The Wrangell sentinel., 1954-01-08

 Lyng want 10 sort of keep an eye On ILe Democrats, too
 The conflicting meetings are no doubt pure coincidence.
 0ff-Year Drive
 Ifz one of the first times, if not the first time. the Democrats have he'd a TerriIorial-Kide convention in an ofI-Presidential election year. Usually. ns an every-four-year af- fair, although their plan Of organ ization provides for the biennial meetings However. now the minor ity party and with the avowed pur- pose of getting back to being ma jorify party as they had been for 70 years. the donkey-riders are l,ointing for coatrol Of the next leg islature and a territorial office or TWO. They are. no doubt, inspired 10 action. 100. by what veteran Re publican Albert White describes as The "deplorable' condition of the Repu. liean party in Alaska.
 So. on Friday next. the Demo- eats will make the welkin ring in Juneau's new city hall They hope t3 have their national chairman stephen Mitchell, on hand for the affair as principal speaker but f hC dozsn't show there doubtless will be plenty Of other Democrats avail able prepared to point with pride to Democratic achievement and view with alarm the Republican effort.
 Delegates from. Wrangell to the convention are Senator Nolan and Mrs. vern Smith. l
 No Statehood
 Meanwhile. the Democrats, who have long espoused statehood, were given another talking point last night when President Eisenhower in his state of the Union message again failed to mention Alaska statehood although he did renew 3 request for Hawaiian statehood.
 Following the address, Delegate E. L. Bartlett was quoted by the Associated Press as saying:
 T had hop against hope that the speech might give the admins i ation blessing 10 the greatest Of Alaska's political aspirations-state- l hood. Now We know that the face of the administration is turned away from us. Oh well. Bob, there are Is Re pnblicans in Anchorage who prob ably are not too happy about it, either.
 Facing the Lion
 IL appears that Gov. HeintZlemRn, who last week was criticized by IS Anchorage Republicans for what they considered failures Of his ad- ministIation, including his lack Of support for statehood, flew up to Anchorage and faced the lion in his dsn. What happened al the report edly closed door session appears to b mostly 6 matter of conjecture. Walter Tickle, one of the $ and previously a candidate for appoint menf as Governor. indicated in press reports that progress had been made in adjusting the differ ences. Gov. Heintzleman was quot ed as saying he would clarify his position after a trip 10 Washington.
 Hard to blame the Democrats for tryIng for a touchdown. Seems like the Republicans hand them the ball.
 Herring
 On the next page of this peerless family journal will be noted story ( aiing with the subject of closing lhe herring fishery 10 commercial fishing, except for bait, long advo- caied by fishermen and others in the industry in Southeast Alaska on grounds that herring is the sal- mons natural food and if depleted no salmon. Even the Alaska of- fieialS nf the Fish and Wildlifa Service have recommended the &C., ton. However, taxk '-mj3I-fbx Br fold. representative of one of the two herring reduction plants opera ting in Alaska is back in Washing ton Mrs. Storfold is reported to be laying the facts before the serv-I ice. Sen. Magnnson and Congress men Thor Toilefson and Jack West land of Washington state are re- ported taking personal interest in the matter.
 Col. John Farley, Director of the