The Wrangell sentinel., 1947-08-29
THROUGH THE SENTINEL PERISCOPE


 tomorrow night, Saturday, August 30. for the two Senate committees which arrived in ketchikan thts week for a two-weeks study of AL aska matters. The Senate Public Lands Committee with SenatoI Hugh Butler of Nebraska as Chair man are aboard the L. $. Fish anu Wildife vessel Brant and the Sen aIe small Business Committee with senator Homer Capehart Of lndi- ana as Chairman are aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Wachusetts- Schedule calls for the two vessels to arrive in Wraugel between six and seven o'clock tomorrow even ing Both parties will have dinner aboard ship prior 10 arrival IL Wrangell so that the full evening may be devoted to meeting Nran- gelI residents and talking over Al aska problems with them. The But Ter committee is primarily interest ed in the subject of statehood and the Capehart committee is survey ing business prospects in the Tel ritory with particular stress on the pulp and paper industry.
 Aboard the Brant with Senator Butler will be Senators Zales N. Ecton of Montana, Arthur Y. Wat kins Of Utah, Ernest W. McFarlanu of Arizona; Frank Butler, brother of Senator Butler; Hugh R. Brown, Chief Clerk of the Commit tee; H. Rex Lee, Acting Director of the Division of Territories. h, terior Department; Governor Ern est Gruening and Lieut.. Comdr. Edward P Chester. Jr., Naval Aide to the Governor Wives and other guests of the committee continued Cn from Ketchikan aboard tas Princess Louise 10 Skagway ana will not be with the party at Wrangell
 Aboard the Wachusetts wftn Senator Capehart will be Mrs Capehart. Senator Harry p. Cain OI Washington and Mrs. Cain, Senator Allen J. Elender of Louisiana ana Mrs Ellender, Senator James E. Murray of Montana. Charles Mur-. ray, Secretary to his father James " DeLaurier and James Montgom cry, Indiana publishers, and four other publishers; Raymond R. Dickey, Counsel for the committee, Mrs. Dickey and child; Charles EgenrOa,d Senator Capehart's Sec. retary. and Mrs. Egenroad; Lee Muck. Assistant tC Interior Secre- taTy Krug in charge of land utiliza- tiOn; Charles c. Burdick, Assistant Regional Forester; George Sunu- borg, representing the Alaska De- elopment Board and Lew M Will, liams, Secretary of Alaska.
 
 While it probably isn't a new condition, Harold L. Ickes, former Secretary of the Interior, is irked h his syndicated newspaper cOl-I umn, the old self-styled Curmud- geon, labels the passage of HJR 205, the bill aimed to pave the way for the development of the pulp and paper industry in Alaska, a land grab and a rape Of Alaska's natural resources. He charges the Indians aren't being treated right and should be paid for the land Blame for all this goings-On which he doesn't approve. Honest liar old" places on Regional Forester B. Frank Heintzleman, Gov. Gruen- ing and Delegate Bob Bartlett, ana not overlooking any bets, he de- clares il doesn't reflect any credit on President Truman for signing the bill. Ickes makes no point or the fact that the measure, now law, provides that money derived from the sale of timber by the Sec Ietary of Agriculture goes into q special fund to be held in escrow until such time as Indian posses sOry rights, if any, are established II they are established the none! will go to the Indian people.
 Perhaps the former Secretary would be more amenable to the now much-discussed Lemke bill which already has passed the House ana will be up before the Senate when Congress convenes next year. This bill would open all Southeast AL aska, as well as areas in the West ward and Interior, to special home stealing by veterans. Under it vel, erans could obtain a minimum ol 320 acres. and as much as 1920 acres for homesteading purposes. Their time in service would count toward period of residence on the land up to two years, requiring actually only a years residence lo prove up as most vets have at least two years service. They could also take adjoining claims and as a re- suit control of pretty sizeable blocks of Southeast Alaska timber ating, buying up veterans claims 4 good promoter under h ! : scheme could do some neat specuf- after they patent them and holding