The Wrangell sentinel., 1947-02-14
THROUGH THE SENTINEL PERTSCOPE

AS the LnlF0 week bA lub AolA Territorial Legislature rolled to- ward conclusion it's members had one praiseworthy accomplishment 10 their credit. They had stood pat against any rate increases on wal. ershipments to Alaska and had said so in no uncertain terms to the Congress, to the President Of the United States, the Maritime Commission, the steamship opera tors and Delegate E. L. Bartlett, who had asked them for a verdict, On the debit side the picture was different.
 The Senate had devoted much ot it's time to sitting as what might be termed a board of inquisition. '' First it hailed Territorial Treas. urer Oscar G. Olson to the stand in an effort to show the Territory was in the red The gesture failed, as previously reported. Then the august body recalled that by a margin of one vote it had failed tc confirm the appointment of NJ r. Mullaney as Tax Commissioner at the special session. Gall Null laney," cried Doc Walker, the "fact-finder" from Ketchikan. T want the Governor called,2 de- handed Nome's o. D. Cochran, who insists the Senate can do no wrong, sometimes inferring the House can do no good. The echoed yes came from Anchorage's Ed Coifey. third of the well look into this" trio. Walker, Cochran and Coffey must stand for reelection next year if they choose to serve again and the record" of course, al- ways makes good campaign fodder.
 Tax Commissioner Mullaney was called and questioned at length, explaining the workings of his de- partment, and, stealng the Senate's show when in answer to a Ques- tion by Joe Green relative to ques tions which had been asked him during the special session, remark ed, "yes. I remember one question, Senator Green; it was how did l get along with Oscar Olson.' Other questions were asked in an effort to discredit the efficiency of the Tax Collector but Mullaney, with 30 years of general accounting and a long hitch with the Internal Revenue department under his belt. wasn't being taken for a political ride. One could hear the air whis- tie out of the Senate balloon as he stepped down. It went flatter than a wartime retread a few minutes later when the Governor was called to testify why he had not submit ted another name to the Senate. He explained that under the law passed by the Legislature in 1945, he had no recourse but to retain Mullaney in office until a Quali- fled person could be found and confirmed by the Legislature. The act specifically provides that if an appointment for the office is re- jected by the Legislature, the Gov ernor may continue his appointee in office until the Legislature has opportunity to act again. Null laney's name was approved by the 1946 special House and rejected by the Senate by a 7-8 vote in it's closing days. Prior to it's adjourn ment the Governor said he was un. able to find a man qualified who would accept the position, tlere- fore, he had kept Mullaney on as head of the department to avoid chaos.' He continued that he would again submit the name of MT. Mullaney and if she Legisla- ture did not confirm it he expect ed the lawmakers to De prepared to submit the name of qualified man.
 All this falderal came mp in con nection with a bill now before the Senate which would take the ap- pointive power from the Governor in naming Tax Commissioner and place it with the President of the Senate and Speaker of the House. subject to confirmation by the Sem ate.
 But the "board of inquisition wasn't through. Doc Walker de- cided to use the Senate to find out about the housing situation in Ket- chikan, his home town. Louise Weaver Miller, member of the AL aska Housing Authority from Ket- chikan, was called and explained the picture, which apparently everybody in Ketchikan knew a. bout except Doc. Later, Stanley Furman, Regional Counsel for Fed
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