The Glacier reporter. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1953-current, 1962-03-22

his bill would correct a serious
infringement on the basic rights
of the individual"
This legislation is necessary
because bureaucratic officialdom
has taken it upon themselves to
do away with a basic freedom
and remove elected officials from
office without giving these PEG
pie the right to have a fair and
impartial hearing" Battin said.
r. j. McKenna, state chairman
of the appointed committee that
is charged with the responsibility
of administering the federal gov
ernment's farm program, had
said the three elected county
committeeman were removed be-
cause of INSTRUMENTATION" and
disagreement over the productiv-'
ity index ratings for grain in the
county.
Battin's bill would amend the.
Soil Conservation and Domestic
Allotment Act to provide. that
the state committee may remove
local or county committee mem
beers only by a majority vote of
the state committee after fur
nishing such member with a
statement of the charges against
him and advising him of his
rights to a fairs hearing.
Further, the bill would pro-
vide that such member may ap-
peal from the decision to the ad-
ministratOr of the ASC or any
such member of the Department
of Agriculture as the Secretary
shall designate.
In the event the Secretary of
Agriculture shall sustain the pO-
sitiOn of the state agricultural
committee then the local or coun-
ty committeeman may appeal to
the U. S. District Court in the
district from which his suspen-
sion was made.
i Il have been deeply disturbed
by the highhanded method the
Department of Agriculture used
in removing the elected county
committeeman in Glacier Coun-
ty. If this action is allowed to go
unchecked, it will not be long
before our system or representa-
ton will be a mOckery and we
can do away with all elections"
Battin said.
| After the three committeeman
were fired, three men represent
ing the ASC arrived Tuesday of
last week at the Cut Bank ASC
office, apparently TO swear in
alternates Warren Swenson and
John Broadhead and to assist
them in assuming the duties of
the deposed trio.
! One of the ASC men was Doyle
Kennedy, a special investigator
with the Department of Agricul-
ture from San Francisco. The
other two men were from. the
State ASC office at Bozeman.
Kennedy became alarmed at
fhe presence of about $50 eoUn-
fy farmers who had come TO
protest. the firing Of their elect
ed representatives, and called
the county sheriff's office, the
Cut Bank Police Chief, and had
the U. S. Marshall called, for
police protection and assist
anee. No one knew why.
| Police Chief Sidney Brown Jr.
arrived, had cup of coffee, stay
ed while, then left. The crowd
that had gathered was very or.
derby throughout the entire
morning.
| Alternates Swenson and Broad
head stated they would serve as
the county committee until the
appeals of the fired officials
could be heard. They recommend
ed that Harold Nelson be the
third alternate. The elections last
fall that brought into office Nom
berg, Held and Lindberg, provid-.
ed the election of only two alter
mates.
A news release from Wash
insfon early this week stated .
the Agriculture Department
Monday adopted a hands off
policy towards the dispute. a.
department spokesman a id
there were no plans TO send de-
psrfmenf officials TO Montana
and that the next step would
have TO be taken by ihe state
ASc committee.
The programs are administer
ed locally" the spokesman said,
"and it is up to them to solve
ii themselves"
The ousted committeemen's APP
peals are expected eventually to
be considered by either Emory
Jacobs of Oklahoma or Charles
Frazier of Wyoming, deputy ad-
i ,.sw.~twot1r.