The Wrangell sentinel., 1945-02-02
THROUGH THE SENTINEL PERISCOPE

Just what become of the s10,000 appropriated by the 1889 legisla- ture for the expenses of the fish cries investigating committee ap- pointed that year to carry on in- vestigations in conjunction with a congressional committee was re- vealed in part this week in the Ter ritorial senate. It was shown that $6.875.95 of 1t was paid 10 James V. Davis, Henry Roden, the late A. P Walker and Harvey Smith, as members of the committee from the legislature. in salaries and eN- penses. No mention was made of the balance. It caused quite a stir in the senate chambers and led 10 some under-breath comments with a bit of rancor in them.
 Lid blew off the fish kettle fol- lowing an opinion given by Attor- ney General Roden as to how lar the legislature could go in enactins legislation under the Organic act. Senator Norman R. Walker of ket- chikan jumped up immediately to say he agreed entirely with Roden' s decision but he also wanted 10 know if that portion of the Organ ic act stipulating federal officials can receive only such salaries as are fixed by law and that members of the legislature as federal offici- als lthev get paid by the federal governmeent cannot accept money from appropriations which they have helped to set up was not also applicable. The senator pointed that in what he interpreted to be violation of this section Attorney General Roden had collected in salary" at item of $1,600 while on the fisheries Investigating commit tee.
 Fat was in the fire now, with the result that Roden and later Audi tor Frank A. Boyle were called be- fore the senate for an explanation. Boyle testified that Senator Walk er was correct in his figures which5 revealed that Davis had drawn a salary of $1,525, Roden, $1,600; A. P. Walker $1,S5O and Smith, S1,-| goo. He also revealed he had okeyed expense vouchers for the men as| follows: Davis. $34.65; Roden, Sf9.65. A. P. Walker, $145 an t Smith. $I40.65. Boyle said he had approved the vouchers because he| believed it had been the intent of the legislature to reimburse theI committee members for their time and sery.ces. He said he did not challenge tuem as excessive when Senator Walker pointed out the pay seemed to average at between $25 and $50 per day as the con- mittee functioned only approxi- mately 50 days. Walker also de- clared the law setting aside the $1O,OOO expressly read for "eX- penses' incurred in doing the work. The men travelled largely on gov ernment boats thus the expenses were comparatively small.
 Roden, on the stand fianked with a bunch of law books, declared it didn't make any difference whether they received the money as salary or expenses, the intent of the law was to see that they were compen- sated for their service. Further more, he declared, when the legis- lature is not actually in session the legislators are not governed by the Organic act. You mean you are not actually a member of the legis- lature. though duly elected, when the session isn't on?" queried Sena- tor Walker. Yes" replied Roden. "Then do you mean that in case a special session is called we'd have to be elected all over again?' Ro- den said it was not like that. It was more like one or those things where it doesn't count unless actu- ally in session.
 Walker also declared the com mittee never had reported to the legislature as far as he could find out and Roden admitted no report had been compiled other than what appeared in the congressional hear ings report prepared by the con gressional report.
 Upshot is that probably nothing will come of it, but after six long years the taxpayers finally know where $6,S75.95 of their $1O,OOO went in the fisheries investigation.