f
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Hars's Too Hiioh Stating doing On
What's all the tumult and the
shouting about?
What’s all the fuss about mov
ing, the. capital?
Is that the big problem confront
ing the State lawmakers today?
We thought otherwise, but in
the last few weeks we have been
doing a little sotri; searching, think
ing we had overlooked' one of the
most important-issues to confront
us.
Up to now we thought the is
sues .* centered ? aixwj&d such pro*
# tolems a-s a deficit in the LoC
funds; building up our revenues;
attracting rn-< e .industry into the
State; building up our fisheries
and other resources; uniting the
State in progressive measures to
develop it and make it a better
place in which to live; building
roads; caring for our land and oil
potentials; and a host ai other
problems—in particular creating <a
better economic climate attract
ive to investors.
Now the land is thrown into
turmoil. Now it has become a
divided State—sectionalism is ram
pant, and over an issue that should
not even be brought up at this
time.
The big issue among these ad
vocates of a move is —where? If
any semblance of continuity of
thought on that issue can’t be es
tablished, why wrangle about it
now? Or in the near future.
The hue and cry is brought
•about mainly by politicians who
wish to be heard—who must need
to get their name in print to show
they are still alive. It's a long
time between sessions of the legis
lature.
Then too, the “Big town” of
Anchorage wants to get bigger by
swallowing up the giant of State
government.
The chairman of tre state House
of Representatives Finance Com
mittee, Earl D. Hillstrand, wants
the capital moved to Anchorage,
and the state capitol built in down
town Anchorage. We gather he
wants it (right -in the heart of the
city, and says it can be built for a
mere $20,000,000. He envisions a
skyscraper, a building that will
house all the on ices of a sta le
government to be built for that,
When did the price of building in
Anchorage go down? Building in
the heart of the city increases the
cost to begin with, increases the
crease the cost of the upkeep. You
the are faced with parking pro
then ae faced with parking pro
blems, traffic, the inability to ex
pand if need be and >a few more
drawbacks we could mention..
You may have gathered we do
not favor moving the capital at
this time. We see no advantage
for years to come, if ever. We feel
we have enough problems in this
transition period as it is.
Should the time come, Anchor
age would be as likely a spot as
any, but not downtown. We don’t
look upon Galkana, Glenallen, in
the boon-docks near Cordov.a or
any other of the isolated spots as
even worthy of consideration.
In the meantime, let’s leave the
capital where it is. Let’s get on
with the transition job, thinking
about adequate legislation for the
times ahead.
That’s big enough job for any
legislator.
social security before. Does my
social security paynfent start auto
matically or do I have to do some
thing about it?
ANSWER—An application filed
wJii the social security office is
m eessasry. You can apply by n^ail
t j writing to the Social Security
/t.immistration, Box 1331, Juneau,
w* apply in person with one of the
QUESTION—I will be 72 in Jan- field representatives who travel
nary but have never filed for regularly to most towns in Alaska.
The Thrill That Comet Once in a Lifetime a mum classic
COA^PFriTIOM St-ACfC6*JS
AjND A FORMER HERO fRFGAINS
TNt ADMIRATION of HIS Public
__ e Mm. r«* W»«M TrW. he n-9*
Here, There and Everywhere
By SIG DIGREE
When Is a Doctor
Still a Doctor?
A doctor who had fled East Ger
many for refuge in democratic
West Germany was asked recently
how he reconciled his flight with
his responsibilities as a doctor to
his patients.
“This is the worst part of it—
that’s just why it is so hard to go
away,” he replied.
“But the question comes to my
mind: Was I still a doctor before I
decided to leave, Is anyone still a
doctor who cannot really heal
people because he lacks the right
facilities and is supposed to feed
his patients political slogans in
stead of medicines? Is a doctor
still a doctor if the state and the
party reduce him to a mere state
functionary; if he is asked to work
as a party propagandist; if he is
ordered to declare sick people fit
to work against his better know
ledge, if he is given insufficient
means to heal and to help and if
he is hemmed in on ail sides.
“Can he sleep with a clear con
science, can he still call himself a
doctor if, against his conscience,
he is compelled to carry out or
ders given him by the government
even though he knows these or
ders are not in the bast interests
of the sick,, but only in the inter
ets of the state and the party?”
Thi^ doctor made his decision on
the basis of his conclusion “that I
really was not a doctor any longer”
Could there be any stronger
plea for the freedom of medicine
anywhere, in any state?
— Grand Rapids, Mich. Press
Vanishing
Americana
Sen. Kenneth B. Keating (R.,N.
Y.) has begun a crusade to ban
spittoons— those “untidy relics of
the 19th'century” —from the halls
of Congress. They’ll be misssed-or
at least they have been. That’s
why the Senator wishes to have
them removed from the premises.
We pass the following on to yon
because it is just as applicable
here as it is in New Hampshire or
anywhere else.
