The Daily Alaska empire., 1949-04-02
By MORRIS CLEAvENGER ZAP Special Washington Service

NA h1bVSAuA w uoiiiilEtOIl DSIFiCel
 WASHINGTON. April 9 -tA- The Senate Interior Department Committee today weighed argu- ments whether it will reject or confirm the appointment of Ernest Gruening to continue as Governor of Alaska.
 Chairman O'Mahoney tD-Wyo) indicated that a decision will be made soon--possihly within a mat ter of a few days
 The committee worked late yes- terday to wind up these charges made and denied by delegations of Alaskans:
 Charges Made
 l. That Governor Gruening had used dictatorial me thods and sought unduly to influence legisla- tors in favor of his program.
 ?. That he campaigned among Alaskan natives with favored can- didates for the Territorial Legis-
  lature
 3. That he has hindered the de- yelopment of Alaska by his stand against absentee ownership
 Gruening Testifies
 Gruening took the stand to deny the charges himself.
 He said he had pressed for enact- ment of his program for the dc velopment of Alaska, but was in no sense a dictator, and had nc power to be if he had wanted to be.
 T have come to the conclusio that it is my duty to tell the people what think,' he informes he committee.
 He added flatly that he had not campaigned with officials of the Alaska Native Service to sponsor certain candidates.
 Governors Program
 His entire program has been aim- ed at the development of Alaska for She benefit of Alaska, Gruenlng said. He emphasized that he has insisted on a balanced budget, and for the first time this year has had enacted tax system worthy of the name"
 A delegation of A supporters of the Governor flew to Washington m chartered plane. and nine If fhese testified in his behalf.
 An opposition group of seven from the Territory asked the com nittee to reject Gruening.
 Side Road At Juneau
 Much of yesterdays hearing cen- cred around short piece of side !oad built across National Forest and to the Governors summer nome near Juneau.
 The road was brought up by Mar 'us Jensen, Democratic member of he Territorial legislature, one of the
 
 opposition witnesses, who said it vas "one of those things which Is mentioned in whispers whenever he conversation dwells on the Gov 'rnor of Alaska"
 Jensen said it was usually refer ed to as that private road,p and hat nobody in Alaska has ever got .en a satisfactory explanation of low short piece of side road came o be built to Governor Gruening's ummer home and charged off as Territorial expense
 The road cost slightly under 5000, Jensen said.
 Didn't Know About It when he took the stand, Gruening enied that he had been instrument al in any way in having the road 'uilt. He said the road was built under uthority of the Territorial High. '"J GhsHlccT at tune when he | Gruening) was absent from Alaska | n business. He added that it was i, comparable to other roads con- i tructsd to develop Forest Service cmesite areas. Had l been there, I would cer- alnly have opposed this road being | uilt," Gruening said.
 He told the committee that in ne first piace he did not want the i oad near his summer home, and nat in the second place he would ave been aware of the implications nat would be attached to 1t. Besides Jensen, those testifying | galnst Gruening included Frank ngerman of Fairbanks. and George | . Miscovich, also members of the territorial legislature; Charles. D. ones of Nome, mining man and 'erritorial Senator; Captain A. E. athrop. owner of a number of usineSS enterprises in Cordova. An