The Wrangell sentinel., 1948-11-12
THROUGH THE SENTINEL PERISCOPE

who almost single-handedly won the votes, the confidence and ad- miration of the American people in one of the most spectacular campaigns in American political history, is enjoying a well-deservef trse at Key West, it is interesting to note the alibis of the pollsters, the columnists, the newspapers, the magazines and radio comment. atOrs who guessed wrong almost one hundred per cent. Some of them, who virtually had Dewey in the White House, came out quite honestly and said they Just didn't know why they were wrong while others built up various ex- cuses. One of the best admissions was that of the Washington Post, who had Mir Truman definately counted out. In it's post election edition the Post carried a front page message to the President inviting him to a dinner at the Posts expense whenever he de- sired and to have whatever he
 
 Post. will. along with the polit- ical reporters, the pollsters, radio commentators and other false pro- phets, eat crow. Meanwhile, Mar quis Childs, Post eolumnist, blamed the pollsters for misleading him, although he travelled around the country to do his own observing Pollster Elmo Roper, who three months ago had given up taking presidential polls because he was sure Dewey was in and the day before election had again pre- dicted the New York Governors s election, came out flat-footed and admitted he just didn't know what had happeend nor why his poll was so far wrong. Dr. Gallup, an- other famous poll taker, hedged a little about the independent vote" going for Truman, something his poll didn't reflect. Time magazine kidced itself along with Roper, who is the poll man for Fortune, Times sister publication, and the rest of that big fraternity of publi- cists who were all wrong The Chioago Tribune, which in it's early morning edition the day after election had declared Dewey elected. found itself in complete rout and red-faeed as it hurried to destroy that edition and make over with the true story. Sid Charles, down at the Fishing News in kett thikan. wasn't that for tunate. After electing Dewey the day after election, Sid had to wait until the next day to say we were wrong" Being an AL askan, Sid should have known better too. After all, a glance at The Sentinel after the Alaska el- ~ection would have tipped him off that 'As Alaska goes, so goes the nation" There were at least two who weren't wrong-Harry Tru- man and The Sentinel.
 
 Official canvas of the First Div ision vote in Alaska's October 12 election reveals that the First cast it's biggest vote in history-a wal loping 8,536 as compared with 6,02S in 1946 Territorial Can wasting Board in Juneau announced the following official return from the First Division:
 For Delegate-Bartlett, 6,326; Stock, 1865: for Attorney Gen. Williams, 4.526; Peterson. 3,283; for Auditor-Boyle, 4,7S4; Goetz, 2,987: for Highway En- gineer-Metcalf, 4,S70; Macdonald 3,158; for the Senate-MacKenzi 4,293; Garnick, 3,935; Engstrom, 3,69S: Walker. 3,49S: for the Barnes. 4.769; Hope 4.416; Almquist, 1909; Jensen, 4,1S8; Anderson. 3,937; Gunderson, 3. 916; Nolan, 3,SSS; Johnson, 3,S40. William Feero of Skagway was in ninth place, PTS votes behind John son with others trailing The first eight are elected.
 Canyassing of the other Divisions is under way but may be delayed due to the absence of reports from some of the outlying precincts Canvassing Board may wait until count if precinct reports which might change the result have not been received
 Coast Guard will re-establish an Alaskan district headquarters between now and July l of next year While no definate location has yet been announced Juneau at the moment has the inside track. The Ketehikan base will be retain ed.