Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-04-02
By J. A. o'Leory

House Speaker Martin threw
cold water today on the hopes
of Hawaii and Alaska to become
States this year.
IT don't see much hope for
the bill in it's present FORM"
said the Speaker, referring to
the fact that the Senate APP
proved statehood for both Ter
ritories before passing the bill
yesterday, 81 to %.
When the measure passed the
House a year ago, it covered only
Hawaii, and Mr.. Martin said:
1--WE think they should go
separately"
The separate Alaskan bill has
been bottled up in the House
Rules Committee, yer.
Asked if there is a chance of
bringing out the Alaskan bill in
view of his statement that they
should be handled separately,
the Speaker replied:
We've got a pretty busy pro-
gram, and we have to consider
legislation that has a chance Of
becoming law"
Fear Bill May Die.
Congressional observers agreed
today the statehood bill may die,
unless President Eisenhower
comes to its defense. In his.
January message hea recon-
mended statehood only for Ha-
waii. supporters of the COM
bined Senate bill are expected to
appeal to the White House with
in the next few days.
Normally, since the House
already has passed its own bill,
the next move would be for the
House to send the Senate bill to
a Joint conference committee for
action on the Senate amend
ments. This requires unanimous
consent, however, and the atti-
tude of House leaders makes that
difficult to obtain. # one objec-
ton is raised, it would then take
action by the Rules Committee,
which is already holding up the
Alaskan bill, to get the Senate
measure into conference.
Up to President.
Senator Anderson, Democrat,
of New Mexico, who helped push
the combined bill through the
Senate, agreed today the fate of
the bill is largely in the Presi-
dents hands.
Senator Gordon Of Oregon, in
charge of the bill for the Re
publicans, said he has not had
time during the month of de-
bate to determine the present
attitude of the administration.
Asked If he intends to consult
the White House. he replied:
well, I didn't do all this work
for nothing"
Delegate harrington of Hawaii
and Delegate Bartlett of Alaska.
who have non-voting seats in
the House, were hoping today
the better than 2-to-1 majority
in the Senate would increase the
bills chances in the House.
The Senate asked the House
to send the bill to conference and
appointed the Senate conferees.
They are Senators Butler of Ne
braSka, Millikin of Colorado and
Gordon, Republicans, and Murray
of Montana and Anderson, Dem
ocratS.
Party lines were not followed
in the Senate vote. Twenty
three Democrats Joined 80 Re-
publicans and one independent
in support of statehood. Nine
Republicans joined 10 Demo-
Gratis in opposition.
Two attempts by the oppoSl-
ton to give the two territories
commonwealth status instead of
statehood were rejected. The
first attempt failed so to "a.
Senators Smathers of Florida
and Monroney of Oklahoma,
Democrats. then proposed ref
erendum in both Hawaii and
Alaska on the issue of statehood
or commonwealth status. This
failed So to 26.
If the Senate bill becomes law,
Hawaii could get ready to elect
a congressional delegation this
fall, although it's constitution
would still have to be ratified
separately by the House and
Senate.
Elections in Alaska appear out
Of the question this year. since
that territory has not yet drafted