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Mar. 22 40 34
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Mar. 24 . 40 30 .19
Mar. 25 . 47 24
Seward
The Gateway City of Interior Alaska Since 1903.
$ e 0 P 0 r f
Record
Seward's All-fVeather Port is Alaskafs Greatest Asset.
Only newspaper in the
world that gives a hoot
about Seward, Alaska.
Vol. X, No. 39
SEWARD, ALASKA, FRIDAY, MARCH 26, 1954
Price 10 Cents
Seward Man President Of
All-Alaska C. of C.
Tormod (Tommy) Bie, Sew
ard’s own, was unanimously
elected president of the All
Alaska Chamber of Commerce
yesterday. The Alaska Chamber
is meeting at Mt. McKinley Park
Hotel this week. Mr. and Mrs.
Bie left Seward for the meeting
Thursday.
Tommy was surprised at be
ing selected for the job, accord
ing to Win Ervin, our corres
pondent. He took it in his stride,
however, and immediately called
for unity. ‘‘Unity is our key,” he
said. “What is good development
wise for any part of Alaska is
good for all and that is our busi
ness—to aid every part of the
Territory. First we must unite,
then get a full time manager
who will understand and work
for the good of Alaska.”
Ralph C. Bailey, secretary
treasurer, presided at the meet
ing of the board of directors of
the All-Alaska Chamber. He
made the report that 10,000 let
ters have been received by the
Alaska Chamber, 8,000 of which
have been answered through co
operation of the Fairbanks
Chamber of Commerce and other
Chambers. He stressed the im
portance of having officers from
smaller towns.
Bie was a member of the
group that organized the Alaska
Chamber of Commerce and has
been a firm supporter of the
move since its inception. Other
officers elected were Robert
Groseclose, Fairbanks, first vice
president; Dewey Goodrich of
Nome, second vice-president, and
George Sharrock of Anchorage,
secretary treasurer.
Other members of the Seward
Chamber of Commerce at the Mt.
McKinley meeting are Mr. and
Mrs. Win Ervin and Mr. and Mrs.
Sol Uric. They are all strong sup
porters of Seward and the ARR
appropriation bill.
4-H
CLU3
NEWS
NEW 4—H CLUBS FORMED
IN SEWARD
Several new 4-11 Clubs have
been formed in Seward during
the past winter. Latest of these
is the Jr. Harbor 4—H Clubjor
girls.
This group of 14 members are
specializing in baking and gar
dening. Their president is Judy
Gerwer. Vice president Helen
Doshen; secretary, Laura Sume:
treasurer, Catherine Werner:
news reporter, Sandra Sheldon;
sgt. at arms, Mary Montgomery
and choir director, Peggy
Werner.
This club, the Jr. Harbor 4-II
girls, will serve hot dogs and cof
fee to the skiers at Mile 12, on
Sunday, March 28. The coffee
will be 10 cents a cup and Hot
dogs 20 cents.
Never-Idle Sewing Club
The Never-Idle 4-H Sewing
Club entertained a few guests at
a prevue of their program of
demonstration on “Short Cuts In
Home Sewing," which they pre
sented to the Marathon Home
makers Club March 25.
At the close of the meeting re
freshments were served by Patsy
Frampton and Anna Jensen.
Guests were Mrs. Baehm, Mrs
Frampton, Mrs. Frost, and Mrs.
Beilyeu.
Ovenettes
The Ovenettes had an organ
ization meeting Saturday, March
20. Mrs. Lillian Dangler was a
guest.
Officers are Carole Simard,
president; Sara McMillan, vice
president; Darlene Sorenson,
secretary-treasurer, and Barbara
McDonald, sergeant-at-arms.
Recreation committee chair
man is Carolyn Goodwill, with
Carole Wolcoff and Joyce Miller
as assistants.
After the meeting the girls
made chocolate chip cookies and
iced tea.
MENTAL HEALTH TEAM
DUE HERE APRIL 5
The Alaska Department of
Health's mental health team will
be in Seward again April 5.
Dr. Charles Anderson, psychi
atrist; Mr. James Parsons, psy
chologist, and Mary Lou Prawl,
psychiatric social worker, will
hold a neuro-psychiatric clinic.
