Statehood
(Continued from Page 1)
waii-Alaska bill is scheduled be
fore the House committee Friday.
Meanwhile, on Thursday, the
Senate Insular Affairs Committee
will meet to decide whether to
hold new hearings. Chairman
Murray <D-Mont) expressed his
hope that any hearings can be
limited to a day or two on each
territory.
The House committee discussed
the hearings on statehood amid
references to “red-legged sav
ages” in Florida and “outlaw brig
ands” in Texas. The “savages”
and “brigands” were subjects of
debate on admission of Florida
and Texas.
No New Issues Advanced
Rep. Saylor (R-Pa), who made
these references, said arguments
advanced against Alaska and Ha
waii had raised no issues which
have not previously been used
against admission of other states.
The two remaining territories,
Saylor said, “have fulfilled every
requirement which has been laid
down for any state.”
The committee rejected 15-7 a
motion by Rep. Pillon (R-NY) to
refer the statehood issue to a sub
committee after Engle promised
opponents and advocates alike
would have opportunity to pre
sent any witnesses they may wish.
Engle said he had “no inclina
tion to “highball” the statehood
legislation out of committee. He
directed representatives of the
Departments of Interior, Defense
and Agriculture to submit views
on the legislation promptly with
out waiting for customary clear
ance by the Budget Bureau.
In seeking unsuccessfully to
send the bills to a subcommittee,
Pillon said he considered the
statehood issue “so important, I’d
like to see extensive hearings . . .
for the benefit of new members.”'
When Saylor said the move was j
designed “only for purposes of
delay,” Pillon objected, asserting
the admission of two states would
add four senators and bring about
“a great shift in representation in
the Senate.”
Rep. Miller (R-Neb), ranking
Republican on the committee, said
he felt hearings would add “noth
ing new that I can learn, I’m
sure” but cautioned that lack of
hearings would leave the commit
tee in a “vulnerable position”
with the House Rules Committee
where an Alaska bill bogged
down last session.
Asked by a member whether
he still is as strong for Hawaii
statehood as he was last session,
Miller replied: “No, I’m not.”
He did not elaborate on his
change of mind except to say he
had been approached, while in
Hawaii last fall by a number of
people who said they were against
statehood but who did not appear
before the committee.
Hawaii 4-1 for Statehood
Miller said he had no doubt an
election in pawaii would run 3-1
or 4-1 in favor of statehood but
said he would like to have some
of the persons who spoke to him
state “publicly” their objections
—“I’m not sure they’re valid.”
A suggestion for hearings out
side Washington was dropped
when Rep. Dawson <R-Utah)
commented:
“As far as Hawaii is concerned,
that would be futile—we just got
back.”
“If all testimony taken on Al
aska and Hawaii statehood by
congressional committees was
stacked together,” Engle said, “it
would be piled higher than the
Washington monument, But I’m
willing to hear 30 or 40 feet of it
again.”
«
Committee Heads
/
In Senate of 22nd
Alaska Legislature
By JIM HUTCHESON
AP Legislative Correspondent
JUNEAU, UPi—An experienced
Republican legislator, Sen. John
Butrovich of Fairbanks, will head
up the important Finance Com
mittee of the Democratic-domin
ated Senate of Alaska’s 22nd Leg
islature.
In a somewhat unusual choice,
Democratic leaders stepped out
side their own ranks Monday to
pick one of the few Republicans
in the upper branch for the post.
The committee plays a major role
in handling legislation to keep the
budget in line with the territory’s
income.
In explanation, leaders pointed
out Butrovich held the same job
in the Republican-dominated Sen
ate two years ago.
Senators named to serve with
him, all Democrats, were Jack
Wierner, Seward; Bill Egan, Val
dez; Marcus Jensen, Douglas; and
Neal Foster, Nome.
The Senate also reduced the
number of committees from 17 to
15 and worked until midnight to
get their membership lined up.
Each senator, with the excep
tion of President James Nolan of
Wrangell, including Republicans,
were given committee chairman- j
ships.
The chairmen are:
Statehood and Federal Rela
tions—J. Earl Cooper, Democrat,
Anchorage.
Rules—Howard Lyng, Demo
crat, Nome.
Taxation and Revenue—Frank
Barr, Democrat, Fairbanks.
Judiciary—Ralph Rivers, Dem
ocrat, Fairbanks.
Education and Welfare—A1
Owen, Democrat, Anchorage.
Health and Housing—Marcus
Jensen, Democrat, Douglas.
Territorial Offices and Institu
tions—Doris Barnes, Republican,
Wrangell.
Labor and Management—Wil
liam Beltz, Democrat, Haycock.
