The Wrangell sentinel., 1951-01-12
THROUGH THE SENTINEL PERISCOPE

President Truman in his mess age to Congress the other day was given rousing applause by Demo- crats and Republicans alike when he called for rigid economy in non-defense spending In other words, the peoples representatives declared we're for it too" and were showing their willingness to back him to the hilt
 While We were gleaning this bit of enlightenment from the public prints, across our desk somebody made a trip to the post officel came an envelope containing publication called "Alaska's Health" issued, So the masthead read, by the Department of Health cooperating with the U. S. Child ren's Bureau and the '. s. Public Health Service Its six pages are jam-packed with publicity for the Department of Health and kindred information The front page con tains pictures, excellent ones too, of youngsters being treated at the 0rthopedic hospital at Mt Edge cumbe and two pages of story by Dr. Philip Moore, orthopedic sur geon, on what a grand job the All aska Crippled Childrens Associa- tion is doing in connection with care of crippled children.
 We're prepared to say Amen so far as the work of ACCA is con- cerned But what we can't seem to get out of our mind is the amount of money and effort that went into getting out the "Alaska's Health" publicity sheet, and what the heck it has to do with defense spending. We are for the printers making everything they can in the way of printing and publishing, being one of them. but we can't help but wonder why the Health Department needs to get out pub licity sheet about how much good it is doing when guys are dying in Korea. We suspect the money necessary to get out just one issue of "Alaska's Health would come close to equipping another bed at Mt. Edgecumbe or some other place.
 We are also reminded of the Wrangen couple who made appli- cation to Edgecumbe to have one of their children treated there. They were told to contact the De- partment of Health in Juneau. This they did. They haven't heard from the Department yet, and this was some three months ago, but they did get a fairly brusk letter from Dr. Moo"e at Mt Edgecumbe saying that they had better take their child elsewhere And all this while some of our men are slug ging it out in Korea.
 Our suggestion is that the forth coming Legislatere might do a lit tie looking into non-defense spend ing of territorial money in Alaska, even as the President with his most laudable recommendation to the Congress.
 There's never quite enough money. so they tell us in the Health Department, to help hospit- als such as Valdez, Cordova, Wran- gell and a dozen other places in the territory but obviously, there is enough money to get out pub licity booster sheet blowing the bugle for the good old Health De- pertinent.
 s**
 It's an interesting fact that peo- pie do come to Alaska in ever in creasing numbers and they like to come in a motor vehicle. In this connection Highway Engineer Frank A Metcalf, chief of the highway patrol, comes up with some highly enlightening figuresa During 1850 the highway patrol checked S,O97 cars into the terri tory over the Alaska highway at Tok Junction, carrying a neat to- tai of 1892 passengers. Against this the patrol checked out, state side bound, only 5,071 cars carry ing 16,812 passengers. It would ap- pear that some 5000 highway travellers decided to stay and grow up with the country
 *#* *#
 Importance of the forthcoming session of the territorial legisla-