The Daily Alaska empire., 1951-10-15

wind has blown our way III recent weeks points to real battle Tor the Democratic nomination Tor Delegate in Congress when the Prl- mary Election rolls around next April
 It will be the first real contest since incumbent F. L. Bartlett was first nominated back in l944. That was the year Anthony J. Di- mond stepped down from the office, which he had held since 1883 and for which he had had no opposition whatever, from either party, in l942. Bartlett was opposed for the nom- ination, in 1944, by Henry Roden, now Territorial Treasurer, and A. H. Ziegler, Ketchikan attorney, and he gained the nomination only after one of the warmest primary cam paigns the Territory had seen in many years. Bartlett then defeated John E. Manders Anchorage Re- publican, for the job in Washing ton.
 Bartlett has been a strong candi- date in subsequent elections, al- though his strength waned notice ably last year. Heretofore, although the Democratic Party had split on other candidates, it had been pretty well united behind Bartlett and he had also been supported by a faction of the Republican Party. THE GENERAL ELECTION of 1948, for example, gave Bartlett 78.5 percent of the total votes cast for the office of Delegate. He ran up that substantial majority despite the fact that his Republican op- ponent, R. H. Stock of Anchorage, had campaigned vigorously and widely.
 In the 1850 election, however, Bartlett received only 68.8 percent of the votes cast for Delegate, and this slump came in spite of his own widespread campaign and the fact that his opponent, Republican Amer J. Peterson, made almost no campaign at all
 It was obvious that in 1850 Bart lett was hurt by the growing rift in the Democratic Party. Word be- gan to go around almost at once that Bartlett can be beaten" and in the months that have passed since the election, the word has spread and swelled into a chorus.
 Old-line Democrats have begun to question Bartletts effectiveness, both as Delegate and as leader of the Democratic Party in Alaska. And, since many of them are con- vinced that Bartlett can be beat en and since they are unwilling to see the office go to Republican without a struggle, they are in search of a Democratic candidate who will stay somewhere near the middle of the road.
 It is early to pick candidates for next years primary election and the political picture will not really begin to take shape until the Demo- crats hold their Divisional and Ter ritorial Conventions this coming winter.
 Meanwhile, once Congress has ad- journed, Bartlett is expected to hotfoot it for home on a fence- mending expedition. His difficulty will be that in many places he will find no fences left to mend they have been swept away by the holocaust that Governor Gruen- ing touched off with the Democrat ic Party and to which he is continu- ally adding fuel.
 THE WRANGELL SENTINEL is the oldest newspaper now being published in the Territory of AL aska. For some time to come it will also no doubt be one of the Terri tory's most eagerly read papers.
 Lew Williams, publisher of the Sentinel and recently deposed as Secretary of Alaska, is letting fly with both barrels in the papers famed "Periscope" column. More over, he has loaded up for big game and if he doesn't nail any trophies over the mantelpiece, the indica- tions are that he will at least pune ture the hides of a wide assortment of varmints
 Williams has started to tell the behind -the-scenes story of the past six or seven years-a kind of Inside Juneau" It is story that needs telling. and Williams is equipped to handle the job in lively and informative manner.
 The Wrangell Sentinel should be on the required reading list in the Territory during the next few months.
 REGENT WITHDRAWALS of All aska lands: Two tracts totaling 42l acres on the Naknek River for ar air navigation site. This is an audi- tion to the previous withdrawals of 3,845 acres there.
 An additional 1,280 acres in con- nection with the Eklutna power pro- ject between Anchorage and Pal rner.