The Daily Alaska empire., 1946-03-28
ANSWERS SENATE CHARGES

that since Julius Krug has now taken over the Interior Department Coffey intends to renew his demand for an investigation.
 Gov. Gruening is ''one of the big gest lobbyists the Territory has ever had" Coffey declared.
 Gruening Defender
 Rising to the Gruening defense was Senator Howard Lyng, who prusued roundabout path to es- tablish that the Governor of Alaska is responsible not just to the Fed eral government but also to the people of Alaska. The actions with which the Memorial charges the Governor are within his rights, Lyng maintained. He referred to letter previously sent to Presi- dent Truman, signed by nine Sena- ators and also asking removal of Gruening from the Governors post. That letter. Lyng said, was never shown to the seven other Senators. Lyng was immediately challenged by Senator O. D. Cochran, who asked if Lyng had not seen the letter in Cochran's. office at the time the latter signed it. Lyng's reply was that he might have seen 1t but had not read 1t.
 "Intpeachment"
 Lyng closed by labelling SIM. an impeachment He stated that the notorious Green Book" is not sufficient grounds for such ac- tion. If nine men succeed in inn peaching Gov. Gruening. they do SO contrary to the wishes of the people of Alaska. for the average citizen of the Territory considers Gruening the greatest benefactor in the position of governor the Territory of Alaska ever had" Lyng concluded.
 Another ardent Gruening support CT, Steve McCutcheon, pointed his finger of scorn at the memorial by conjuring up an image of what the late President Franklin D. Roose- velt's thought might be regarding this 'inquisition' According to McCutcheon's imagination, F D. R. would probably have said I called forth my strongest man to lead the defense of tho eInbattled frontier of our nation. It is inevitable that such man would go counter to the wishes of the small group of vested interests
 SdDcd Aidske
 McCutcheon cited as Gruening accomplishments that he had pre- vented complete military domination of Alaska like that suffered by Hawaii. Also that he had secured overseas service credit for Alaska servicemen.
 Senator Frank Gordon followed a recitation of Bobby Burns ode ITO a Louse" by heaping laurels on the gubernatcrial head and assailing the "big interests" which, he said. have had almost complete control of the Territory during the past few legis- latures.
 Senator Allen Shattuck fired the opening gun in the discussion on the memorial. He recounted the various blasts" Gov. Gruening has fired at the Legislature for not do- ing his bidding starting with news parer-published charges following the l941 Legislature and winding up with last years Green Book" The House of that 1941 Legislature. Shattuck said. was made up of l6 men whose average time of resi- dence in the Territory was 27 years. Those men, he said. were doing the best they knew how for their Territory.
 Veto Author
 Giving as an example his own insurance tax bill passed at the last regular session, Shattuck de- clared that former Governors had never vetoed bills just because they did not like the author.
 Referring to the Green Book" as gotten out ito lambast the men of the Senate and to praise the msn of the House." the Juneau Senator offered. as reason why the Gov ernor was able to get along with the House. the overnight switch of 13 House votes that last session defeated the bill to replace the ap- pointive Commissioner of Education with the elective Commissioner of Labor on the Board of Adminis- tration. That measure. Shattuck affirmed. was in keeping with the intent in creating the Board of Administration, but Gov. Gruening did not want the Commissioner of Labor on the Board That. Shat tuck declared. is an example of the pressure the Governor has brought to bear on the Legislature. T would like to see this Legislature operate on the same basis as be- fore the advent of Gruening," Shat luck offered.
 | Author Walker opened by stating he believes no legislator was ever