The Daily Alaska empire Newspaper, March 28, 1949, Page 1

THE DAILY ALASKA EMPIRE “ALL THE NE!VS ALL THE TIME” VOL. LXXIIL, NO. 11,1565 Alaska Ap |Represenfative Objects fo Two Senators ALL WATER ROUTE T0O NORTHLAND Noyes Declares It Is Am- erican Lifeline fo Alaska and Always Will Be WASHINGTON, March 28—®— John R. Noyes, Alaska ‘Road Com- missioner, ktelieves that an all water route from the United States to the Territory is “definitely the American lifeline to Alaska and always will be.” He so told the House appropria- tions sub committee handling the, Interior department money bill for the year starting July 1 in testi- mony made public today. Noyes testified that he could visu- alize the possibility of an all-Ame- rican route to the territory using car ferries, and which would con- nect with the Alaska highway sys- tem. “It would be very advantageous if we could go in, stopping at Prince Rupert, Juneau, Haines and Skagway and. other ports and con- necting with the highway,” he said, “utilizing the magnificent water- ways of southern Alaska and the British Columbia coast for water travel instead of road, thereby sav- ing, I think, considerable sums of money for road construction. “That is the only way to avoid Canada, to go by water or air.” Rep. Kirwan (D-Ohio) chairman of the Interior subcommittee asked him if he thought that his pro- posal was “a good way.” “Very definitely so,” the commis- sioner replied. Kirwan asserted that Americans are “bound to run into trouble”, traveling over the Alaska highway through Canada. Noyes said there is a protected waterway from Seattle to Alaska where connection can be made with the Alaska highway. But he added part of the Haines highway runs through Canada and totals atout 374 miles. OPENING OF BIDS FOR COAST GUARD BUILDING DELAYED Opening of bids for the construc- tion of the community sponsored Coast Guard building has been postponed until Thursday afternoon at 4:30 p. m, at the office of Nor- man Banfield, attorney. Bid opening was formerly schedul- ed for tomorrow. Deadline’ for payment by stock- holders of the balance of stock sub- scriptions was also advanced to Thursday. The community building committee reminded stockholders that initial downpayments of 20 per cent are subject to forfeit un- less the remaining 80 per cent is paid before the deadline More than three-fourths of the stockholders have paid their sub- scriptions in full, say building lead- ers, adding that there is every indi- cation that all stockholders wil! come through before the deadline The Washington Merry - Go - Round By DREW PEARSON (Copyright, 1949, by Bell. 8yndicdte, Inc.) ASHINGTON — This column probably will be greeted by Izvestia and Pravda with screams of “war- monger!”; while some people in this country won't like it, either. However, here are some Buropean trouble-signs the American people should keep a weather-eye onsat a period when the Soviet Union 1s more than ever on the spot. With the conclusion of the North Atlantic Pact, two divergent reports reach Washington as to what the Soviet will do to checkmate the new alliance: 1. Foreign Minister Vishinsky will come to the UN meeting in New York to wage a nhew peace offensive aimed at making the United States appear to be belliger- ent and the Soviet a peace-lover. The American Embassy in Moscow is convinced thif will happen. (Continuéd on Page Four) propriati | Coudert JUNEAU, ALASKA MONDAY, MARCH 28, 1949 MILLIONS FOR ROADS From Alaska, Hawaii IN ALASKA JOHNSON SWORNIN, SECY. DEF. Colorful Installation with Military Pomp Takes Place Today WASHINGTON, March 28.