The Wrangell sentinel., 1952-12-12
THROUGH
THE SENTINEL
PERISCOPE
Party Alignment

III. next legislative session which
,,Dyenes January 20, there is like
~ To be some legislation enacted
setting up legal machinery for the
operation of political parties in Al
aska. Its been tried half dozen
me. In the past but ran into
coupIe of stumbling blocks.
Usually the party in power Is a
eainst it. as has been the situation
with the Democratic party in the
Territory for the last dozen years
and more, and the party out OF
mower is sometimes divided, as has
been the case in Alaska, thus Oh
fering no consolidated front Tor
such legislation.
With the defeat of the Demo-
cratic party and victory of the Re
publican party under a unificatlon
program the hopes for setting up
party organization under legal
sanction of the legislature appear
to have frightened appreciabiy'
The dope is that the Republicans
of the Second. Third and Fourth,
particularly, are for such legisla-
ton. There probably is a fairly
large group in the First who Will
favor it. And, with a lop-sided Re
publican legislature, it has more
than an average chance of winning
approval. especially if it has the
backing of a few of the leading
Democrats, which we are advised,
it now has.
Under the present laws there are
no restrictions on political parties;
their form of organization, their
responsibilities, nor their conduct.
The skys the limit if enough peo-
pie with the same idea can get to-
gether to hold "A convention under
some party label Many are coming
to feel that the days of free-wheel
ing party organization, when a
bottle of whiskey and vest pock-
ct full of proxy votes set up par
ty organization are a little obsolete
and that party organizations
should have certain responsible
tiles.
At any rate, you are likely to
hear more of it during the legis-
lature, and probably see legislation
enacted in connection Herewith.
Shirt Sleeves
We've just been looking at a pic.
ture of President-elect Dwight d.
Eisenhower and some of his ap-
pointed cabinet members aboard
the cruiser Helena, returning from
the Orient. The only man who
seems to look comfortable and at
ease with his coat off in the en-
tire group is Ike, even sans tie. We
trust this doesn't turn out to be
an anti-shirt sleeve administra
ton.
Injunction Action St"~ted
An action in behalf of the Terri
tory to enjoin disputing unions
from boycotting Alaska bound
ships has been started in Seattle.
Treasurer Henry Roden. former At
as a special assistant to Attorney
General J. Gerald Williams to in
stitute the action. Williams is now
in Washington comforting with the
Maritime Commission with the aim
of getting federal legislation en-
acted to cope with the shipping
strike problem which is a constant
hazard to the economy of Alaska.
Meanwhile. Make Weisbarth,
longshore boss in Seattle, has an
nounced Alaska line vessels now
in Seattle can sail as relief ships
to Alaska and his men will work
them. Nice concession on Makes
part. At the same time Alaska
Steam had advised its Alaska ag-
ents that sailings will be resumed
as formerly.
OF course, the dispute between a
couple of unions in Seattle which
caused all the trouble isn't settled,
but Make has decreed that the
ships may sail; probably has de-
cided that those yokels in the sald
mines of Alaska should have
crumb of bread or two over the
Christmas holiday.
What's this we been hearing "a
bout those dictators, Stain. Fran
co, Peron and the rest of them?
Just a bunch of pikers compared
with Seattle's Make.
New Governor?
Among the many names of prom
inent Alaskans mentioned for Gov
ernor under the new administra-
tion is that of Henry "Esky' Clark.
former Wrangell boy who made
good in the city and is now the
east coast representative of the AL
aska Steamship Company. Esky's
connections are excellent, but his
handicap would seem to be that he
hasn't been active in party politics