Anyone interested in an ap
pointment may contact the Pub
lic Health Nurse at Main 238.
Editorial
By MEK
IS THIS NEUTRALITY?
On Wednesday of this week,
Mr. Frank E. Kalbaugh, in ad
dressing the Seward Chamber
of Commerce, made an appeal
for harmony between the cities
of Anchorage and Seward. “You
each need the other,” he said,
“and it is to be hoped that your
feud will be dropped.”
In conversation with him after
the meeting, we tacitly agreed to
drop the entire matter. He was
referring to our editorial of
March 12. If he had received the
same agreement in Anchorage,
he must have been deeply disap
pointed by the editorial in the
Anchorage Daily News of the
following day, March 25, entitled
"Report on Anchorage — Plans
for Harbor Job Stymied.” Al
though the News had previously
commented that Seward was sore
"and rightfully so,” the editor
now takes -up the argument
again. Although he religiously
bypasses the Port Commission
Report's now famous paragraph
which shocked the whole Terri
tory. his inference is plain. It is
plain also, that, as he says, al
though the Anchorage job is
“stymied,” someone still has
hopes of also “stymying" the
railroad rehabilitation and Sew
ard dock job as well.
Quoting from the editorial of
March 25, Anchorage Daily
News: “Except for heavy lifts,
trucking is an adequate substi
tute for the railroad service. The
former account for less than one
percent of the total cargo. The
Department of Interior study
siiowed that 15 truck rigs could
carry container-packed cargo
away as fast as one ship could
unload it at Seward.”
"This, it must be admitted,”
the News says, “equals or sur
passes in efficiency the present
railroad.”
The paper also takes another
slap at the railroad and at the
military. It’s editor infers at
so mesort "Of collusion between
the defense establishment in Al
aska and the ARR, when he says,
"It is obvious that availability
of adequate docking facilities at
Anchorage would have made it
difficult, if not imposisble, to
justify appropriation requests
for improvement of facilities at
Whittier, as well as for rehabili
tation of the Seward-Portage
portion of the railroad. In fact,
the evidence indicates, the mili
tary has gone out of its way to
discourage development of the
Anchorage port."
No one would be quicker to
admit than Anchorage news
papers that the situation in Al
aska, whether political, economic
or climatic, is never static. It is,
instead, subject to change over
night, and what is true one year
is obsolete the next. For this
reason, figures from the 1951
.1952 report, on which the entire
argument is based, are not true
today! Times have changed, fi
gures have changed, tarrifs have
changed. The entire argument,
the Port Commission report and
the Anchorage News reasoning
is out of date and no good.
Our March 12 editorial was
written for Seward. That it was
taken to Anchorage was not our
doing. THIS STATEMENT IS
FOR ANCHORAGE CONSUM
ERS. That Anchorage readers
were shocked, and that all other
small towns in Alaska were
shocked and angered by the
Browne statements is shown by
the many letters, telephone mes
sages and personal visits since
that publication. To those people
we say, “Investigate for your
selves, and you will find that
you are being misled.”
You will find that if makes no
difference lo i h e consumer
whether goods shipped from Se
attle comes through Seward, Val
dez, Whittier or Anchorage! The
through rate is the same, wheth
er it is shipped by sea, trucked,
railroaded, or carried over the
Alaska Highwayl As for the
News statement that 15 truck
rigs could carry away container
packed cargo as fast as one ship
could unload it. This is also a
laugh. One company alone oper
ates more than 200 pieces of
trucking equipment out of Sew
ard! Fifteen trucks are not a drop
in the bucket to what is now be
ing carried out of Seward, and
freight trains are still moving
every day. The highway depart
ment will not permit heavier
than the 30 tons per truck now
(Turn to Page 2)
Alaska Dairy Product
Wins Stateside
Award
An Alaskan product, Mata
nuska icecream, made by the
Matanuska Valley Farmers Co
operating Association, won two
second prizes in fair competition
with Stateside creameries this
month. This word was received
by Glenn Tressler, Seward dis
tributor for Matanuska dairy
products.
Prizes were awarded at the
23rd Institute of Dairying held
at Pullman, Washington, March
8-11. Judges in the contest were
Dr. I.A. Gould, Ohio State Uni
versity; Dr. J.C. Boyd and Dr. H.
