The Wrangell sentinel., 1956-10-05
THROUGH THE SENTINEL PERISCOPE
The Garland Fund

next Tuesday to elect some Terri torial officials and members of the Legislature, they will find as sort of ad lib on the ballot spot to name two pseudo Senators and Representative, under the Alaska Tennessee plan, to go back and lobby for statehood in Congress.
 Among the candidates for the six-year term for Senator is Ernest Gruening, former Governor Of Al aska and former officer and dlr- ector of the American Fund Tor Public Service, better known as the Garland fund, and which was lap eled by the legislature of the state of California in it's investigation of unAmerican activities as a Com munist front organization.
 The Garland fund gets its name from Charles Garland, who started ii in 1922 with $90O,000 and built if to neat total of two million dollars. This fund went to assist such enterprises as the Daily Work- CT. a communist newspaper pupllsh- ed in New York, another lefty pup Iication known as the New Masses and other activities along the same line.
 There has never been over the wears a denial from Ernest, the man who now seeks to represent Alaska under the Tennessee plan' that he was associated with the Garland fund. It strikes us that this is important when Alaskans east their ballot on Tuesday
 Regardless of the merits or the demerits of the so-called Tennessee plan it is the theory of this, the oldest continuously published news paper in Alaska, that it would be well to send to Washington Alas kans about whom there is no con troversy or question in previous activity.
 They have known Ernest and his left-wing tendency over the years in Washington. His election from Alaska as a Tennessee plan Senator could label the Territory as ultra uItra liberal - which IS out or fashion in Washington at the pres ent time. This certainly would not advance the cause of statehood which is definitely opposed by the present administration and south ern Senators and only has luke warm standing with the national Democratic party leaders.
 Ii is our belief that the election of Ernest, a resident of Washing ton. D. C.. would set back Alaska statehood for at least six years, the terms for which Senators are elect ed. or into the indefinite future. I.efties are on the losing side in Washington. Alaska's move TOT statehood would not be enhanced bv sending to Washington a man identified with ultra liberal think ing.
 Territorial Senator John Butro- vich. who opposes Gruening on the ballot. has no such label. He Is an Alaska boy. born and raised i'll Fairbanks where he still makes his home. His appearance in Washing ton would mean real Alaska repre- sentation. untainted by any past history.
 If Ike is reelected President, certainly fellow-Republican Butro- yich would get closer to home base than a Democrat and, by the same token. if Adlai becomes our next President. he might be more favor able to Republican Butrovich than to a Democrat who, like Gruening. plugged for Adlai's opponent, Har- riman. to the last ditch. It's just a thought.
 However, it will be up to the voters - If they want to Day Ern- est s22.500 a year. which is the going wages of a Senator. to main tain his home in Washington. D. C., it's strictly up to them. Thfs week when John Butrovich was in town he was advocating that they serve as S1.00-a-vear men but it is doubtful that that will meet ap- propal of the Gruening thinking. Come legislature time, if Gruening is elected as pseudo-Senator, the ,big push will be for a regular Sen ator's salary.
 Advance Information
 So yau can sit back and listen to the Buns and the Yanks do their stuff without an election-result