The Daily Alaska empire. [volume] (Juneau, Alaska) 1926-1964, 1927-03-30
CONTROL BOARD
PLAN DEFENDED
BY W|CKERSHAM
In Two-Hour Speech Judge
Wickersham Extols Viz
tues of the Measure.

Caiolery. warnings not too heavily
veiled, glorification of the Alaska
Organic Act condemnation of for-
mer Legislatures sarcastic TRUSTS
at opponents of the measure, ard
withal good natured exposition of
| the matchless virtues claimed by its
proponents for the Controller Bill.
featured the speech of Judge James
| Wickersham before a joint session Of
the Legislature last night at a, b.
| Hall. 1t was we'll attended and the
! audience received the remarks of the
speaker in the same good-humored
spirit they were delivered. applause
and laughter greeting some Of the
Sallies.
Reading the measure section. JUDGE
Wickersham gave it his unqualified
endorsement, declared it was a great
measure embodying the principles Of
self-govcrnment and the most I'M
portant one that ever come before II
, Alaska Legislature.
Officers Serve Illegally
He not only affirmed in his opinion
| the legal right of the Legislature to
enact such legislation, but declared
, that the Governor and Secretary of
| he Territory have had imposed on
tham by Legislatures of the past
duties they cannot legally perform.
He said he knew it has been done
but it wasn't going to be done much
Longer; that there are people who
Fare going to test the legality II
their functioning; that within two
months after the adjournment of the
present Legislature, if the system
is not changed, these people will go
INTO the courts with the matter.
| In support of his contention that
lhese officers have no legal right
10 perform such duties. he cited
opinions from former Attorney Gen
eral Grgsby on the subject of Fed
orally appointed officers serving on
such boards as the Board of Chill
dren's Guardians. He also quoted
from the opinion of the Circuit Court
Of Appeals in the case Of Marshal
vs.. Callahan, taken up from the
local district court, over the question
of the right of the Legislature to i'm
pose the collection of poll tax On
| L. S. Marshals, Commissioners, etc.
Gives Opponents Notice
While Judge Wickersham did not
threaten Legislative opponents with
political disaster if they voted again"t
the measure, he gave notice in 70
uncertain terms that disaster would
follow a negative vote. In effect, he
said: "fI you don't pass this bill,
we can only go out to the people
and ask them to return Legislature
that will pass it, and keep on going
until we get such Legislaturc.'
| He exercised inimitable cajolery
directed toward members of Irish
ancestry. No Irishman would vote
against such measure, the Irish
| love self-government too well; and
If some of the members are Of other
than Irish ancestry, they have Irish
hearts, he declared.
Presided Over BY Howard
The joint session, opening at y.
M. was presided over by President
Howard of the Senate, who was es-
corted to the chair by Representa-
tives Gricr and Rydecn He said
briefly the purpose of the meeting
was to hear discussion on the
merits or demerits of the Controller
Bill. and principally for the purpose
of listening to Judge Wickersham.
The latter Immediately took the floor
and spoke for about two hours and
Is minutes.
He prefaced his reading of the
measure by IA declaration that 81
have read the BILL" many, many
ltimes. He denied that he had any
thing to do with the preparation of
1.-The original measure introduced by
lSenator Steel, but since then had
talked il over with Senators and
REPRESENTATIVES" advised with them
as to amendments, drafted such
amendments at their suggestion and
lapproved of the bill as so amended.
/ He then proceeded to read the
measure by section. reading in the
amendments proposed. He declared
while it was a political measure, it
was not political in the crdirari'y
, acceDisG Fl ses. ~ Inc = ~. noi be.i =
: for aur t.ehaf party or ser of
men Mt - r,se,
W. affected ths right of the Ter
fitoriai iala,0ra to elect Con
) ,f,ollar , is 3'onosed in the meas
a,~h f.sr .a fr% occupant OF Ttcf
susfie g- saif mat its authority Il.
itba4 rls Has not open to oles
ilat
+, j, ole reaa'ue 9ae measure ana
. -r4. propUsed amenainenis
Ir >. t1- principal au4enameni PRO
]. .,.esi gas 70 require that the an
) seaallea oonpr OF tbe Controller and
CONTINUED on Page F'ient.,