The Daily Alaska empire., 1949-02-24
House Debates
 Putting "heat''
 Under Regents
Charge Made that Board Logging on Successor
 to (. E. BunneN
By JIM HUTCHINSON

By JIM HUTCHINSON
 A memorial to urge, request and demand" that the Board of Re- gents promptly select new Uni versity President stirred up a con- troyersy in the House this morr . ing.
 The memorial cited the imminent retirement of Dr. Charles E. Bun neil, and, in effect, tells the Board to "get on the ball"
 Rep. Warren Taylor, Fairbanks Democrat, started the controversy with the declaration:
 Tt is an insult to the intelli- gence of the Board of Regents and the Governor to tell them we are going to be without University President pretty soon. know they are working hard to get a qualified replacement. This looks like child's play"
 Rep. Glen Franklin, also a Fair bnks Democrat, responded:
 T happen to know MT. Taylor is all wet. The Regents didn't meet when they were scheduled to meet and some of the younger members are getting disturbed. One member has resigned. The selection is very important. If no action is taken, we are going to end up with a substitute. This is no insult to any, one. To date the board has done nothing"
 In response to Rep. Amelia Gun dersen's suggestion that it might be more tactful to ask for a confer ence with the Regents. Franklin said:
 We can't meet with them when they are strung out from Fairbanks to Seattle
 Franklin said that if members of the House Education Committee were hesitant about having it ride through as a committee memorial, he would gladly allow substitution of his name on it because of his strong feelings.
 Franklin added. "If we hadn't had man of Dr. Bunnelrs caliber, we wouldn't have University to- day. If we don't get a capable successor, we are liable to lose the University. I don't like the idea of being an alumnus of a university that isn't there.'"
 Get On The Ball
 Speaker Stan McCutcheon added the admonition that "the board had better get on the ball. They haven't really canvassed the field yet.' He cautioned that the danger of select ing a temporary substitute was that such a selection frequently was continued in the office.
 Rep. Essie Dale, another Fair banks Democrat, expressed the be- lief the University faces a crisis. It IS at the crossroads. Action must be taken to decide whether it be- comes one of the outstanding in- stitItions of North America or slips backward"
 The House defeated an amend ment by Taylor to strike out the urge, request and demand" section. As the noon recess arrived, a new amendment was submitted to modi- fy the language, but a vote was not taken on it.
 Road Construction
 The House passed unanimously Mrs. Dale's memorial for the Road Commission to continue road con- struction through cities instead of stopping at the limits. She said cities cannot maintain streets un- der heavy military and defense con- structjon traffic.
 The House reconsidered its ap- proyal of yesterday to the mem orial Tor early action for a Ram part-Council highway to complete a land link between Nome and Fairbanks.
 Taylor opened fire on it as a foolish gesture" He said there were no present road links between Fairbanks and Rampant or between Nome and Council "so you would nave 700 miles of road hanging at both ends out there" He recom- menoed revising of the memorial, and the House held it over until tomorrow for further study
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