Commerce and Industry (in
cluding fisheries, agriculture, for
ests, banks and banking —Wil
liam Egan, Democrat, Valdez.
Municipal Affairs and other
political subdivisions—Jack Wer- !
ner, Democrat, Seward.
Territorial Programs (including j
veterans affairs, civil defense, Na
tional Guard, Territorial Police,
etc.)—Bob Ellis, Democrat, Ketch
ikan.
Mining and Manufacturing—
Charles Jones, Republican, Nome.
Highways, Transportation, Nav
igation and Public Utilities—Neal
Foster, Democrat, Nome.
Engrossment, Enrollment and
Legislative Operations—M i k e
Stepovich, Republican, Fairbanks.
Heintzleman
(Continued from Page One)
j way funds.
He said a special effort will be
made to get a specific grant for
Alaska out of funds proposed by
President Eisenhower for a 10
year national highway program.
He suggested the legislature peti
tion Congress for it.
In discussing the Employment
Security Fund from which bene
fits are paid to the jobless. Gov
ernor Heintzleman described it as
in “precarious condition.” In con
trast, he said, funds of most states
have been increasing.
In reference to the possibility of
obtaining a federal loan for the
fund, if one can be secured, he
admonished:
Borrowing Is No Solution
“Borrowing does not solve the
main problem but merely post
pones it.”
The governor said the problem
calls for immediate action and “I
suggest the desirability of setting
up special committees or a joint
committee.”
He made a lukewarm reference
to the proposal for an immediate
constitutional convention, which
many Democratic legislators have
put at the top of their priority
legislationlist.
He said “it would appear to be
a long step in the right direction,”
particularly since Hawaii has
completed that step.
But he cautioned:
“I should feel derelict, however,
if I did not point out to you that
with the present condition of our
budget, the cost of such a conven
tion will be a factor for consider
ation.
$200,000 for Convention
“Under congressional enabling
legislation, $200,000 has been pro
posed to pay the costs of the con
vention and elections in connec
tion with it. If it were held under
an act of the legislature, the terri
tory would have to pay the entire
bill.”
There were a couple of points
on which the economy-toned mes
sage suggested new or added out
lays from existing income. The
governor declared the need for
relief in some of the fishing areas
dictated the desirability of creat
ing an “Emergency Fund” of at
least $250,000.
The governor’s suggestions on
some other subjects included:
Health—The legislators should
give “full attention and study” to
the proposals for the territory to
take over the Alaska Native Ser
vice health program, with federal
aid. He said now is the time also
to advise Congress on Alaska’s
desires on mental health care.
Counties or Improvement Dis
tricts—Creation of counties to
embrace populous areas might be
a solution to trie local government
problem of the city-suburban
areas, or, as an alternative, “gen
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I eral improvement districts” to
! stop the system of “district be
coming imposed on district.”
Cities—They need “sympathetic
attention” but don’t stand much
chance of getting much financial
aid.
Organization—To stop the com
plex growth of government by
boards* “I suggest the desirability
of making the salaried heads of
most of our territorial agencies
wholly responsible” for running
them.
Finances—Alaska’s tax take in
1953 was at an all-time high, but
the biennium has brought a three
quarter million dollar drop in the
general fund cash balance.
Mining—He strongly urged the
legislature to try to get the feder
al government to follow the Can
adian example in tax concessions
to miners to stimulate “the lag
ging industry.”
Water Power—An appropria
tion for surveys might pay “enor
mous dividends.” He cited specif
ically the Susitna, Copper and
Yukon (at Rampart) Rivers and
the Kenai Peninsula Lakes.
Parks and Recreation Areas—
Acquisition of the Baranof Castle
site at Sitka, where the U.S. flag
went up in 1867, “would provide
an excellent start toward an Al
aska park system.”
Land Registration—“It appears
that registration of lands already
on the assessment rolls of munici
palities ... or other taxing dis
tricts is a needless duplication,”
but registration of outlying land
ownership is useful. The govern
or advocated retaining the basic
act.
Will Seek Continuation
Of Alaska Remote
Dwelling Programs
ANCHORAGE, (*>—1Two offi
cials of the Alaska Housing Auth
ority will seek congressional ap
proval next month for continua
tion of the remote dwelling pro
grams.
Journeying to Washington D.C.
for that purpose will be E. Glen
Wilders, AHA executive director,
and Father Paul O’Connor, chair
man of the Board of Commission
ers.
Under the remote dwelling pro
gram, the housing authority leans
money or materials to Alaska na
tives for use in simple housing
improvements.
Wilder said practically nothing
has been done about the program
the past two years b^ause of the
$500 limitation per household. 1
The funds allocated, !fe said,
prohibited administration of the
project.
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