The Daily Alaska empire. [volume] (Juneau, Alaska) 1926-1964, 1951-03-07
Twenty-.eventh of a Series

Lobbying has no doubt been ar
sff,iction of legislators ever since
the first legislative assembly ga
thered together, wherever and
whenever that may have been.
And lobbying, which the diction-
arv defines as addressing or sclic-
iting members of a legislative body
in the lobby or elsewhere, with l.
tent to influence legislation, is
generally classified as good or bad
Good lobbying is, of course, the
influencing of legislation along
courses that you approve; bad lob
bying is influence contrary to your
own desires. wishes and prejudices.
Laws to control lobbying in. the
interest of individuals, partner
ships and corporations-in other
words. in the interest of business,
big and small-have long been on
the books.
In recent years, however, legisla-
lures have found themselves beset
and in some instances very nearly
overrun, by lobbyists uncontrolled
by these laws, by lobbyists, that is,
representing the government itself
and particularly the administra-
tive branches thereof.
That this is a national as well
as a local problem is we'll set forth
in the following editorial, reprin-
ted not long ago in the Congress
ional Record:
The Nest Powerful Lobby
TN this period OF talk and in
vestigations of lobbying and rela-
ted activities by private business,
it may be of interest to review what
the Hoover Commission task force
ON Government publicity and pro-
paganda had to say.
Federal operations in the fields
of publicity, public relations, and
dissemination of intelligence cost
the taxpayers about sos, 100000 a
year, it found.
Every Federal agency maintains
its public relations staff. 1t also
said: In many cases, public rela-
tons work is concealed entirely
from routine accounting review
principally by the device Of carry
ing publicity operatives on the roll
as supervisors, administrative as
sistants, and technical experts
How potent is the Government
| lobby? Congressman Harness, who
! headed a committee which worked
Is months looking into Federal
pressure groups, said: Everyone II
Congress is keenly conscious of the
tremendous power of this Govern
ment propaganda machine, for HI
comes in direct personal contac
with it every day. He lives with the
Hobbies, good and bad, which con-
+. stantly seek to influence the course
+, of legislation, and he can hardly
TAIL to know that the most power
full, most persistent of them all i
the Federal lobby. 1t works arount
/ the clock every day of the year.
4 There is one more point OF i'm
| portance. Lobbyists for private in
terests must register with the Gov
eminent, and their connections ant
purposes are known to all con
lcerned. The political lobbyist know
no such restriction. He goes mer
rily on his way, seeking to drum
up support in favor of this schem
or that. and the taxpayers 100
! all the bills. This represents tn
continuous drive OF an offlcla
aristocrary to extend its power
and privileges"
What efforts other states ant
territories have made to contro
these Government lobbyists, don
know. but in Alaska the contro
has heretofore been very slight.
| A bill recently introduced by Sen
ator Engebreth of Anchorage Woul,
enact some very strict prohibition
for the administrative branches o
the Territorial government. Th
law, if Senator Engebreth's bill
enacted, would read:
"All heads of departments OF tn