The Daily Alaska empire., 1949-04-01
 MADE AT
 HEARING
Two Legislators Lay Down Complaints 2 | Laihrop
 Gives Alaska 5 Situation
By CHARLES D. WATKINS

| | WASHINGTON April 1.---tH-- Two Democratic members of the Alaska legislature opened the op- position fire on Gov, Ernest Gruen- ing today with charges of "striv- ing for person power and exerting undue influence over legislators.
 The Gruening opponents testified before the Senate Interior Commit tee. which is considering whether to approve the Democratic govern ors re-appointment.
 Rep Marcus Jensen,. Douglas merchant, was the witness who ex- pressed the belief the governor is seeking personal power. Supporters of Gruening, who has heen appointed by President Tru- man for a third term, awaited their turn to testify.
 Rep. Frank Angerman, Fairbanks machinist and Democratic legislator, said he opposed the nomination be- cause he believed Gruening had in- fluenced members of the Tcrritor- ial legislature improperly.
 Angerman testified the governor insisted his program be enacted and once had obtained confirmation of his appointments by telling the legislature he would not submit oth- CT names,
 Senator Ma.c:...o in-Nev) asked Angerman if he was not aware "the President writes the program for 1 Congress and insists on its pas sage.8
 "You don't do those things here to influence legislators" Angerman relied. Tt is not permitted" Members of the committee smiled. Power By Appointment
 Angerman, Rep. George Miscovich gold miner and Republican legis- ing obtained power through his ap- obtained power through his ap- pointments.
 Most of us believe he has broken up the Republican party" Misco- vich said. "and the Democrats be- lieve he is going to break up the Democratic party | Again the Senators smiled.
 Jensen asserted Gruening con- trols the affairs of Alaska by "ap- pointing himself consultant to the Attorney General and others who are drawing up bills" Buttonholes Legislators l Jensen said Gruening buttonholes Territorial legislators who appear unfavorahle to his measures and lectures them in the halls and then l the .cloakroom."
 Jensen also testified that the Territorial Road Commission had built 800 feet of road leading to the governors summer home. He as- serted that if residents of Juneau had known read was going to be built many of them would have leased summer home sites in the region
 l Jensen charged Crushing had failed to remove the Commissioner of Veterans Affairs and the Di- rector of Public Welfare until after a legislative investigation had shown they were inefficient.
 Lathrc3 Tcstifies I Capt A. E. Lathrop, publisher of the Fairbanks News-Miner, urged the committee not to approve the Gruening nomination.
 He said he had hoped that Presi- dent Roosevelt's appointment of Gruening in 1889 would result in him giving Alaska good adminis- tration fin spire of the handicap of (Gruening) not being an Alas kan"
 Never in my 53 years in Alaska" said Lathrop, have seen the strife between the parties and within the parties, the friction be- tween labor and capital, and the class and racial hatred that exists today-largely because of Gruen- ing's leadership.
 Pcrscnal Considerations l His policies almost without ex- ception have been motivated by personal or polticial considerations certainly not by a constructive and sincere interest in Alaska"
 Lathrop said Alaska is at the cross roads of it's development. He 'lurged that the committee realize the necessity of new governor being named who can dispell the political bitterness which he said has mark ed Alaska legislative sessions for nine years. He said 1t should be