C. Hanson, both of the Univer
sity of Idaho.
About 60 entries were sent to
the contest for judging, some of
them special ice creams made up
for the contest. Two samples,
chocolate and strawberry, one
half gallon of each, sent by the
Alaska firm were plant-run sam
ples. It was shipped to Anchor
age for a Monday flight, but be
cause of weather they were un
able to ship it out until two days
later, and it was necessary to re
harden the cream in Seattle. In
spite of the delay, however, both
samples won second prize in the
contest.
P-TA MEETING APRIL 3
AT HIGH SCHOOL
The next regular meeting of
the Parent-Teacher Association
will be Saturday. April 3, at the
high school.
Appointment of a nominating
committee will be the first order
of business. It is planned to in
stall officers at the final meet
ing of the year so that the pro
gram can begin actively in the
fall.
Following the regular meet
ing, open house will be held,
giving parents an opportunity to
get acquainted with school pro
grams and teachers. All parents
are urged to attend.
The executive board of P-TA
met Thursday evening at the
home of Harry Midby. The mem
bership prize of $10 was award
ed to Mrs. Purington’s room at
Bayview school. A number of
women have been helping the
public health nurse with the im
munization program. Under dis
cussion were the subjects of a
telephone at Bayview and the
present civil defense measures
practiced at the city school.
SCOTTISH RITES DEGREE
WORK HERE NEXT WEEK
Scottish Rites of Free Masonry
degree work will be given in
Seward three days of next week.
Monday. March 29 through Wed
nesday.
J. W. Leivers. Arthur Hedges.
K. G. Merrit, Howard Stabler,
and Marshall Erwin, all of Ju
neau Lodge, will arrive by plane
Monday to conduct the work.
All candidates taking 15th
through 32nd degrees are re
quested to be at Masonic Temple
at 2 pm Monday. Work will con
tinue through Wednesday night.
At 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, all
candidates and all 32nd degree
Masons are invited to attend a
banquet in the Temple. To at
tend banquet, please sign up now
with Chuck Lechner at Main 56
or in the evening at Main 298.
Jesse Lee News
By Tommy Dillard
Although the white ground be
lies the calendar, the windows
have gone up at Jesse Lee with
the coming of the “first day of
spring.” The restlessness accom
panying that season has also in
vaded the premises, making chil
dren and staff alike, eager for
the coming of the long summer
days.
During the month of April a
photograph contest will be un
der way among the children.
Any picture taken during the
past year is eligible for entry,
and the best submissions will be
awarded prizes. The selected
winners will be used in a series
of pictures to be sold to tourists
during the summer.
Wednesday’s Vespers service
had Mr. Arthur Knight, choir
director for Seward Memorial
Methodist Church, as guest
speaker.
The housemothers who com
pleted the first aid course re
ceived their certificates Monday,
just one day too late to have
been “official” administers to
Freddy Havercamp who broke
his arm playing in the gym Sun
day.
To Activate Local
Guard Unit
General John J. Noyes will ar
rive In Seward next Tuesday,
March 30, to activate the local
National Guard unit as a full
company of Alaska National
Guard. This unit will become
Company C, 207th Infantry Bat
talion (Sep.), Caipt. Arthur L.
Duncan, commanding.
General Noyes will be accom
panied by Lt. Bruck, engineer
ing officer and adjutant general.
The military guests will be en
tertained by the Chamber of
Commerce at noon and by a din
ner in the evening, given by the
National Guard boys.
A full company in this area
means that Seward is in line for
an armory, building. Plans are
already under discussion be
tween the city administration
and National Guard for construc
tion of such a building.
Reporter's
Notebook
The junioif class accordiian
group will resume lessons at 4
o’clock next Monday in the main
school building.
Another popular card party
will be given by the Order of
Eastern Star in the Masonic Hall
Saturday night. Prizes for high
score in bridge, canasta, and
pinochle. Hearts will also be
played if enough players are
there to make up a table.
Baby sitters are in demand for
Saturday night, when all Elks
and their ladies will be holding
their Purple Bubble Ball. Girls
are in a flutter over their new
gowns for this annual spring
event.
