The Daily Alaska empire., 1945-03-08
JUVENILE BILL GETS
 APPROVAL
Indian Office to Let Public Welfare Office
 Handle Problem


 | he most important pages in Alaskan history was unfolded Tuesday at
 arnoon before the House of Rep 'esentatives-an official spokesman of a Federal Bureau was not only card to decry duplication of off, eial fields of endeavor, but went iurther to offer relinquishment o1 5ureau functions to Territorial of lice.
 The occasion arose during the passage of Representative Bess Cross juvenile delinquency measure designed to include Indian, Eskimo md Aleut children as well as white
 Tn offering Office of Indian Af- fairs funds to aid in the extended | Territorial control of the Territory's delinquent children, General Super intendent Don c. Foster made the statement Duplication of effort does not make sense." As the law is written at present those children with one-quarter oi more native blood are taken care of oy the Office of Indian Affairs.
 We have been limited in funds, Foster said, and we have only one social worker. It has been impos- sible for us to do as good job as tke Department of Public Welfare.
 Foster declared funds are expect ed to be made available to his office for the next fiscal year beginning July l, and discussed plans to con- tract with the Territory for care of native delinquent children. Something Fishy { A Senator who had heard the House session during an upper house recess declared, The biggest bur eau in the Federal setup turning over some of it's office to us who have been crying for more home controls - it doesn't sound possible. rr didn't know Foster for a man of practicalities I'd say there's some Olulig 1isny."
 Some House members, taken aback by the proposal, also questioned the deal temporarily, but when the mea- sure came up for final vote, there was but one dissenting vote.
 Representative Alaska Linck, vot- ing affirmative, however reconsider ed her vote, seeking an opportunity to gather more information on poss- ible costs of the change and to reg ister her disapproval of speeding up the measure through second to third reading in one day.
 Ministers Views
 The Rev. R. E. Olson of the Luth- eran Church in Ketchikan was also heard on the House floor in support of the measure. Rev. Ol- sen has spent most of the past ten years in the States on juvenile de- linquerlcy work, much of that time with the FBI and tlecturing through thirty-three of the forty-eight states.
 Olson confessed a burning desire that something be done about ju- venile delinquency.
 Since 1942," Olson declared there has been an increase in sex delinquency of girls under Is years of 1906 per cent" and added Some thing must definitely be done ir Alaska"
 Citing specific instances of juven- ile troubles in Alaska, the Ketchi- kan pastor however declared, The Territory has a good Juvenile Code but it is hard to make it work be- cause of the duplication of con- trols. Under that system, some children are left without guidance ol control on the street"
 Importance Stressed
 Stressing the importance of thu Legislation, the Rev. Olson declaret that strengthening juvenile delin' quency controls is essential to { postwar era in which we will be glat to invite home builders to Alaska.
 Territorial Department of Publi' Welfare head Russell Maynard wa also on the House floor during dis cussion of Representative Gross equal-rights bill Maynard explain led that the Johnson 'Malley Act o 1885 creates the enabling legislation to make possible transfer of Indial Office monies to Territories for sucl functions as the bill is concerne' with.
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