GUN SAFETY BEING TAUGHT
IN HIGH SCHOOLS
Chicago— Because a New Hamp
shire teenager was killed while
hunting, thousands of American
high school students are now
learning gun safety.
Seventeen-year old Roibert
Brock of Dover, N. H., was killed
when the gun of his inexperienced
hunting companion accidentally
went off.
First stunned, then thoughtful,
Robert’s father decided that if
some fathers did not teach their
sons how to* handle firearms he
might do something about it him
self.
So Charley Brock and his long
time firiend Delwyn Main “went
into the spare time business of
training kids how to shoot safely”,
according to an article in the Oct
ober issue of Today’s Health, pub
lished by the American Medical
Association.
Eventually their “potluck” class
turned into an# organized extra
curricular activity of the,Dover
High School. The idea spread
across the state; the state legisla
ture passed a bill authorizing any
school district to offer a course in
firearms safety, good hunting
practices, and game laws. More
than haif of all Piiew Hampshire
schools provide such extracurricu
lar instruction.
Nine other states — Vermont,
Arizona, California^ New York,
Virginia, Ohio, North Dakota,
Maine and Washington — and
dozens of individual school dis
tricts have set up programs based
on the New Hampshire plan.
(Continued to Page 5)
Letter to the Editor
Edttor,, Kodiak Mirror:
Ben Kraft was more than a per
son. He was almost an institution.
He was one of our finest citizens
and all of us will miss him.
The people of Kodiak loved him
and will miss him.
Name Withheld
To* The Kodiak Mirror:
As Post Commander and on be
half of the 204 members of the
VFW Kafcmai Post 7056, we would
like to acknowledge* and praise the
the cooperation and assistance
rendered by our late comrade,
Ben Kraft.
His steadfast influence and kind
consideration of his fellowmen will
be sorely missed by those that are
left behind. May we aJ. proiit by
his philosophies as a man a.:d a
veteran who worked so diligently
for the betterment of his feliow.
men.
We will sorely miss Ben for he
has proven to be a friend of all
his fellowmen. May God rest him
forever.
Charles Christoffersen
Post Cmdr. Ritmai 7065
Dear Editor:
To those who would like to see
Vegas, it might be wise for them
Kodiak turned into a Reno or Las
to check up on State laws and
City ordinances and see that we
don’t live unto ourselves, hut live
in a society and conduct ourselves
for the good of the many and not
to satisfy the desires o-f the few.
There have been a lot of people
in Kodiak through the years who
have given their time and money
to make it a better plaice in which
to live, physically, mentally, and
spiritually. Physically, it is a
hunter’s paradise. You can’t beat
it for photography. It is an ideal
place for .boating and fishing, and
offers its many mountains for
climbing and prospecting. It has
many miles of beaches for the
beacheomers. Sports include base
ball,, softball, basketball, bowling,
also the U.S.O. with its recreation
program, various hobbies such as
the rifle range, radio, leather
craft, plus good fresh air to work
in.
If you care to develop the mind
we have a good library. We also
have a modern school that offers
an educational program for the
children and adults alike, with
the highest of 'academic stand
ards. For the children we have the
Boy Scouts and the Girl Scouts.
Also various kinds of cultural pro
grams. You will find most of the
clubs and lodges in Kodiak that
you will find in the other 49 states.
If you are scientific minded, you
can join the Kodiak and Aleutian
Island Hstorical Society, and
study* the physical sciences, such
as geology, anthropology, anrche
olgy, and mineralolgy.
Spiritually we have churches ot
many denominations, both Prot
estant and Catholic, to minister
to your spiritual needs. Whether
you want to be married, buried, or
become a Christian, these churches
are anxious to help you meet this
spiritual need.
I think Kodiak is a pretty good
place to live, and much to be en
joyed while you live here. With all
our progress from a small fishing
village to a progressive little city,
there’s still room for improvement
but we are going in that direction.
I for one am net willing to sacri
fice my home and children on
the altar of prostitution and gam
bling for a little more monetary
gain. For those who would like to
see Kodiak a little Reno or Las
Vegas, I would like for you to
read the article in the 0other
Reader’s Digest, page 138, entitled
“Las Vegas, the Underworld’s
Secret Jackpot”.
(S) De Witt Fields
City Councilman
■» " * ” % ,
r -A
One Beam family for six ’
generations... One Kentucky Bourbon
formula for 164 years!
What makes Beam bourbon taste so
good? More than anything—it is the fact
that today, as for 164 years, it is still the
Beams who make BEAM, under the
same formula, in the same Kentucky
country where bourbon was born. That
is why you can always buy Beam
bourbon with trust.
KENTUCKY STRAIGHT BOURBON WHISKEY 86 PROOF
DISTILLED AND BOTTLED BY THE JAMES B. BEAM
DISTILLING CO., CLERMONT, KY. __