The Wrangell sentinel., 1945-11-09
THROUGH THE SENTINEL PERISCOPE

II SpeClal SeSlOH or the IeIfl- torial Legislature is held, as IS being strongly urged throughout the Territory, it will not convene until sometime after the first of the year, probably in March. It is possible Gov Gruening will make a statement in connection with his attitude on the proposal. prior to his leaving for Washington about the middle of this month. It is the Governor who is authorized to call an extraordinary session of the Legislature, setting forth the pur. pose and fixing the date. According to an amendment to the Organic Act, the session can be for as long as 30 days, 5 rays notice is requir- ed to legislators. Previous to the amendment in 1940 only a 15-day special session could be held, such as the one in 1887.
 While there appears to be heavy support for a special session in the Third Division, the question of a special election also arises in that Division. Rep. Joe Diamond of Anchorage, member of the House last session, passed away about | two months ago and that seat is l vacant. Senator H. H. McCutcheon, who served for many terms in both the Houses and the Senate, is crit ically i'll at his home in Anchorage and probably will resign shortly. leaving a vacancy in the Senate from the Third. If a special ses- sion is held it would be necessary for the Governor to call a special election in that division to fill the vacancies. Special elections are mandatory if a vacancy occurs more than 40 days before the converting of a legislative session.
 < #%# There's good possibility that the aboriginal claims may be di- vorced from the activities of the Alaska Native Brotherhood when the group meets Nov. 12 to IT for its 32nd annual convention at An goon. Two thoughts are being ad vanced: One to let the claims be handled by the local Indian com munities and the other to leave the claims prosecution up to the ] land suit group without reference to ANB. Land suit claims have been pending for years and it's quite | a drain on the ANB to finance | lawyers to keep the suits alive.
 Convention also will take the | proposal of a merger of the AFL and the ANB labor groups in the Southeast Alaska fishing industry. with the aim of outvoting the CIO | in the spring elections for control at various canneries. Unless they | unite in this movement, many feel outside-dominated CIO will walk !, away with Jurisdiction next spring. |
 It's better than an even bet that the convention will go on record for special session of the Legis- lature. The Alaska Native Sister, hood, Mrs. Roy Peratrovich, presi- dent, which will meet at the same time is going to stress discussions on health and sanitation. The first request for a special session came from the Board of Health on grounds that additional funds were needed to carry out a proper health program in the Territory. Both ANB and ANS are reported to be sym pathic to that program.
 After five-term Roy Peratovich calls the convention to order next Monday Gov. Ernest Gruening will deliver an address and a message will be read from Delegate E. L. Bartlett. Others who are scheduled to appear before the convention are Supt. Don Foster, pr. George Dale, Raymond Wolf and Louis Peters of the Alaska Native Service Dr. E. w. Norris of the U Pub lie Health Service, Dr. c. Earl AL brecht, Territorial Commissioner of of Health, Hugh Wade of Soclal Security, Robert E. Sheldon, head rf Unemployment Compensation Commission, Minnie Coughlin u! GPA and a representative of the University of Alaska
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 Smaller War Plants Corporation, z Wa tim9 agency, has been hav- ing its post war headaches but in- dications are it will soon be func- t!oning in Alaska on a full time basis. Herbert Bittman, special rep resentative of the SWPC, who has been in the Territory the last two weeks arranging for offices at Jun eau and Anchorage, expects to re- turn shortly from Seattle where he was called this week and then will get SWPC Alaska activities under way. Bittman reported get ting excellent cooperation from AL aska bankers and several loans are now being prepared for process.
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 One of the best towns in Alaska, next to Wrangell, at the present (. Anohnra nacnifa an in