Il can, and does in some
districts, run into several thou
sands Of dollars, and can cause
extreme financial burdens TO
the taxpayers
In our municipal election there
was no mill levy to be voted. No
money issue at all was at stake
yet everyone voting in this
election had to be a registered
voter and his name had TO ap-
pear on the certified list of vot-
ers provided by the county as
proof that he was a qualified
voter
Our school election laws con-
corning mill levies require no
such list of proof and anyone
owning a SIS jalopy is eligible
to vote providing he Is Of legal
age. resides within the district,
is a taxpayer ard his name ap-
pears upon the last completed
assessment roll Of the county for
state. county and school taxes q.
III his car is licensed, he is con
sidered a taxpayer.
The question Is, why does the
law not require a certified list
TO check against the voters7 The
election officials have no way
Of knowing whether or not a
voter IS qualified as q taxpayer.
other than 10 take his word.
Actually II would appear by
our election laws that a person
purchasing a loaf Of bread would
be eligible 10 vote Why notg
He has paid tax
We do not mean 10 imply that
our election officials OF the dis
trict school clerk did not con-
duct the election according TO
law. They did a good job as far
as we know in spite Of being
placed in an embarrassing posi-
ton az times but we do CON
tend that the laws need chang
ing
IN ORBIT
rs-.-..-v.tfy-1 IN the Russians