—®— Louis Johnson was sworn in today as Secretary of Defense in the most elaborate installation of a cabinet officer the capital has ever seen. Johnson, 58-year-old Clarksburg, W. Va, attorney, succeeded James V. Ferrestal, a New York banker. Forrestal had held the office since it was created by passage of the Armed Services Unification Act in June, 1947. The swearing-in ceremony, color- ful with military pomp, was held in the open five-acre center court of the Pentagon. The oath of office was adminis- tered by Chief Justice Fred W. Vin- sen before a crowd estimated at about 15,000. Mrs. Johnson sat in the front row of spectators, appearing very proud and smiling. She was clad in a blue suit, fur neckpiece and a pre-Easter bonnet of blue straw. She wore a single yellow orchid. In the audience were members of the cabinet. NIRKHAM ESCAPES SERIOUS INJURY BUT JEEP RUINED Allen C. Kirkman of Sunny Point considers himself a very lucky man. . In a highway accident early yes- terday morning, his jeep was com- pletely demolished, but Kirkman escaped with only a broken wrist and ktruises. He also was lucky in that Sgt. Emmett Botelho of the Highway Patrol happened to come along a few minutes later, and took him home. Kirkman told Botelho that a car had flashed past him on the inside of a curve and, swerving to avoid it, his Willys jeep took off over the embankment onto the beach. The accident happened at Mile 4% on the Glacier Highway about 5:40 o'clock Sunday morning. After checking on his injuries, Kirkman returned to Juneau for treatment at St. Ann’s Hospital. Kirkman is employed by the R. J. Sommers Construction Company. STREET DEPARTMENT BUSY WITH VARIETY OF IMPROVEMENTS Bert Lybeck, City Street fore- man, is a busy man these days, supervising a variety of improve- ment projects. An eight-man crew started work this morning on Gold Creek flume repairs, and 12 men are installing the salt water mains on Gold Street. * Work continues to foundations at the Small Harbor. Lt. Gen. Smith Gels Command, 1st Army WASHINGTUN, March 28—P— Lt. Gen. Walter Bedell Smith who has just resigned as Ambassador to Russia, has been given command of the First Army. Announcing this today, the Army department said Smith will have headquarters at Governors Island, N. Y. In his new post he succeeds Gen. Courtney H Hodges, who re- tired Jan. 31. g Methods for finding the longitude of a ship at sea were not devised until the 18th Century. strengthen Boat WASHINGTON, March 28—(®— Rep. Coudert (R-NY) said yester- day statehood for Hawaii and Alas- ka would give them a “wholly dis- proportionate” voice in govern- ment. He contended it would further distort popular representation in the Senate. Coudert said he will introduce a | proposal today to amend the Con- stitution limiting a new state’s sen- ator to one or none. Bills granting statehood to Ha- wali and Alaska have been ap- proved by the House Public Lands committee. “Surely,” Coudert said in a state- ment, “ the peoples of New York and other large cities should not blindly acquiesce in the further di- lution of their already under-repre- sentation in the Senate by the ad- mission of additional senators of very small tommunities.” He observed that small states, having 19 percent of the U.S. popu- lation, elect 50 senators and so control the Senate—as against 81 percent of the population having! 46 Senators. New York, with a population of 14,000,000, has only two Senators, Coudert noted, adding: “Yet we are asked to give two Senators to the less than 500,000 population in Hawaii and two Sen-} ators to the population of lessi than 100,000 in Alaska.” House representation for new states, under the Coudert proposal, would be on the usual basis. EISENHOWER 1S SICK MAN: FLOWN SOUTH { { | WASHINGTON, March 28.—#— Gen. Dwight D. Elsenhower left today for Key West, Fla., to recup- erate from an illness that has kep! him in bed for a week. Recommendation Is Made by Committee-System Must Be Improved WASHINGTON, March 28—(®— The House Appropriations commit- tee today recommended spending $25,692,000 and contractural autho- rity for $7,000,000 to build roads in Alaska in the year starting July 1. The committee reported that transportation to and within the Territory must be improved, and instructed the Interior department to study shipping conditions. The report said that “Inadequate and high cost” shipping services “con= stitute a handicap to the economic welfare and development of the Territory.” In recommending the appropria= tion, the