The Daily Alaska empire., 1950-06-09
THE STATEHOOD HEARINGS
 No. }
By BOB DE ARMOND

Not only Alaska but the entire United States could be better de- tended if Alaska were a state That was the thesis of a number of the pro-statehood people who testified before the Senate Com mittee on Interior and Insular Affairs in Washington during the last week of April.
 The defense angle was worked especially hard by the witnesses on the first day of the hearing. The Senators generally did not take to the notion that statehood would make much difference one way or the other in the defense picture.
 Following that expression from the Senators, the defense arguments were kept pretty well in hhe back ground during the next few days. They were revived by Governor Gruening, the last witness to ap- pear: The Senators remained un- convinced.
 "Yes" Said the General
 In addition to the general wit nesses, two professional military men were called to tell about statehood as it may pertain tol national defense.
 The first of these was Lieutep- ant General Nathan F. Twining Commander -in- Chief, Alaskan Con- mand.
 The General said: T feel state l hood for Alaska would help the military. For one reason, it would improve the economy and the pop | ulation in Alaska, and would be ! great asset to military develop l ment We could obtain more ma terials from increased economy in ! Alaska, we would not have to send 1 it up from the States It would | be cheaper to build up there. More l people up there would help, and a more stable form of government would help. I think that is about | it."
 No" Said the Admiral On the other side of this ques- 1! tion, Rear Admiral Ralph Wood | (retired), U. s. Navy, took the stand During a part of World | War II he was Commandant of the {; 17th Naval District, comprising all i of Alaska.
 The Admiral said T think all | military strategists concede the im- l portance of the Alaskan position. | I hold to these opinions. But to becloud the matter of the format of this particular bill by insist ing that it and it alone only will assist the National Defense is defi- nitely not a service to clarifica- tion.
 1t has been stated that state hood for Alaska is now going to bolster somehow the National De- fense. In my opinion it makes no difference whether Alaska is state or territory as far as National Defense is concerned. As matter of fact, since the federation of the original 13 colonies, the con- mon defense has been just that.
 Our plans, purposes, policies and practices in the common defense have been effected without regard to standardization.
 Were Alaska to become a state tomorrow, it would not alter, I am sure, the general overall consider ation of our defense problems"
 Other Views Differ
 This is not the first time, of course, that members of two bran- ches of the military service have disagreed It is interesting to note that the Generals opinion is sup ported by the Secretary of Defense, while the Senators went along with the views of the Admiral.
 Louis Johnson, Secretary of De- fense, said in letter to Senator OMahoney, which is included in the record: Tt is obvious that the more stable a local government can be the more successful would be the control and defense of the area in case of sudden attack. There can. be no question but that in the event of an attack any state would immediately be aided in the initial stages of the emergency by the effective use of the state and local instrumentalities of law and order'