The Wrangell sentinel., 1952-08-29
THROUGH THE SENTINEL PERISCOPE
There's Always Hope


 If the Interior Department doesn't slap it down, it looks very much as if the Aluminium Corpora tion of America will establish a large plant near Skagway. CSee news story elsewhere in today s paper)
 Four years ago when Julius A. Cap Krug was Secretary of In- terior, he was enthused over the possibility of getting Aleoa inter- ested in Alaska When the comp any sent it's first representative to look overt he area, Cap sent a. long a note to the then Secreury of Alaska to do all you can for this man as it may mean much to the Territory" or words to that effect.
 Later. former Assistant Secretary William E. Warne came to Alaska and his comments ou the subject were in substance "that you just cant have these large corporations moving in without strong govern ment control"
 Some time later. Krug resigned, but before doing so he signed an order reserring a large section of public lands in the Taiya Valley with the idea that some day it would be useful for just such an industry as if now proposed
 Meanwhile. Bill Warne's strong government control" showed it's socialistic hand with the result that Aleoa went to Kitmat, B. C., and Bill got "promoted' to be minister abroad or something.
 Now Alcoa is back in the picture with a definite announcement of plans. These were hardly in news paper type before the Burnu of Land Management, of the Interior Department, was out with a state ment from Washington that Alsoa had made no application to that Bureau for land in the Taiya area. It was evident that the old 'gov- ernment control everything" group in Interior were still alive.
 Up in Juneau, this week, Ernest GTuening was quoted as praises capitalists; government role zero" in describing the Alcoa plan as the greatest thing that has happened to Alaska since it's purchase from Russia.
 When Ernest gets to praising capital and sees a little merit in free enterprise without the strang- ling hand of government ever in the picture either the millennium is at hand or the socialistic- thinking group within Interior is losing it's grip.
 It's to be hoped that the latter is true and that the department. for once will lend it's all-out support to bringing a large industry to Alaska rather than giving the. us- ual lip service to which Alaskans are getting a little bit weary of listening
 Territorial Building
 It begins to look as if the new million-dollar Territorial building in Juneau may yet be completed. Territorial Treasurer Henry Roden reports that he has the promise of some eighty per cent of the legis- lators who will make up the next legislature that they will support an appropriation up to $35O,0O0 to finish the structure. On h strength of this, Henry proposes to negotiate loans through the banks now underway, can be continued, and the loans paid off when the next legislature convenes in Janu- Ery to pick up the tab with an ap- propriaton. Both Senator James Nolan and Representative Doris M. Barnes, Republican senatorial can didate, of Wrangell, have approved the plan, as have the majority of the lawmakers in the First, Second and Fourth Divisions. They hold with the usual sound judgment that after spending $660,000 on a building it would be something less than wise not to at least put j roof on it. The way it is now, Henry might have to stand up there with an umbrelBa to keep the rain out.
 History reveals that the 1949 legislature appropriated the $660,- 900 for a Territorial building. An- chorage and Palmer, of course, wanted 1t. The old Board of Ad-