Alaska Steam has moved into
a new office. They are now across
the street on Fourth Avenue in
the Moody building. More space
'neverything. lTiey like it.
Clarence P. Keating was a
visitor in Seward this week, as
were also Leonard K. Kyger and
Tom Strachan, all of Anchorage.
Territorial Senator John Gor
such paid us a visit Thursday.
He and his iffife Sally came
down to meet their neice who
arrived on the Baranof.
Frederick Pederson, Board of
Missions of the Methodist Church
will be a visitor in Seward May
11 to 13. Mr. Pederson is the son
of the first Methodist minister in
Seward. They lived the first
winter in a tent house where the
school annex now stands across
from the fire hall.
The Nebraska Fund commit
tee is preparing a boxing card to
be given at the Civic Center May
1, under auspices of the Lions
Club. Coach Dalberg plans to go
to Fort Richardson Saturday to
find some boxers for the event.
P.-T.A. — and You
7,953,800 Volunteers: ^
This amasing number of peo
ple make up the countrie’s larg
est volunteer organization. They
are parents, teachers and other
adults interested in the welfare
of the children and youth of to
day. They are people of all faiths,
they are of all professions:
trades and social classes; yet
they all work together in one
group with one purpose. They
embody one of Americas great
heritages, •voluntedrism,’ the
right to participate freely of
their own choice, as citizens in
the work of human welfare to
give of their time, money and
abilities without thought of per
sonal gain to activities which
interest them.
To volunteer to PTA, or any
other organization means to ex
ercise your right as a free citizen
in a democratic country. It is a
privilage exercised only by a
nation of free peoples. And now
is the time for you, as such an
individual, privileged to live in
a democratic country to prove
your belief in such democratic
principles, to volunteer to work
with others in your community
to promote the welfare of chil
dren and youth in home, school
and community.
For more than five decades
the Parent Teacher Association
has worked for a world in which
every child can enjoy health and
security. At no time has your
volunteer service been needed
more and in no one organization
can it be more effective.
Annual Roundup Of
Stray Dogs To Start
Next Week
Police Chief Burke announced
today that the annual round-up
of stray dogs will get underway
soon, possibly next week.
Kennels have been placed on
city property for impounding of
dogs, and owners, upon missing
the family pet, can rescue him
from oblivion by paying an im
pounding fee of $2.50 plus $1.00
per day for its keep. Dogs will
be kept three days before being
destroyed. Of course, owners
will be required to buy a license
tag for the dogs if they do not
already have one.
Dogs not wearing license tags
will be the first picked up, and
there are many of them about
town. Numbers of dogs of good
breed are still unlicensed. Some
owners buy tags but fail to put
them on the dog.
Even dogs that are licensed
will be picked up, police warn,
if they create a nuisance. The
mere fact that a license is pur
chased for a pet does not give
him the privilege of becoming a
nuisance or a danger to others.
B&PW PLAN VISIT TO
ANCHORAGE CLUB
Anchorage Business & Profes
sional Women have invited the
Seward club to visit them on
April 6. Several of the local club
members would like to go if one
or two cars can be made avail
able.
Anyone having a car and will
ing to take other members as
passengers on the trip is asked
to call Juanita Everitt.
The local club, in discussing
the commonwealth status sug
gested for Alaska, decided to
send telegrams to Washington
inquiring as to the exact mean
ing of the amendment offered
against the statehood bill. Fur
ther discussion will be given the
subject at the next meeting.
Word received from Hazel
Johnson, Territorial president of
B&PW. informed the local club
that Seward is now the second
largest club in Alaska.
ART STUDENTS TO DESIGN
MARATHON TROPHY
Seward High School art stu
dents were asked today to de
sign a permanent trophy and ap
propriate placque for the dinner
of the Mt. Marathon annual 4th
of July race.
The trophy is being contribut
ed as a permanent prize by
Clarence P. Keating Jr., of Sew
ard and Anchorage. “I think it
only right that some Seward
student should have the distinc
tion of designing the trophy for
a strictly local event,” Mr. Keat
ing stated.
