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OLDEST NEWSPAPER IN ALASKA—MEMBER ASSOCIATED PRESS _
62nd Year No. 31 NOME, ALASKA, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 15, 1961_Per Copy 15$
Senate Approves
Liberalized State
Elect ion Code
JUNEAU (j?)—The Senate passed
and sent to the House today a
comprehensive bill making more
than a score of changes in the
state’s election code, including a
provision against straight party
ballots in general elections.
The bill was a State Affairs
Committee substitute for a mea
sure originally introduced by Sen.
Howard Pollock. The substitute
drew together some four election
code bills which had been intro
duced in the upper chamber.
Before passing the bill, the
Senate turned down an amend
ment offered by Sen. Brad Phil
lips which would have eliminated
the closed primary and which
would have permitted voters to
cross party lines on the primary
ballot.
Phillips’ proposal received op
position from Sens. John Coghill,
George McNabb and W. O. Smith.
All three contended that pri
mary elections were, in effect,
party primaries and provided the
means for strong party respon
sibility.
Phillips said his amendment
should be adopted because the
present election code does not
take into consideration “a large
segment of Alaskan voters, the
Independents.”
The bill as it passed the Sen
ate would also:
Remove the provision that there
be separate columns for Demo
cratic and Republican party can
didates on the general election
ballot.
Changes the date of the pri
mary election from the Tuesday
after the second Monday of Au
gust in each even-numbered year
to the last Tuesday of the month
of August in each even-numbered
year.
Provides that a board of three
licensed physicians can declare
a candidate mentally or physical
ly incapacitated from serving if
elected.
Requires the Secretary of State
to publish a notice of election at
least twice prior to the election
in one newspaper of general cir
culation in each of the four major
election districts.
Senate Finance Committee
Okays Unemployment Aid
WASHINGTON W — The Sen
ate Finance Committee today ap
proved the emergency unemploy
ment aid bill after changing it to
require that employers in each
state pay for the state’s benefits.
Under the measure, nearly $1
billion in emergency payments
may be made availble to jobless
persons who have exhausted their
regular unemployment compen
sation rights. They would be per
mitted to draw benefits for as
much as 13 additional weeks.
Kennedy's Signature Will Restore
Ike's Five-Star General Rank
WASHINGTON U?> — President
Kennedy’s signature is all that is
needed to restore to former Pres
ident Dwight D. Eisenhower his
five-star general’s rank.
A congressional resolution re
storing Eisenhower’s rank reach
ed the White House yesterday
after the House approved it. The
Senate already had acted favor
ably.
Eisenhower resigned his com
mission before accepting the Re
publican Presidential nomination
in 1952.
Would Extend
E.S.C. Benefits to
State Employees
JUNEAU UPi — The Senate
passed and sent to the House yes
terday a bill which extends em
ployment security benefits to
state workers, at no cost to the
employe.
Before passing the measure, re
quested by Gov. Egan, the Senate
amended it to exclude department
and division heads from the pro
visions of the act.
Sen. George McNabb told the
Senate, in answer to a question
from Sen. Brad Phillips that he
had been advised by the adminis
tration that the federal govern
ment would probably absorb half
of the cost of the program.
The cost to the state then, Mc
Nabb said, would be about $325,
000 a year.
The state would dip into its
basic general fund to repay the
employment security fund, on a
quarterly basis, all moneys taken
from the fund as benefits to per
sons as a result of state employ
ment .
Sen. Paul Greimann spoke
against the bill.
“Any time a figure is used, you
can well bet it’s going to be just
double that amount,” Griemann
said. “In two or three years we’ll
be paying $1.5 million or more a
year for paid vacation bonuses
for state employes.”
Greimann cast an “aye” vote
when the bill came up for final
passage, however.
McNees Wants Excise
Tax Applied on Liquor
Sold by Military Stores
JUNEAU UP) — Sen. John Mc
Nees asked the Senate yesterday
to take from the Finance Com
mittee a bill applying the state
liquor excise tax to liquor sold
to military personnel.
“Two-fifths of the liquor sold
in the State of Alaska is pur
chased in stores located on mili
tary reservations, McNees, au
thor of the bill said, “and much
of it is being purchased illegally
by civilians.”
“Military personnel stationed in
Alaska use our highways, our
recreational facilities and our re
sources. They should be contri
buting to the upkeep of these
facilities.”
