ROBERT ANDERSON 



Vice President MASWCD 



WASHINGTON TRIP REPORT 



May 17 through May 21 were the dates 

 for the annual trip to Washington, 

 D.C. Those making the trip this 

 year were Pres. Carl Johnson, and 

 his wife Judy, Vice President Bob 

 Anderson, and his son Rick, Treasurer 

 Wendell Martlnell and his wife, and 

 directors Everett Snort I and, A. G. 

 Slattery, Oscar Hippe, and Pete Jackson. 

 The wives and Rick, of course, paid their 

 own way. Also In Washington at the time 

 were Mr. & Mrs, Ave LInford and Herb 

 Becker from Billings, 



We were honored to be present at the 

 Department of Agriculture awards 

 ceremony where Ave Linford received one 

 of two National awards. This was for 

 outstanding service. Herb Becker*5 award 

 was for outstanding work as Area 

 Conservationist. Secretary of Agri- 

 culture Clifford Hardin spoke at the 

 ceremony. 



We traveled to Washington on Saturday 

 due to a big savings in ticket cost. 

 This gave us Sunday to see the town, 

 and we were again honored to attend a 

 reception at Ave Linford's sisters home. 

 Miss Linford is a director of VISTA and 

 a most gracious hostess. I would guess 



that some 100 people were present 

 throughout the afternoon and we all 

 had plenty to eat. We met a lot of 

 important people, 



Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday were 

 busy days as we kept appointments 

 with Senators Mansfield and Metcalf; 

 Norm Berg, assistant director of SCS; 

 Floyd Davis, Director of Extension; 

 Harold Stamm, Department of Interior; 

 Dr. Cowden, assistant secretary of 

 Agriculture; and Gordon Zimmerman, 

 our national association secretary. 

 The Senate was not in session while we 

 were there but we did see the House 

 while at work and the Great Plains 

 program passed while we were there. 

 Congressman Olson was busy with 

 committee work relative to ACP and 

 the Agriculture budget so we were 

 unable to see him. 



Our message In Washington concerned 

 support for Agriculture budgets at a 

 minimum of 1968-1969 levels. We also 

 carried the Beartooth R.C,& D, project 

 application to the Secretary of Agri- 

 culture, Most of the things we were 

 most Interested In have passed the 

 House since our trip. Whether our 

 presence In Washington had anything 

 to do with this Is hard to tell, I 

 do believe that this trip should be 

 continued, however, as I found that 

 a 1 1 the peop I e we ta I ked to were 

 anxious for information from the 

 grass-roots. 



Your directors wish to thank the 

 districts who contributed to the 

 legislative fund, making this trip 

 possible. We believe that your money 

 was well spent here and at Helena 

 during the past session. Wise use of 

 this fund can go a long way towards 

 helping your State Association stau 

 strong and progressive. 



Fajmer, as he paid $2, 00 for a 

 hamburger in a fancy hotel: 

 "If you folks are figuring oorreatlyt 

 I've got a steer at home worth 

 $50, 000, " 



