The Wrangell sentinel., 1948-04-23
THROUGH THE SENTINEL PERISCOPE

tion day a gala day for the many politicians running for office. It should be a gala event for the loWly voter, too, for on that day he not only exercises the right to pick the candidates of his choice, but also has his chance to turn out en masse and swell the ballot boxes with a vote that, in mum bers, can make Congress perk up and take notice and thereby dol his bit toward promoting state hood. a
 Next Tuesday, April 27, Alaska casts its first blanket primary bal lot. You can, or you don't have to, declare party utilization when youI go to the polls.
 This is once the Wrsngell-Pet-I ersburg area has real chance to be represented in Juneau. Mrs. Doris M. Barnes, who stepped outi of the Mayors chair to run for the legislature and James Nolan. running for reelection to the Ter ritoBial Legislature are candidates' for seats in the House from Wran- gell. EX-Mayor Barnes is a Repub- liean candidate and James Nolan, Wrangell business man, is on the Democratic ticket Over in Peters burg Ed LOcken, who has numer- ous friends here, is a Republican candidate for the House. A grand opportunity for this part of the First Division.
 In years past Juneau and Ketchi- kan have held the balance of pow CT because of their larger popula- tions - fine boys and gals to be sure, but it's a satisfaction to know that the smaller towns also have a voice when opportunity for appropriations or development come knocking on the House door.
 Our candidates are our personal friends, people we meet and talk to almost every day and we know they have no entanglements with special interests; that their inter ests are for Alaska and for the | people by whom they were elected. 1
 There Is no doubt but what Wrangell and Petersburg will gOl down the line for their candidates. However, the main thing, for the good of the Territory. is to turn out and vote. We are pleading for statehood we need and deserve representation in Washington a. longside our fellow Americans and the best way to show our concen- trated strength to Congress is f, through the ballot box.
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 Our able neighbor publisher, Bill Baker of the Ketchikan Chron- icle, pops up - as he frequently | does with a few observations | for the next legislature to consid- CT. Bill says. in an editorial under Wednesdays date line:
 This is the time of year when candidates are as thick as min nows and rumors and propaganda fly through the air with the great | est of ease.
 Several candidates were Tn during the last 24 hours to fume over the tickets" being espOused by various spontaneous groups to reelect or defeat persons running for office. What bothers most of them is that while the printing looks familiar, the sponsors are all | anonymous. (Ed. Most of the time even to the candidates they spon- sor, Bill) And of course the stuff | is slanted so as to mislead the vot- ing public into thinking that can didate A or candidate B is a stink CT of one kind or another. |
 This anonymous type of adver- Using is employed by those with the dullest axes to grind and Is used to mislead the voters without the sponsor being found out. A bona fide effort on behalf of can didate need not be hidden under anonymity.
 What We have suggested to these worried candidates is what we suggested two or three years ago, that they sponsor a corrupt practices act in the Alaska legis- i lature and see that it is enforced. Several states have such acts, the provisions of which are these:
 T. No political advertising of any type. handbill, radio or news paper, may be published without the author being plainly shown on the face of the ad or announced after the broadcast.
 "2. No alleged association" or group to elect or defeat any spe- cial candidate may be organized without five of it's members filing their names with the county clerk, clerk of court or secretary of state. !
 "3. No electioneering may be done on election day and no politi- cal advertising may be circulated on election day. This prevents the publication of charges against any candidate at time when it is too late for him to auswer them.