McNees estimated the bill would
result in some $700,000 in new
revenue each year.
Sen. Lester Bronson argued
against the bill. He said if the state
did impose the excise tax, the
military would merely by-pass
Alaska wholesalers.
Sen. Vance Phillips said the bill
should remain in committee, be
cause it would “be very harmful
to the businessmen of Fairbanks
and Anchorage.”
Phillips said a recent tiff with
the military authorities about on
base sales to civilians resulted in
a dispute which forced the closure
of several stores.
McNees said there is a distinct
problem involved because much
of the liquor sold in military
stores is being purchased by civil
ians.
McNees said he had purchased
beer and hard liquor from a mili
tary store himself, even though
he had no authorization to do so.
“It’s a problem and an abuse
we should correct,” McNees said.
“But I don’t want to force the
issue. I withdraw the motion.”
Seattle Chamber Asks
Legislature to Reconsider
Century 21 Appropriation
SEATTLE Uft — The Seattle
Chamber of Commerce today
asked the Alaska Legislature to
reconsider an appropriation for
participation of the 49th State in
the Century 21 Exposition.
Last week the Alaska Senate
turned down a $450,000 appropri
ation for the Century 21 exhibit.
Three of Alaska’s legislative
leaders then requested the Seattle
Chamber of Commerce to join
with Alaska on a 50-50 matching
fund basis to raise funds for the
project.
In a letter to Frank Peratro
vich, President of the Alaska
Senate, Wheeler Grey, Chamber
President, said the Chamber “re
luctantly but realistically must
decline to accept this offer.”
Grey said the Seattle business
community already is burdened
by heavy fiscal obligations for
Century 21.
“Needless to say we were very
disappointed to learn that your
Senate failed to approve your
state’s participation in this out
standing event, particularly since
the original concept of the ex
position was to commemorate the
50th anniversary of the Alaska
Yukon-Pacific Exposition held
fin Seattle) in 1909,” Grey wrote.
“At that time, Alaska unques
tionably had one of the most out
standing exhibits and we feel that
your absence in Century 21 cer
tainly would be most conspicuous.
“May I assure you that this
Chamber of Commerce, within its
limitations, is willing to assist the
State of Alaska in perfecting your
exhibit, should your Legislature
decide to participate in the Cen
tury 21 Exposition.”
Rep. Blodgett Bitterly
Criticizes Aviation Dept.
Handling of Funds
JUNEAU UP) — Rep. Bob Blod
gett bitterly critized the State
Division of Aviation Tuesday, be
fore voting against a $1.5 million
bond bill for the construction of
bush airfields.
Blodgett was one of five mem
bers of the House to vote against
the bill, which was passed 35-5.
“I’m for bush airfields and I
know we need them,” Blodgett
told the House.
“But the Aviation Division has
so much fat in its budget, I think
there’s enough money there to
build a good share of these air
fields and save the money we’ll
be paying in interest on these
bonds.
“I am extremely reluctant to
see this money go to the Division
of Aviation while it is administer
ed as it is — and see it wasted
on poor management and poor
engineering,” Blodgett said.
Blodgett, a member of the
House Finance Committee which
studied all of the bonding meas
ures to come before the House,
recommended that the bush air
field bill “do not pass.”
THE WEATHER
Fair and continued cold. Low
tonight -25, high tomorrow -10.
In the last 24 hours as of 7:00 a. m.
today: High of -4, low of -24. Sun
rise at 6:21 a. m., sunset at 6:02
p. m. Temperatures a year ago
today: High of 4, low of -17, Ex
tremes on this date since 1907:
High of 39 in 1918, low of -28 in
1915.
At Nenana at 10:00 a. m. to
day light snow and a tempera
ture of -16.
JFK Calls For
Helicons Harmony
By Marvin L. Arrowsmith
WASHINGTON M — President
Kennedy called today for religious
harmony, warning that if the
country divides on the school aid
issue “our national strength” will
be sapped.
In a two-point proposal to solve
what he termed “this sensitive
issue,” he:
1. Urged Congress, as he has
done before, to pass his $2.3 bil
lion public school assistance bill
without proposed amendments
calling for loans to parochial
and other private schools below
the college level.
2. Pledged that his administra
tion would then cooperate with
Congress in studies of the ques
tion whether loans to church
schools, or tax exemptions for
the parents of their students,
would be constitutional.
