PALMER, ALASKA,_._CARL RASMUSSEN, F-J’TI.OK,_
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ALASKA'S JUDGES SHpULD BE ELECTED.
Now that the time is ripe for statesmen and politicians to " point
with pride**and " view with alarm" we feel that one thing should be
straightened out before it becomes too late to do so, and that is about
the manner in which the fudges of the District Courts of Alaska are
chosen. The bill introduced tyy 'Senator Ikv Langor and Me Carran provides
for the apointment of these Judges by the President of the United States
to be confirmed by the Senate. The y.S. Marshalls are similarly chosen.
We feel that when Statehood is granted to Alaska that it should include
all privlledges granted to the other States and we cannot find one
single 'state that does not elect their own Judges and if this is done
in other States it should be a part of our duties.
It seems queer to us that no protest has been registerd against this
provision -so far and if no-one does protest it will undoubted.!,.d< come
a part of any enabling act. If the people of Alaska are not c'pable of
chooslfag. and electing their own fudges then they are not qualified to
choose a Govonor or a Leglislature either,and to grant Statehood to any
political sub-division like Alaska would be a grevious mistake if they
are'not capable of assuming* the duties end priviledgos of any State.
We have great respect for the President of the United States and the
Members of the U. S. Senate and feel sure that they would try to choose
•men for these positions that arc capable and well qualified, but how
can these men know who the best qualified men are, when they are so far
from th'e scene of their activities? The President mu3t largely consult
the heads of Bureaus and Departments, operating from Washingto i D.C.who
supervise 'activities of the 'Government in Alaska by remote control, for
information regarding prospective appointees and knowing as we do the
tendency of Bureaus and Departments; to have men appointed who are
favorable to their ideas of control we doubt if this would either be
satisfactory to the Citizens of Alaska or in the best interest of the
people ns a whole. No,let the people of Alaska choose their o\ n Judges
and Marshalls then we can place the blame for inefficency or decisions
that might be questionable right where it would be effective.
It can hardly be claimed that the people of Alaska are less educated,
or capable of handl- ing their own affairs than their fellow citizens
are in the States, where most of them were educated and from whenothey
came- only a short time ago. While it is true that we have some cheap
greedy, selfish politicians in Alaska, it is also true in practicaly
every state in the Union and that certainly is no reason why we should
be deprived of the rights of any ordinary citizen in the U. 3.
All political parties now starting their campaigns for the »44 ' cr mp
aign, should include a strong protest against the proposed enabling act
that includes the provision to have Judges appointed, the Citizens of
Alaska are fully capable of choos ing and electing their own Judges,
and plenty of well qualified men are available for these places, right
here in Alaska, the possibility of Judges becoming the political ' *
footballs of politicians, Bureau heads and Departmental Adminstrators
should certffinly be "viewjfwith alarm".