committee said that con- struction of motor highways and bridges “is vital to the welfare of Alaska.” - MANY FOREIGN MINISTERS ARE ENROUTE TO U, Italian Count Comes Ahead of Time-Signing -of Pact Is Objective (By. Asscciated Press) Italy’s Count Carlo Sforza today led a parade of foreign ministers converging on Washington to sign the North Atlantic Security Alli- ance. Sforza flew to New York one week ahead of the time when 10 to 12 foreign ministers are slated to sign the pact which would link their nations into a tight defen- sive alliance. Italian adherence to the treaty ¢ | Was formally assured last night as the Italian senate voted its ap- Eisenhower, temporary chairman | Proval in Rome. of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has been suffering from an inflamation of the stomach. He left in President Truman's personal plane for the naval sta- tion at Key West. The General appeared a little pale and shaky as he climbed aboard the plane. SOUTH ENTRANCE, ALASKA HIGHWAY, CLOSED TO TRUCKS Only by crossing Alberta by rail | The foreign ministers of Britain, Belgium, Holland and Luxembourg, meantime neared the United States aboard the liner Queen Mary to be on hand for the signing. .- Change in Alaska Law Gefs Approval By House Sub.Com. WASHINGTON, March 28—(®— Legislation to repeal federal laws governing tax levying in Alaska can through shipments from Out- side be made today via the Alaska Highway, according to word recejv- ed here by Col. John R. Noyes, Alaska Road Commissioner. 5 As of today, it was expected that trucks would be excluded from the roads north and east of Edmonton, as approved today by a House ublic lands subcommittee so that a tax law enacted by the Tarri- torial legislature may become effec- tive. The bill, by Delegate Bartlett, permits the legislature to alter, amend or repeal laws enacted in stated a telegram from G. H. N.|1g899 ang in 1900 which prescribed Monkman, chairman of the Alberta¥ o iqin taxes that could be levied. Traffic Board. The committee also approved a While the Alaska Highway starts|py o authorize the Governor of in British Columbia, the approach! from the south is through Alberta. Colonel Noyes emphasizes that this is only a temporary closure. “Through the valued cooperation of the Alberta Highway Depart- ment,” said Colonel Noyes today, “we are able to give road informa. tion such as this, which is of great importance, especially to shippers. “Some time ago, we asked to be kept informed when it would be necessary to close any roads due to the spring breakup. Especially when roads are soft and rivers swollen, certain sections must be used very carefully, if at all. “An instance of this is the sec- tion which includes the ferry over the Great Smoky River. With no bridge crossing there, the moving ice makes too great a hazard t> ferrying at the worst of the break- up.” { —o——— FROM ANCHORAGE Alaska to establish fees to be paid for judges, clerks and voting places in federal elections. oo IDOWNED AIRMEN ONBARREN WASIE, REPORTED RESCUED EDMONTON, Alta., March 28—(M _A ski-equipped U.S. air force Dakota late yesterday rescued seven American airmen from the barren waste of Ellesmere island inside the Arctic circle. The seven had crash-landed Thursday in a US. C-82 cargo plane while on a 1,100 mile flight from Frobisher bay on Batfin jsland to Resolute bay on Corn- |wallis island. Their plane was 700 Melvern W. Schmitz of Anchor- age Is registered at the Gastineau.! - FROM ANCHORAGE t ‘Gordon White of Anchorage is, !registered at the Baranof Hotel | miles off course when it ran low n fuel. ———————— AT BARANOF ol Chris Dahl of Petersburg is af the Baranof, " MEMBER ASSOCIATED PRESS SUPPORTERS OF GOV. ON TRIP EAST Take Mendenhall Ice and| Yukon Water fo Make Cockfails, Other Purposes SEATTLE, March 28.