The Daily Alaska empire., 1951-03-09
Appeal Is Made 10
 The People

House Bil, No. HI which doesn't mean a thing to most of us until it is explained that HB Al is the Reorganization Bill that will House Saturday morning for third reading and passage - is 4l-page- long bill that would reorganize the whole se.-up of the Territorial gov erKment.
 Why is this bill being rammed down the throats Of the people of Alaska before they have an Oppor- tunity to read and digest it?
 Who is it who desires to give the Preferably appointed governor of Alaska more power than he has ever had, in the face of his own suggestion in his message tc the Legislature at the beginning of this session that he be removed from all Territorial Boards?
 The governor, by the powers SANCh htAi HI ti2iS DiAl boulu Dt tuC czar, the dictator, of the Territory.
 Here in Section 6, subsection (b) of the HB Al, we find:
 (b) In executing the powers and duties prescribed herein, the Com missioner (tbe Finance Commis sioner) shall be subject to the exc cutive direction of the Governor. The Governor may in his discretion seek the advice of the Board of Ad- , ninistration but shall not be bound by t except as provided by law; How such bill could secure the support that it has in the House of Representative after the Governor has asked to be removed from the present boards on which he is serv- ing, we do net understand He was told during the hearings or his reap pointment in Washington in 1949 to leave the legislature alone.
 Somebody is behind this move to completely reorganize the Territorial government.
 The bill abolishes the elected posi- lions of Territorial Treasure and Territorial Auditor.
 Why should the people of Alaska be denied the right to elect these important government officials?
 Until the next session of the Legis- lature, the Board Of Administration will be composed of two men elected frGm each House of the Legislature and the Governor, and they in turn appoint a Finance Commissioner. After the 20th Session of the Zeg- islature, the President of the Senate and Speaker of the House; the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee and the chairman of the House Ways and Means Com mittee will, with the Governor, be the Board of Administration.
 The Finance Commissioner wIil be the treasurer after the present term of Henry Roden is concluded.
 The Auditor is elected by the Legislature for term of six years. He will be an Auditor in fact, ac- countable to the Legislature.
 The Governor is executive direc- tor of the whole works with the exception of the Auditor.
 It is the Governor who must ap- prove the budget. We find this in Section of the bill: "It shall be the duty of the Commissioner to prepare the budget for all Territorial agen- cies, subject to the approval of the Governor"
 Why any bill that provides SC many changes in our government should not be subject to referen- dunn to the people, we don't un- derstand. Or, why it should be forced before the Legislature for a quick vote.
 We wonder if all of the members of the House who will be voting on it at 10 o'clock tomorrow morning have read HE HI. We wonder II they are aware that they Will De turning the purse strings of the Territory over to the governor, 9 Federal official, not responsible to any of the voters of the Territory
 You the people: Do you approve this Reorganization Bill that IS granting away your elective rignts?