The Wrangell sentinel., 1949-02-11
THROUGH THE SENTINEL RERISCOPE

Jufe uSalng With labor were all enacted into law, the Territorial Department of Labor, now headed by Henry Benson as Commissioner of Labor, probably would be the biggest department in the Terri tory. Virtually all the measures would center control in the Com missioner. They include such pro- posals as establishing a board of hoisting engineers; a board of el- electrical engineers; a board of plumbers and transferring Weights and Measures from the Treasurer of the Territory to the Commits sioner of Labor and several others.
 There seems to be sentiment crystalizing in the Legislature a. gainst centering so much labor control in one office
 Meanwhile, the lawmakers were having a little fun. Said one: T want to be on that boapl of plumbers. I haven't been able to get one all winter Maybe this is the answer"
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 While there were only whispers of labor Czar" in connection with labor bills, there were loud outcrys of liquor Car" as the 4S-page liquor control bill was beginning to be studied. This was a really hot one. Many a drink was being consumed cussing and discussing hn-r had something to say about it and to date, most of it wasn't favor able. The Alaska Federation of Labor disowned it, although there was a pamphlet out about it which bore the Federations name. Liquor dealers declared in a loud voice it was no child of theirs. Even the House Public Welfare Committee, in whose name it had been intro duced, wasn't entirely happy. Some members said Committee Chairman William Beltz of Nome, had tagged the committees name on the bill without asking them. Altogether, it looked like an unwanted step child.
 However, plank No. IA in the Democratic platform for Alaska, adopted at the Ketchikan conyen- tion last January, reads as fol- lows:
 We deem it essential in public interest to have Territorial liquor laws revised for efficient admins tration, enforcement and control through a centrally responsible liquor board, but entirely with licensing of private operators in both wholesale and retail liquor1 fields"
 Origin of the liquor bill was no mystery, but its provisions, which would set up an administrator at $12,000 a year and four board members at s5.O00 a year each, was the cause of some warm con versation in Juneau during the cold, legislative, winter nights.
 * * s !.
 The license tax bill, which would levy a license fee of S25.00 year for doing business in the Territory and one-half of one per cent of gross on businesses doing over $20,000 was running into some opposition, although it final ly got through. The measure, which intended to make a system of uniform business license taxes in Alaska, would, if enacted, not become law until Congress re- peals the present Federal business license tax which has been in eff feet for years. One of the main objections to the measure is the levy on the gross income feature. Contention of the opposition was that business might have a large gross turnover but actually, would make no profit due to other con ditions; result would be a penalty for being in business. Also, the bill in it's present form probably could not be enforced in some in stances, particularly as it con- cerns publications and radio sta tions Licensing of newspaper or other publications probably would be interpreted as abridging free dom of the press, right guaran- teed by the Constitution. Radio stations, under control of the Fed eral Communications Commission which would not be concerned with Territorial law.
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 Possibly some lawmakers in Ju- neau were caught behind a school house smoking years ago and were forced to learn the old saw of an- other generation:
 Tobacco is an Indian weed.
 From the Devil it did
 grow seed.
 It robs your pockets, burns
 pour clothes
 And makes a chimny of your
 nose"
 At any rate, Rep. Warren Taylor of Fairbanks, brought in bill to levy a tax of three cents on m cka nf niOaraftaa and fwo