—(#—Forty- two Alaskans flew into Seattle yes- terday enroute to Washington, D.C., where they will press a campaign before the Senate Interior Com- mittee to have Ernest Gruening re- tained as Alaska governor. A second group headed by A. H. Ziegler, Ketchikan attorney, flew east by commercial airliner, to op- pose Gruening’s confirmation. A spokesman said this group be- lieves Gruening “has gone too far too fast” in formulating a tax pro- gram and preparing for statehood. ‘The pro-Gruening group also left for the east. His reappointment is to be the sukbject of a public hearing April 1. Governor and Mrs. Gruening were to have accompanied the group, but delayed their departure from Ju- neau until tomorrow. The delegation is headed by Repl Stanley J. McCutcheon of Anchor- age, Speaker of the Territorial House. Ice For Cocktails A chunk of Mendenhall Glacier ice from Juneau and a bucket of water from the Yukon Riyer were brought along. The glacial ice will be mixed with Hawaiian pineapple juice in the office of Hawaiian Delegate Farringtor: to concoct a “49-50" cocktail for a toast to the new states expected to be created by Derigress this year, party spokes- men said. The Yukon River water will be poured into the Potomac to extend a portion of the sourdough priv- ilege to citizens of America who shortly will be joined in statehood by Alaskans. No one can become a sourdough who has not seen the ice go out and spit in the Yukon River. The group expects to invite Presi- dent Truman to be chairman of the Alaska State Constitutional Convention which probably will be held at Sitka later in the year and allow Alaskans to give him the ‘once over” before their first vote ior President. THOSE ABOARD PLANE Those aboard the plane from An- chorage which arrived late Satur- day afternoon and left Surday forenoon were: Z. C. Loussac, Mayor of Anchorage; Joe Nasho- alock; Dorothy Tyner; Glen Irving, representing the Plumbers and Steamfitters; Matt Pirkins; Jack Mazs; Eide Arthur, Sr.; Mrs. Fanny Phillips, 13 years treasurer of the Eastern Star of Anchorage; Pearl Gibson, representing the Retail Clerks; Geraldine C. Strauch, rep- resenting the Electricians; Mr. and Mrs. John Ryan; Walt Michins; John D. Shaw; Simeon Oliver, well known Alaskan author; Ruthella Wade of the Anchorage Times and 49th Star; Mrs. Jean Arnold; Bob Korn, ex-mayor of Cordova; Maj. M. R. Marsden; A. A. Owens, Jr., Vice President of A. F.' of L. Fish- ermens’ Union; G. Ed Knight; A. Cutting; Paul Solka, editor of Jen- sen's Weekly; W. A. Bessan; John Kolvastadt; K. C. Patton. Those leaving Juneau on the plane were: Willlam Beltz, repre- sentative; H. J. Lannen of Cor- dova; Jack Allman, Liquor Dealers’ Association; Pete Landstedt; Clar- ence Keating, representative; Dor- othy Farrell; Warren Taylor, repre- sentative; Stanley Mccutcheon,‘ 1epresentative; John Hedde, clerk of the House; Bonnie Jo Gronroos, secretary of the Senate; Lester Roberts, grand secretary of 'the | ANS, who is going to attend fish trap hearings in Washington. During their stay in Juneau the Westward delegation attended a reception for them Saturday night at the Governor’s House. ‘The plane crew is Capt. Bill Lund, co-pilot Herb Strouss, Tom Proven, Miss Fay Lindner and Miss Veline Overholt. It is understood the round trip is costing only $100. The plane is a DC-4, United Airlines. e RETURNED HOME Mr. and Mrs. Merle Rhodes of Juneau have returned and have regle;tered at the Gastineau, Communist RURAL AREAS STRUCK HARD, TORNADOES Twenty-eight Persons Are Killed 200 Injured- Property Damage LITTLE ROCK, Ark., March 28. —iM—Tornadces and lesser wind- storms apparently had subsided in hour trail of death, injury and destruction in eight states. were made homeless. damage was heavy. The storms struck mmainly in the sparcely populated rural areas. They ranged from Texas on the south- west to Kentucky on the northeast. In fury they varied from Arkansas, where 17 persons died and 98 wers injured, to Louisiana, where one person was hurt, Next to Arkansas, the chief suf- ferer was Mississippi, where eight were killed and 48 injured. Washington, the Red Cross made a preliminary allocation of $100,000 for the storm-striken area. From reports of 15 disaster workers in the field, the agency estimated that_at-least 