The Camas Hot Springs Exchange

There was general agreement at a recent hearing that Montana's game law isn't "tricky" - that it's clear enough for a colonel to understand.

Agreement was reached following a series of questions put by Congressman Metcalf to G. S. Robinson, a special assistant to the Secretary of the Air Force appearing before the House Interior Committee.

Metcalf's questions grew out of fines imposed last fall on members of three hunting parties of out-of-state military men for falsely swearing that they were Montana residents in order to buy resident big game hunting licenses.

One of the parties was made up of five Air Force officers, who paid $350 each after their arrest. Commenting on this case, the Air Force Times said Montana laws was "tricky".

The Air Force said the officers got a bum steer in correspondence "with the proper officials in Montana" on requirements for a resident's license.

A member of the Montana Fish and Game Commission says the officers "never at any time wrote to anyone in our Game Department."

This is background to Robinson's statement that the Air Force is making sure its personnel are up-to-date on state hunting and fishing law.

At this point Metcalf picked him up. After saying he was happy to have the policy statement, Metcalf read Robinson the Montana resident law.

"In your opinion, is that a tricky requirement?" Metcalf asked.

"From what you have read, it was quite understandable to me," Robinson replied. "I do not see anything tricky about it."

"Could a colonel, lieutenant colonel, or a captain in the Air Force be deceived by that requirement?" Metcalf asked.

"I do not see how myself," was the reply. "You ask me a frank question. I would say no."

Metcalf noted that the application form carries the question: "Have you continuously resided in Montana for the past six months?", and that the Air Force officers, like the Navy men in the other two parties, had answered "Yes".

Metcalf said he realizes that both enlisted men and officers "are underpaid", expressed his willingness to vote for a pay increase, but he was disappointed that, in correspondence with the Montana Congressional delegation, the Defense Department apparently "would condone the fact that men would come in and perjure themselves in order to save a little over a hundred dollars."

Congressman Rhodes of Arizona, like Metcalf a member of the Interior Committee, noted that during World War II officers were court-martialed for signing false affidavits.

"I just wonder if the Service is getting a little lax on keeping up the quality of its officers and gentlemen," Rhodes said.