The Wrangell sentinel., 1947-03-21
THROUGH THE SENTINEL PERISCOPE

To be. or not to be - that is the question.
 It was on the horns of such a dilemma = to be or not 10 be a Territorial Senator - that Sena- tor Norman R. Walker, Ketchi- kan's Doe" apparently found him self as the 18th Territorial legisla- ture pointed toward it's closing days. It developed to be a sort Of an off again, on again, Finegan deal. with tongue in cheek. Fri day morning. last, Doc transmit ted a letter of Gov. Ernest Gruen- ing rendering his resignation from the Senate ito be effective after consideration of the tax revenue bills introduced by Senator Rivers and myself" He declared it to be no nasty act' as you will recall that last spring I offered to resign in the event Dr Dawes was not e'- ected, in the belief that the Firss Division should be equally repre- sented in the Senate" Doc was making a point that Flank Peraurc. vich and Andy Gundersen, the then Democratic senatorial candidates. were both from the south end ol the Division. Furthermore, it a9- pears things were not all skittles and beer with the Senator in the Senate chamber He wrote.
 It further appears that I am ar variance with my colleagues in the Senate on what I consider viz al issue. Formerly, our diff ferences have been settled in d friendly and amieable manner. Al so, my colleagues from the First Division differ from me on legis- lation which I consider vitally af- fects the First Division. The only members of the House of Repre- sentatiyes from my home town ap- pears to believe that I have not the ability to hold high office in the Territory. (Here Doc was re ferring to Harry Newell who voted against the Walker-for- Governor memorial.l All of this means m 2 usefulness in the Legislature +, largely nullified As a private cit izen l intend to use whatever in fluence l may possess to have re moved from office those whom l believe do not fully understand the needs of the Territory. %
 On Friday afternoon, Governor Gruening tranSmitted the follow ing letter to Senator Walker:
 T have your letter of this date rendering your resignation from me Senate to be effective after cor sideratiOn of the tax revenue bills introduced by Senator Rivers ana yourself. It seems apparent that the consideration of the tax rey- enue bills will take most of the time that there is between today and the close of the session on the 27th, and that therefore your res ignation would actually not take effect until the conclusion of the session. Moreover. 1 know of 10 legal authority that gives me the right to accept or reject a res1g- naion of a member of the Legisia- ture."
 On Monday Doc wrote the Gov ernor that in view of the latter s lack of authority to accept his re- signaion he would withdraw it. Same day the Senate asked the Governor to send Docs letter of resignation down to the Senate Apparently that august body han decided to placate the irate gentle man from Kechikan. Remember the kid on the play field? There's always one; won't play ball unless he can bat
 Back of the Walker fiasco waS this bit of intelligence. Doc for some years has looked with a yearning eye toward the Govern or's chair His feud with the pres ent Governor has sharpened the thought. When Rep. Bob Hoopes dropped his hate memorial in the House which would have asked the President to oust Gruening and put in Walker. Doc glowed into fever heat: even did a little cam paigning in his own behalf. Later the memorial was killed in the House. The Walker balloon had completely collapsed. Upshot; res ignation. withdrawal of resigna tiOIli anu any OIlC . d pOOI SucSSEi who can predict what will happen in the remaining five working days of this Legislature. It may be just as well to paraphrase, "count that day lost whose low, descending sun sees the Senate shot to hell and business done for fun" and hope for the best.
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