300 homes—-hed -been wrecked or damaged. . JUNIOR CHAMBER NATIONAL LEADER ARRIVES BY PLANE Paul D. Bagwell Is fo Be Honor Guest af Events Here This Evening | A delegation of Juneau Junior Cnamber of Commerce members met national Jaycee leader, Paul D. Bagwell, at Juneau airport when he landed here shortly atter noon today from Anchorage. Bagwell, 29th president of the National Jaycee organization, is kere for a one-day stopover on a tour of Alaskan Junior Chamber of Commerce clubs. Local Jaycees have a full pro- gram on deck to honor their visit- ing leader, beginning with a r ception and cocktail party at 7 o'- tIock in the Gold Room of the Baranof, At 8 o'clock tonight, Bagwell will te guest of honer at a dinner in the Gold Room. Special invitations ‘or the dinner have been extended to Gov. and Mrs. Gruening, Mayor and Mrs. Waino Hendrickson, and Chamber of Commerce President Fred O. Eastaugh. The national Jaycee leader is a professor of speech and dramatics at Michigan State College. Labor Leader- Is Given Review of Case, High Court WASHINGTON, March. 28.—(#— Harold R. Christoffel, Milwaukee labor leader, today was granted a Supreme Court review of his con- viction on a charge that he lied in telling the House Labor Committee he never had been a Communist. Christoffel was cinvicted in U.S. District Court here and was sen- tenced to two to six years, The U. 8. Court of Appeals upheld the conviction. ‘The Supreme Court set the week of April 18 for hearing the case. .- HANFORDS RETURN Brooks Hanford and wife return- ed to Juneau during the weekend via Alaska Coastal after a busl- ness trip to Sitka, the south today after leaving a 48-! Twenty-eight persons were killed, about 200 were injured, and scores Property Movement In Alaska Dedares Krug: WASHINGTON, March 28—(P— Secretary of the Interior Krug says that Communism “has fallen com- pletely flat” in American overseas | possessions, | ‘Even in Puerto Rico, with its very low income standard and wide- | spread poverty, this is the case,”| he said. | Krug appeared on a round table tradio broadcast (NBC) with Joseph | |C. satterthwaite, director of the | State Department's office of Near | Eastern and African Affairs; and Francis B. Sayre, American rep- resentative on the United Nations 1 Trusteeship council. | Krug said there is “no evidence” of an active Communist movement lin Alaska or the Virgin Islands. | “There has been a little talk of a Communist group in Hawaii,” he | added, “but no indication what- ever of dangerous infiltration, or tany dent on the loyalty and sta- bility of the people.” Sayre said that in contrast to this situation in American posses- sions the Communists are sparing no effort to wreck the constituted authority in Indonesia, Burma and Indo-China. e MINERS 6O BACKTODAY; ARE HAPPY I 'PITTSBURGH, Merch 28.—(P— Hard and soft coal miners east of the Mississippi trocped back to work today to send coal flowing to the tipples in volume for the first time in two weeks. The end of UMW President Joan L. Lewis' memorial-protest mine shutdown found most of the diggers happy to be back on the job earn- ing pay again. Beginning at midnight when some pits scheduled early shifts, the return to work movement pro- ceeded without interruption in the ig western Pennsylvania coal fields and elsewhere. By the ¢nd of the day, all 463,000 iminers idle in the U. 8. were ex- pected to be producing coal again, The Pennsylvania pits all have been given a special state-ordered saf- ety inspection.- g CONFERENCE FOR "WORLD PEACE' IS CONCLUDED INN.Y. (By The Associated Press) The controversjai conference for “World Peace” ended in New York last night with a promise to con- tinue its work in the future and with a salvo of praise of Soviet “peace” aims. Some 8,700 persons jammed Madison Square Garden to cheer the last session' of the three-day cultural and sclentific conference| for world peace. Other thousands picketed and jeered outside. e — ® 06 o000 000 | WEATHER REPORT (U, 8. WEATHER BUREAU This data is for 24-hour pe- riod ending 6:30 am. PST. In Juneau— Maximum, 39; minimum, 32. At Airport— Maximum, 40; minimum, 32. FORECAST (Jumeau and Vicinity) Mostly cloudy with light rain and snow tonight and ‘Tuesday. Lowest tonight near freezing; highest Tues- day about 35 degrees. South- easterly winds 20-30 miles per hour, decreasing Tuesday. PRECIPITATION, (Past 24 hours ending 7:30 a.m. toda: In Juneau -— .03 inches; since March 1, 3.72 inches; since July 1, 95.72 inches. At Airport — .02 inches; since March 1, 137 inches; since July 1, 59.67 inches. 