The President discussed the
matter at a news conference.
In expressing hope the contro
versy won’t divide the country,
Kennedy said:
“. . . I am hopeful that when the
smoke is cleared there will con
tinue to be harmony among the
various religious groups of the
country. I am going to do every
thing that I can to make sure
that harmony exists, because it
reaches far beyond the question
of education and goes, in a very
difficult time of our country, to
an important ingredient of our
national strength.”
A reporter told Kennedy his
election had been regarded in
some quarters as a victory over
religious prejudice. The newsman
asked whether the President feels
the current controversy over the
education bill is provoking reli
gious prejudice.
Kennedy replied he is hopeful
that it will not do so.
The reporter had spoken of
what he called the inflexible
stand of some Roman Catholic
Church officials in seeking fed
eral aid for parochial schools.
Kennedy said both Catholics
and Protestants are entitled to
their view and have a right to
express them.
The President said it quite ap
propriate that these groups should
“not change their views because
of the religion of the occupant
of the White House.”
Ferry Bonding Bill
Passes House With
Surprising Lack of Debate
JUNEAU UP) — The surprising
lack of debate Tuesday before the
passage of the controversial $23
million ferry bond bill, 26-13, was
a bow, in effect, to one of the
members of the House.
The measure, which had been
thoroughly aired during second
reading was moved ahead on the
House calendar so that Rep. Frank
Cashel of Sitka could vote on it.
Ca9hel received word that his
mother was very ill. In order that
he could vote on the bill, and still
leave in time to catch a flight for
Sitka, the change in order was ap
proved by the House.
The motion that the bill be
pushed up was made by House
Minority Leader Bruce Kendall,
one of the ferry measure’s bit
terest foes.
The House immediately went
into a roll call on the bill, for
going further debate in respect j
,to Cashel.
City Board of
Equalization Meets
Mareli 29. 30, 31
The Board of Equalization will
convene on March 29 for a three
evening session with the School
Board requested to present their
budget on the last night.
Judges and clerks were an
nounced for the municipal elec
tion to be held the first Tuesday
in April. They are Reca Godsbe,
Phillip Dexter and Lillie Lewis,
judges, and Emma Black and Bea
trice Lee for clerks.
The Chamber of Commerce was
re-imbursed by the city for the
lumber used in building a per
manent grandstand, and $36.90
for the city’s share in preparing
the brochure on the vocational
school.
The council voted to buy the
property of Mrs. White, north of
the proposed playfield, for the sum
of $1,050 on which to move the
Ruiz residence which is now on
the playfield property. Two build
ings are still left for sale on the
playfield and will be offered again
by the city with a 10 per cent de
posit with the bids instead of the
whole amount of the bid as pre
viously required.
Charles Fraizer was awarded
the quonset hut offered for bid
for the sum of $301.75.
A scale of salaries for city em
ployes was submitted by a special
committee and will be acted upon
at the next council meeting.
The city clerk’s salary was set
at $750 per month.
The proposed salaries for other
officers include:
$750 per month for fire and
police chief with a $50 raise after
12 months and another $50 raise
after 24 months.
The maximum of $900 can only
be obtained by additional study
and training courses taken at the
officer’s own expense.
Superintendent of jails, start
ing salary $650 with $25 raise
after 6 months and maximum
$900 with the provision of extra
training. This office also has a
raise at the end of one year and
$750 at the end of two years
with the educational provision.
Patrolmen starting pay is $575
sliding up to a possible $675.
City jail guards starting salary
$550 with sliding scale up to
$630.
Matrons starting at $370 sliding
scale up to $540. Matron-cooks are
allowed an additional $60 per
month.
City utility man starting at $675
up to $750 after three years.
JFK Asks Congress for
$1 Million in Fisheries
Research in Alaska
WASHINGTON (ff> — President
Kennedy asked Congress yester
day for $1 million to be used
by the Bureau of Commercial
Fisheries for a research program
in Alaska.
Kennedy said the money is
needed for biological research in
the scientific management of Alas
ka salmon.
Under an international conven
tion for high seas fisheries of the
North Pacific Ocean, this coun
try is required to be able to
demonstrate that salmon of the
Western Pacific are under a
scientific conservation regime
which provides maximum utiliza
tion consistent with maximum
sustained yield.
This convention is subject to
renegotiation in 1963.