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Sig J. Digree, Editor and Publisher
Betha Digree, Executive Secretary
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this paper and also the local news published herein.
Name Awl Politicians
Its not often we receive * ‘"ieti&e.
to the editor” that we
necessary to offer a reply,
such came in the mail tinaf week.
That oar busy representatives in
Juneau should deign to take time
«out to reply to an observation
madefy our Society Editor, cor*
taicily is flattering. They were otfe
trp on; us—we hadn’t read the
article before. Herewith is re
printed the letter:
Kodiak Mirror
Kjpdiak, Alaska
Sir:
• n vour March 7th issue of the
Kodiak Mirror there is an article
taking issue with the passage of
Hpuse Bill No. 8 which instituted
a true blanket primary ballot for
the primary ballot which had been
r in use since 1947.
The perusal of the article clear
ly indicates the political inepti
tude of the writer of the article.
Perhaps some idea of the political
immaturity of the writer can be
deduced from the fact it was
printed under the topics of So
cial Notes, Homemaking, Happen
ings about. Town and Gardening.
The context?of the article ac
centuates the writer’s ignorance
of partisan politics. Evidently she
has not participated in politics
to an extent which would famili
arize her with the operation of
the two-party system of politics.
Otherwise, she would be aware
that the primary election is for
the sole purpose of the political
parties selecting candidates for
office. Before the adoption of the
primary system candidates were
chosen by the convention- system,
which convention consisted of
delegates selected by the party
from precincts and divisions. Each
.par*y convention delegate was se
lected by the party to which he
belonged.
The first primary election law
required the voters participating
in the election to request either
a Democratic or Republican bal
lot. Then the system was changed
in 1947 and allowed the voters to
select the candidates for both par
ties. This "was the end of the
party’s choosing their own candi
dates.
We believe that if the writer of
the article were a member of a
political party and were a dele
gate to a convention of her party,
she would certainly resent mem
bers of the opposite party entering
into the deliberations of her party
and participating in the selection
of the candidates. That is what
has been happening since the 1947
primary ballot was adopted.
The newr ballot requires those
voters interested enough in their
party to vote only for candidates
of their party and not cross over
to vote for weak candidates in
thR opposite party as is frequently
done.' Now the Democrats will
choose their own candidates and
the Republicans will do likewise.
If you are interested, yon -wiH
see that the voters may make
itiinr choice of candidates from
the candidates—Democratic,
lican, Independent or other
wise.
that this will be
any misapprehen
by your misleading
be eliminated.
Respectfully shlbftfltted,
Peter Deveau
Waa-ren A. Taylor
It is unfortunate that these two
gentlemen, so learned in the ways
of politics, should find it neces
sary to resort to such castigations
as “political ineptitude” and “po
litical immaturity,” in describing
anyone with an opinion contrary
to their own, or who is not versed
in politics as they are.
The majority of voters are thus
placed in these same categories.
There are many, many people
without party affiliations who
still must vote as their conscience
dictates.
Since you gentlemen sent your
name-calling letter, we have at
tempted to get a cross-section
opinion of Democrats, Republi
cans and non-partisans in Kodiak.
We find there are many “politi
cally immature” among them, ac
cording to your standards. Some
were indifferent; others opposed,
others attached little importance
to the bill; others felt they would
still like to vote as they pleased—
even in the primary.
The primary ballot system even
in its present form serves a real
purpose in eliminating weak can
didates from both parties.
The writers of the above letter
regard House Bill No. 8 as a solu
tion for the weakness of the pres
ent primary system. We will go
along, with them to this extent—
it may help serve to eliminate
some of the abuses of the present
system—that of voting for a
‘ weak*’ candidate, in an opposite
p4. ty, in order to weed out an
undesirable one in their own.
We wish to emphasize that opin
ions expressed elsewhere in this
paper are not necessarily the
opinions of the editor.
It would seem, however, that
the remarks expressed in another,
column did not call for an answer
of such a vindictive and sarcastic
nature. The columns of this news
paper are open to anyone who
wish to express an opinion differ
ing from ours. It is the lack of
the letters we deplore.
It is neither fitting nor worthy
of the Speaker of the House of the
legislature of this great State.
Nor does it increase the political
stature of either.
