The Wrangell sentinel., 1949-02-18
THROUGH THE SENTINEL PERISCOPE

Just who will be appointed Re publican National Committeeman for Alaska to succeed the late E. A. Rasmuson hasn't yet been de cided but it appears fairly obvious that Albert White. general coun- selor for the party in the Terri tory, will have considerable 10 say about it. Counselor White told the Republican Lincoln Day dinner in Juneau last Saturday night that only the Republican National Com mittee could appoint Mir Rasmu- sons successor. and then only on recommendation of the Alaska Re publican Central Committee. Main cogs in the central committee are Counselor White, Territorial Chairman Elton Engstrom. Com missioner of Labor Henry Benson, and Mrs. White, who is the Re- publican National Committees woman for Alaska, and at present the only representative of the ma tional committee in the Territory In his remarks as keynoter of the COP rally, Mir. White spoke highly of National Chairman Rufus Scott, who retained his chairmanship at the recent COP caucus in Omaha by the narrow vote of 54 to 30 Some national observers have in dicated that Gov. Thomas E. Dewey of New York, unsuccessful presidential aspirant. was trying to retain a controlling voice in COP affairs through Chairman Scott. Counselor White has been a strong Dewey man. It would ap- pear that whoever is named na- tional committeeman will just a- Boss White, who has had control of the minority party in Alaska for the last 12 years, and seems likely to retain it for some time to come.
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 The highly controversial liquor control bill. which was causing more furore in the Legislature than a bag of monkeys, has been quietly laid at rest by the House. The Representatives gave it sort of an inglorious end via the in definite postponement route. In other words, it's out for this ses- sion. What may happen as re- suit is revival of the Territorial enforcement provision of the pre- sent law which provides that the Treasurer may use tax collectors as hqcor enforcement agents. Since 1945 no appropriation has been made for this purpose due to the setting up of the tax department and transferring collection func- tions from the Treasurer to the Tax Collector Some revisions would have to be made in the ex- isting law, but it's being consid- cred
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 It begins 10 look as if the so- called labor bills in the present legislative session, so labeled be- cause they center control in the department or LdDOf, pTODdDly will pass the House because the labor bloc appears to have the votes. Something of a test of labor strength was revealed in the House the other day when that body passed the apprentice train ing bill 13 to nine with two ab- sent. The labor boys are sure of 13, probably could muster Is at least on a showdown. But over in the Senate it's a different story. When Senator Garnick's measure. SB. 12, which provides for equal pay for women doing comparable work, came mp in second reading and amendment, it ran into some obstacles and while an effort to delete most of the bill failed by an eight to eight vote. it tended to reveal the temper of the Sen ate. Senator Frank Barr of Fair banks sounded something of a key note when he said that if all the labor bills are passed it would make the Department of Labor the largest department in the Terri tory and the Commissioner a Lab or Commissar" s. B. 12. as now
 fCoDtinued on Page Sfx)