The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1961-01-13

President of the Senate Tim the
Bah '(Bab from Persian meaning
"door", or from Arabic meaning
"gate") this week called the crew
from the press table on the carpet.
Certain references to himself seemed
amiss when viewed in the black and
white of news writing.
Tim the Bah felt he had been
wronged so certain reprisals had to
be taken against the scribes. The
''tip" slip posted outside of the Sec
rotary of the Senate's office would
be banished from use and the cor
respondents would have to wait until
the bills were announced by the
reading clerk. The authors could then
come to the press table to give ex-
plantations of their proposed meas
ures. They had been sought out by
the correspondents before the formal
introduction as to the real intent of
the measures rather than label the
proposed law by the title which is
sometimes misleading.
Tim the Bah told us of this reprisal,
and the slip in the brown enevelope
on the wall said the courtesy was
discontinued, and it was announced
in the Senate itself.
Tim the Bab's slamming closed this
passageway to information concern
ing up-coming legislation demon
strates only his inability to cope with
basic craftsmanship. The news writers
at his disposal are operating under
disciplines that may be difficult to
understand for those not connected
with the world of the press. How
ever, punitive action based only upon
his own emotions about what he
thinks other people should be reading
is bit babbly.
The tip slip furnished by the at
taches served to keep the public
accurately informed by allowing the
news writer's time to interview the
solon about the effects desired by
his bill, and avoided mislabeling
Imagine the result back in the home
country if our favorite senator was
wrongly given responsibility for the
dog bill.
The wire service writer's are in
competition with one another for
space in the daily newspapers. Their
bosses, the bureau chiefs, want stories
that will sell to the various editors
while the writer's from the papers
are given assignments from their re-
spective editors to handle, come what
may. Thus all the writer's are in open
competition to present the material
they experience during the session to
you. the reading public. Telling you
what goes on in political Montana IS
an open game and tough row to
hoe to capture space in your eye.
Writing for the VOICE is little
different. l have to win writing space
from two of the best writers in the
field-Harry and Gretchen Billings.
(He wants a raise.-EDITOR.)
Every morning look at the plaque
On the editors wall from the Sidney
Hillnan Foundation and know that
am pitching in the big league.
I walk through the back shop and
observe the fine craftsmen-Harry
Upright on the linotype and Bud
Peterson on the presses these mast
srs of their trades, perform the magic
If written communications on ancient
machines.
when the folder tapes went hay
wire last week Gretchen got into her
,lue Jeans and retaped the cantanker-
JUS contraption. Not for overtime
,ay, but for the people,
The people-just names on the
mailing list, but for them it must be
lone. This weeks stories must be
written so we'll that the people will