SAVINGS BONDS
ALASKANS BUY
The U. S. Treasury Dept, has
reported savings-minded bought
$242,967 worth of U. S. Savings
Bonds during the month of Janu
ary.
Bond sales in Alaska for 1958
totaled $3,098,000, and for the na
tion were $4,689,000, the depart
ment said.
? *•
Here, There and Everywhere
Br S1G DIGKEE
The American people are faced
with an all war in the Beriin crisis.
Concensus of opinion in Kodiak
is pretty similar to that through
out the entire United States.
People don’t want a war to settle
this ticklish issue, but they are
willing to go to war if that’s the
only way it can besettled.
A large segment of people
think Khrushchev is bluffing. His
actions, the past few weeks indi
cate this to be the case.
If he is or isn’t, it would still
be hard and unsavory to knuckle
down to the bald eagle in the
Kremlin nest. There is only one
recourse: negotiate. Failing that
it will mean nuclear war. Could
this be the war of annihilation?
There are those who say we
should get out of Berlin. This
would be shirking our responsibil
ities.
From all that can be learned,
the vast majority of Americans
are ready to back the President in
meeting those responsibilities.
Few want war, but they are will
ing id risk even a nuclear war if
that's Ihe way it has to be.
That’s the way it should be.
We still do not think there will
be a wa.r. We feel quite certain
Russia does not want war. Going
to war -today is so different than
going to war twenty years ago; or
ten years ago. What nation can
stand it.? Certainly not Russia.
President Eisenhower’s course
is clear—if only for the immedi
ate future. He should have his
talks with Macmillan at Camp
David. He should have his sum
mit meetings with the Russians.
To negotiate is the first step. But
play cautious.
Withdrawal of all the armed
forces from Germany—including
Russia’s and the U. S.—would
seem to be the answer. But Rus
sia will not do that. She has 22
divisions stationed in Germany.
We have 200,000 with 10,000 in
Berlin. Khrushchev would hardly
care to relinquish Russia’s hold—
East Germany is now Russia’s
most valuable satellite, and the
$400 million she has poured into
it in aid since 1953, makes East
Germany the most prosperous of
her satellites. East Germany is
Russia’s No. 1 trading partner.
It’s ironical that the people of
Germany can’t decide their own
fate. But mankind in many parts
of the world doesn’t have that
privilege any more.
Obviously we must stand back
of the German people now, be
cause if we didn’t we would have
to face up to Khrushchev later.
There is no doubt the President
is following the right course.
The State legislature U dealing
wRh many and varied problems
of the new State, but none appears
as complex and knotty as that of
the Alaska Employment Security
Commission, and its organization.
Funds of the Commission have
shown a downward trend the past
several years. In 1950 the ESC
had a reserve in excess of $9,000,*
000. It is exfpcted the agency will
be in the “red” to* the tune of
$8,000,000 by May, 1959.
A third bill amending the ESC
was expected to be introduced in
the Senate this week, and may
have been already introduced The
two previous bills, SB72 and SB91,
stirred up considera.ble contro
versy in the Senate and through
out the State. Neither of these
bills were seen as doing the job
of paying the current cost of the
jobless insurance fund, and at
the same (time reducing the $8,
000,000 deficit from loans by the
Federal government.
Both bills call for contributions
on the total wages paid to employ
ees contributing to the fund.
Another provision calls for the
extending of period of qualifica
tion of a worker before he would
be eligible for benefits. We don't
think much of either of these
provisions. The big objection
would- be" hafrdfchip the proposed
legislation would work on the
year-around employer and - e»
ployses. Here is an example eC
actual figures from one small
year-around industry (as taken
from an editorial appearing in the
Fairbanks News-Miner):
In 1958 the company paid into
the ESC fund $8,827.91 (roughly
2Vz times what the company
would have paid in any other
state). Each employee of this
company paid $21.00 .into the
fund. ...
Under the EC proposals, this
same company would pay next
year $16,330.97 (roughly FIVE
(Continued to Page 10)
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of^tjprtftg to ’find theright in
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Kodiak Insurance Buildin
Corporation and well
Doctor
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Shoots
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you want to insure some baby
furniture just tell us and well
be there ahead of the
Stork!
Art Brooks
Kodiak Insurance
& Bldg. Corp.
3401 2561
m •
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