Seward daily gateway., 1932-09-15

most friendly terms and have been on the most friendly terms with de- partment heads.
 T am a member of some very inn portant committees, including the Committee on Territories, Indian Affairs, Fish and Fisheries and have many friends on these com mittees, including Republicans and Democrats. It is by retaining these cordial relations that I have been able to accomplish what I have, and where, if reelected, I will be in a position to further the inter- ests of the Territory.
 Tt must be remembered that it is a long process, due to seniority, for one to advance toward the head of these committees. But it is here that all questions vital to Alaska must be fought out and settled.
 REBUTTAL OF RUMORS
 Tt has been charged against me that I left Congress while certain Important legislation was pending, principally that transference of the duties of the Alaska Road Con- mission from the War to the In- terlor department, and the matter or appropriations for road building Tn Alaska. The facts are that I was not opposed to the transfer, and will explain why. It was an- nounced as the policy of the War Department to recall army officers from civilian duties and get them back into the army. This was Sec retary of War Hurley's program and involved some 2,OOO army off, cers, of which five were stationed in Alaska.
 This met my approval because l stand for civilian administration Tn Alaska and administration as far as possible by Alaskans. In this the transfer takes the matter of road building out of the hands of bureaucrats and centers 1t in the hands of Alaska. The Governor takes the place of Major Elliott, and with Ike Taylor functioning as next in command, the places held by army men will be in the hands of civilians. The Governor is as good an engineer as those rom the army, and the change will not affect the road building save In that we will receive better roads and Ike Taylor will not have to buy blue prints which cost as much as a bridge.
 T was asked to introduce the bill, but declined. The reason did not oppose it was I did not want to.
 When the original road build ing appropriation bill came down. it called for $65O,OOO. Representa- tive McDuffie of Alabama opposed it. The result was that the sum was dropped to $354,OOO. I offered a motion to reinstate the $65O, ,OOO, and again met opposition of MT. McDuffie, who claimed that the United States was wasting money in Alaska, and offered a motion to strike out the entire appropriation.
 T then went to Representative Taylor of Colorado, a Democrat. MT. Taylor met me with sympathy and understanding, and led the fight against cutting out the ap- propriation. We won on this point, and the people of Alaska are in- debted to MT. Taylor, for, but for his stand there would not now be anyone working on the roads. At that we won by a slim margin of six votes.
 My stand on this matter of tranSference of road functions was based upon my position that what we need most is control of our own government in Alaska. Under the transfer this is what we have.'' SEWARD MEMORIAL
 Diverging to consider purely local matters as they relate to Seward Delegate Wickersham pointed out that he had introduced bill call ing for the erection of a suitable memorial to the late Secretary Will liam Seward, to be erected in Sew ard and to cost not less than $4O0,- 900. This would consist of a semi circular stone and concrete build ing with fluted >,collonade pillars