Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1952-02-10
Statehood
Same Political Tonqle
On Alaska, HoWuii
BY Jack Jonas

Dy SuCM SVHuS
The Senate floor looked like q
0choolroom.
Senator O'Mahoney, chairman Of
the Committee on Interior and InSu-
lar Affairs, was the schoolmaSter.
He set up his elaborate charts, took
up long pointer and began to talk
Ito the few Senators who hadn't
played hookey-about why Alaska
should be admitted aS the 49th State
Of the Union.
But 1t was evident that 1t would
take more than charts, pointers and
logic to overcome the political con-
siderationS which so far have pre-
vented Hawaii and Alaska from
gaining statehood.
The number "forty Eight" has been
synonymous with. the United States
for so long that few people remember
that 1t wasn't always thus. The last
admission to the Union was that OF
Arizona, in 1912. preceded by only q
few months by New Mexico. Okla
homa entered the Union In 1907.
The administration. which has
spoken long, loud and urgently Of the
necessity for admitting the two Ter
ritories as States, failed in elemental
strategy last week by talking about
Alaska first. Hawaii seemed to have
the better chance. and with Hawaii
in. Alaska would come more easily.
AS the deadline approached. how
ever, there was no effort to shuttle the
schedule to get Hawaii on the cal
endar first, and the talk about Alaska
began.
It seemed odd, at first glance. that
politics should play q major role in
blocking the statehood moves. Under
statehood there would be, from each
ex-Territory, two Senators. Hawaii,
traditionally Republican, could be
counted on for two Republican Sena-
tors. and Alaska, by history. would
furnish two Democrats. This would
do nothing, theoretically, to disturb
the balance in the Senate.
Civil Rights Again
But the administrations contro-
versial civil rights program is in
volved. Opponents of the program
felt that although the new Senator'S
would be divided by political party.
they might be united in their support
Of civil rights legislation.
Many other issues are involved
moral, domestic and international.
Alaska, more than twice the size Of
Texas, has a population Of only
about 100000. Militarily, it is Of vast
Importance to defense Of the con-
tinent. During World War II the
only part Of United States territory
invaded and held by the enemy was
in Alaska.
It is only q few short miles across
the Boring Strait from unfriendly
Russia, and at present Alaska is weak
and exposed. During last weeks de-
bate, Senator Hunt remarked that
there are two islands in the strait,
one owned by the United States, the
other by Russia. In a small school,
house on Big Diomede Island is
picture of Josef Stain. In q small
SchoolhouSe on Little Diomede Is
land, he said, is a picture of Abraham
Lincoln. That, he said, points UP the
problem sharply. =.
Military men say that granting
statehood to Alaska would increase
its strength by: i. Making its ties even
closer with the United States. 2.
Making it grow in population, with
resulting internal security. Gen. Billy
Mitchell put it this way: Whatever
power controls Alaska will control
the world" sess T.
Hawaii also is of strategic value.
with its excellent sea bases and its
position in the Pacific. Japan's dar-
ing raid on Pearl Harbor has drama
tized its importance in the public
eye more than the move into the
Aleutians spotlighted Alaska's, value.
Economic Development
The Senators look more favorably
on Hawaii because of its greater
development and the belief that 1t
would be better able to support itself
than comparatively undeveloped
Alaska. The Hawaiian tourist trade,
for example, brings in heavy revenue
each year. The highest temperature
ever recorded there by the Weather
Bureau is 80, and the lowest So, max
ing 1t more attractive as a spot to
live or play than chilly Alaska.
Farming and the canning industry
also are well advanced on Hawaii.
Although Alaska has vast natural
resources, development has been slow.
One argument advanced by pro-
ponents Of Alaskan statehood Is that
this development would be more
rapid il Alaska were to become
State.
Under statehood, the Territories
would be required to pay fully the
salaries of the Governor and the Sec :
rotary Of State, costs Of the Legisla-
ture and the court systems, and other
governmental bills now borne wholly
or in part by the United States.
The economics of statehood has
been solved by other States which,
when they were admitted to the
Union, had less population than
Alaska now has. Examples OF such
States are Arkansas, Florida. Mis-
souri,, Nevada. Oregon. Wyoming,
Minnesota, Iowa, Colorado. Montana.
North Dakota and Nebraska.
No .Notionol Representation
supporters Of statehood have
pointed to the justice Of granting full
participation to the American citizens
living in the two Territories. These
citizens, like those IN the District OF
columbia, have no direct say In run
- 49, Mo fi0YSo1 Government. AL.