The Nome nugget., 1942-03-18
Governor Says AIaskans
 Are Ready To Fight
By FRANK I. WELLER

Governor of Alaska.
 President Roosevelt says Japan may try to capture islands and harbors of the vast hny populated terri tory a possible bridge-head against the Western Hemisphere - but Gruening is determined to ready them instead for American attack on Japan.
 The 55-year-old New Yorker, who talks straight about things has just left Washington for Juneau after trip here for assurance that Alaska will get adequate defense if not actual oense bases and garr sons and brand new highway from Seattle up through Canada to Fairbanks to supply them.
 Let's Smash Hell Out of the Japs'
 "Defense is obsolete" he says Let's smash hell out of Japan Offense is the best defense and what we need is fast and furious American-style war. Alaska is triple threat to the Japs, for can strike north, west and south. We can put in bomber bases that would be the enemy (due to earth curva- ture) than Honolulu or Auckland, New Zealand We are and natural spearhead of aid to both Russia and China"
 Gruening is White House political appointee and does not presume to speak for the Army Navy high commands. He views are entirely civilian. Gruen- ing fighter and personal friend of every nation from the Arctic Circle to the South Pole He is de- voted to Alaska and to her future role of military in- portance to the Pacific Coast.
 He is 1911 Harvard graduate in medicine but he chose rather than practice in the celebrated footsteps of his father to go to bat the Boston American. Subsequently he fouriShed as crusadng editor of the Boston Herald, Boston Traveller, New York Tribune, and the Nation (nagazne) In 1924 he fought the publicity fight for Senator
 
 he founded the Portland Me-, Evening News He says he did his best days work when the News the only paper in Maine then opposed to the Insull Utility in- terests stopped the Siphoning of hydroeectric pow out of that state.
 Dr. Gruening raised rumpus until U S. Marines were withdrawn from Haiti and lambasted this coun- rys preRoosevelt policy of military and financial act ivity in Latin America. He says the RooseVe-Hull Good Neighbour policy is monumental achievement of this administration.
 Sckler For Accuracy
 Gruening is a stickler for accuracy You observe. Alaska was purchased 75 years ago for $7 1000 900 and since then has paid off more than 300 times in fish, gold, furs metals, lumber and on He replies Secretary Seward bought Alaska from Russia in 1867 for $7200 900 and Americans have taken out $2 565 4,833 l9 of natural resources
 He has another trait distracting to men of lesser learning. Prime Minister Churchill" he says Will go down in history a male Cassandra" We'll, this turns out to have been mythologca Greek prophet esS who fated to tell the truth and never have anyone believe her He believes President Roosevelt will score with Washington and Lincoln whenever the world has time look back on his record in peace and war;
 The Governor, like many governors, is sort of fat around the middle, stands feet and weighs 180 pounds. Right now, he is tastefuly tailored in sub- dued break-a-the-angle suits but most Washington folk remember him when they made his pants too short He fierce exercser Che won't tell the score) at both tennis and bridge and of all things he likes to swim in Alaskas cold waters before breakfast But he says he does not spring out of bed whsting the sunrise
 One-Man Chamber of Commerce
 Gruening would make a swell one-man chamber of commerce for Alaska. He tells about reading Fair banks newspapers by the Midnight Sun and says fine soil and almost continuous daylight during May June and July grow prodigious vegetables. "If you see farmer lifting something big his head he says That is not cabbage - it merely is very small Brussel Sprout"
 He is gravely proud and concerned however for his 72,524 Alaskans, their 586,000 square miles of territory twice big Texas 21 incorporated towns l55 commercial flying fields, infant Army Navy and air bases and Alaskas developing waterways, high ways and railways.
 His hardy Aaskans, he says, can shoot down an eagle at 300 yards and will fight to man to protect their $1O0000,0OO of wildlife resources 850O0 900