The Wrangell sentinel., 1945-06-22
THROUGH THE SENTINEL PERISCOPE

Missouri-born President Harry s. Truman this week had opportunity and took advantage of it to get a first hand picture of the needs Of Alaska. and he got it from Alaska's s No. 1 salesman. ex-Maine man Gov. Ernest Gruening of Alaska. In re spOnse to an invitation from Gov. Mon Wangren of Washington, AL aska's Governor flew south first Of Ehe week to confer with the Presi- . dent who was the guest of Gov. Waugren while en route to h Q San Francisco conference. Wallgren and Truman served in the U. $. Senate together; are good personal friends. With Senator Warren Mag ] nuson of Washington, Gov. Gruen- ing talked with the President about i Alaska and it's after-the-war pie ture. Outcome Of the personal con ference was not revealed but the President did say at a press con ference later that he had talked | with Gruenlng and Magnuson and that he was convinced something should be done about completing a highway 10 Alaska as part of the post war development of the Ter ritory. The President did not refer to any particular highway. but 1t ] is generally accepted the military . highway running up from Edmon- ton, a purely war emergency high way probably will be abandoned as it's purpose has been served; at any rate, as far as the military is con cerned. It is also generally agreed that a highway close to the coast is the best route to Alaska. Part of this has been completed, and doubtless it is such a road the Pres ident referred to when he men tioned the 600 miles which is al- ready completed in British Colum- bia.
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 This is the second time in recent years a President has had oppor- tunity to get a first hand picture of the Territory. Last summer, while on a military mission as Com- mander-in-Chief of the American forces, the late President Roosevelt visited Alaska and while at Aux Bay. near Juneau, conferred with Gov. Gruening on Alaska. Later Mir. Roosevelt publicly expressed his desire to see Alaska developed. Whether President Truman will ex- press a like enthusiasm remains to be seen, but certain it is, he was given a genuine picture with the Governor on the job, aided and abet- ted by Warren Magnuson, who Is one of Alaska's No. 1 friends re- siding outside the Territory. It may well be that Missouri and Maine will be instrumental in deciding the future of Alaska.
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 While the President didn't refer to it in his press conference, Sena- tor Magnuson said prior to his meeting with Mir. Truman that he and Gov. Gruening would propose the President appoint Magnuson and Gruening as special enyoys to Canada to work out the highway connection. Senator was quoted as saying:
 "The plan calls for the President to invite Mir. Mackenzie King to appoint two Canadian envoys to sit with us, and have power to reach positive agreements on the highway connection"
 Magnuson said the U. s. has 135 million dollars invested in the pres ent Alaska highway. 4 joint out lay of about Is million by the two governments could insure new connection and permanent mainten- ance of the road, he said, and II would be the commission's duty 10 pro-rate the IS million between the two governments and appoint en- gineers. Magnuson said the con ferees could not select the route, as it is an engineering problem, but he urged a route extending north from Prince George to Whitehorse, following a line as far west as practicable.
 Sid Charles in his recent Grlha and Groans" column in the Ketchi- kan Fishing News indicates the price of his column is s3,900 per year. Sid says for that kind of mon ey he would blow smoke up their backs until hell froze over" He probably would, too. Any takers?
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 Not since prohibition days has the welkin been ringing with so
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