3 . . ° ] . L] . . ] . . ® 0000 0 00 0 00 @000 cceses00000000e00000000c0 s ¢|can 90%, Anaconda 31, lWr)gm 9%, International Harvest- PRICE TEN GENTS ons Total Over 50 Million No Evidence of Adive LARGE SUM FOR ALASKA REQUESTED House Committee Makes Report on Needs for Terr, Development By CHARLES D. WATKINS WASHINGTON, March 28—(®#— Appropriations for Alaska totalling more than $50,000,000—up nearly $20,000,000 over this years funds --Were recommended today by the House Appropriations committee. And, the committee also approved in the Interior Department appro- priations bill for the year starting July 1 another $19,000,000 in con- tract authorization for the Terri- tory. The direct appropriations for the Territory were topped by $25,692,000 for construction of roads, Lridges and tralls, an increase of $15,249,600 more than yoted for this year. The committee also authorized $7,000,~ 000 In contract authorizetion for the road program. ] Funds tor the Alaska Railroad ranked second, with $17,000,000 in cash, the same as this year, and $12,000,000 in contract authoriza-. tion. The rallroad also would be authorized to use $15,800,000 from its revenues for operating expenses. INCREASES ARE MADE Salaries and expenses of the gov- ernor and his staff were listed at $67,700, ah increase of 3200 over this year. The usual $50,000 would 30 into the Territorial funds for schools ' and $494.400 was allotted for care of the insane, an increase of $46400 over the t year. cm-lmmm«m and trails was allotted $100,000, Other appropriations recommend- ed for Alaska scattered through the funds for the department’s various bureaus were: FOR OTHER BUREAUS Alaska S8chool lands $500; town- site funds $6,000; roads, trails and Lridges. (Indian Bureau) $300,000; Alaska = Native Service $5,000,000 which was up $881,038; reclamation investigations $150,000; investiga- tion of mineral resources $425000; protection Alaska fur seals and in- vestigation, fish and wildlife $500,- 700; and Alaska fisheries and game $1,250,000. This is an increase of $275,400 over the combined amounts ior enforcement of the game laws and protection of Alaska fur seals in the current year, 4 Under this heading $250,000 is for construction of a hangar at Anchorage to house patrol afr- planes. TOPOGRAPHIC SURVEYS The Territory is sure to be allot- ted some of the $5,000,000 allotted for topographic surveys throughout the country, Alaska and Hawall, The cash allotment for the Alas- ka Rallroad was $8,000,000 less than the budget request. “The complete rehabilitation and modernization of the Alaska Rail- road is not justified,” the commit- tee reported. “Highways and roads will ac- commodate the type of surface tiansportation most conducive to the increased settlement and de- velopment of this potentially rich territory of the United States and ' such arteries of communication will in the future prove to be more advantageous than rail transporta- tion in Alaska for the achievement of commercial and economic prog- ress and military security.” STOCK QUOTATIONS NEW YORK, Mar, 28.—P—Clos- ing quotstion of Alaska Juneau mine stock today is 3'4, American Curtiss- er 24, Kennecott 45%, New York Central 11%, Northern Pacific 15, U. 8. Steel 72%, Pound $4.03%. Sales today were 700,000 shares. Averages today are as follows: industrials 175.99, rails 47.81, util- ities 35400 > | EAMERJG_OVBIEIITS Alaska from Seattle scheduled to arrive 1 p. m. Tuesday. Princess Norah scheduled to sail from Vancouver Thursday. Baranof scheduled to sail from Seattle Saturday,