The race is becoming more
widely known each year, and
will be carried in at least two
leading national magazines this
year. The permanent trophy and
placque will be awarded to the
winner each year, but come into
the permanent possession of the
first racer to win three consecu
tive years. This policy was set
up in 1953, the trophy going to
Ralph Hatch for his previous
wins.
Girl
Scout
News
March is the Cookie Sale
Month for Girl Scouts. Most of
the cookies are gone but a few
boxes remain to be sold. All Girl
Scouts are asked to contact their
customers again to make a final
cleanup. The cookies are at
Durant's Hardware and can be
purchased at any time without
waiting to give an order to the
little girls.
Troop 3 girls are working for
their first class badges. They
made hand puppets and gave a
show last week. Mrs. Nicholas
will assist with the troop during
Mrs. Coopers absence this
Spring.
The regular meeting of the
Adult Girl Scouts was held at
the home of Mrs. J. Deisher. A
camp site at Mile 18 has been
assured for the Seward Scouts,
but there will be no building on
it. The Court of Awards is sched
uled for April 30 and the pro
gram is under the direction of
Elsie Whitmore.
Troop 4 girls are continuing
their work on good grooming
with Mrs. Louise LaFontaine
helpine the girls with hair styl
ing and makeup. Mrs. Beth Dei
sher is discussing diet and health
with the same group.
ARR Manager Reassures
City On Dock Project
Delegates Await
Views On
Tax Exemption
Delegate Farrington of Ha
waii and Delegate Bartlett are
awaiting the views of the Trea
sury Department on whether or
not backing w<ould toe had from
that executive department on
possihle legislation which would
permit employees of private bus
iness firms in Hawaii, Alaska
and elsewhere to exclude cost-of
living allowances from their
gross incomes. Such a proposal
would also extend to local gov
ernment employees and those
federal employees who do not
now have their salaries fixed by
law.
The proposal was submitted to
the Treasury Department some
weeks ago by the two delegates
because it is felt that the success
of such a proposal would depend
on the support of the administra
tion.
The move stems from the rul
ing made last October by the In
ternal Revenue Service that cost
of-living allowances paid to fed
eral employees outside the con
tinental United States under a
law passed in 1948 would be ex
empt from income tax payments.
It will be recalled that not until
the Congress enacted the Inde
pendent Offices Appropriation
Act for the 1949 fiscal year, as
amended, was a cost-of-living al
lowance under regulations pre
scribed by the President paid to
federal employees outside the
continental United States, al
though prior years had seen dif
ferential payments made through
administrative action. Under
those regulations prescribed by
this law, and effective January
1, 1949, federal employees in
Alaska are paid a 25 per cent
cost-of-living allowance and
those in Hawaii a 20 per cent
allowance based on costs higher
than the District of Columbia.
The Internal Revenue Service
continued to require, however,
that these allowances were sub
ject to the payment of income
tax until an employee of the
Civil Aeronautics Administra
tion in Hawaii took the matter
to court. He won his case based
on Section 116(j) of the Internal
Revenue Code which excludes
from gross income for tax pur
poses: “In the case of a clerk or
employee in the Foreign Service
of the United States, amounts
received as cost-of-living allow
ances under authority of section
3, as amended, of the Act of
February 23, 1931; and in the
case of an ambassador, minister,
diplomatic consular, or Foreign
Service officer, amounts receiv
ed as post allowances under the
authority of section 12, as
amended and renumbered, of the
Act of May 24, 1924; and in the
case of other civilian officers or
employees of the Government of
the United States stationed out
side continental United States,
amouns received as cos-of-living
allowances in accordance with
regulations approved by the
President.”
Subsequent to the successful
court case, the Internal Revenue
Service ruled that the cost-of
living allowances paid under the
Independent Offices Appropria
tion Act, 1949, as amended,
would be exempt from the pay
ment of income tax. There is a
three-year statute of limitations
on refunds, and March 15 of this
year marked the closing date for
seeking refunds for the calendar
year 1950.
Following this ruling, Dele
gate Bartlett sought the views
of the Internal Revenue Service
as' to whether a precedent had
been set which would allow cost
of-living allowances paid to oth
ers, such as teachers and em
ployees in private business, to
be exempt from gross income in
payment of income taxes. In a
letter dated November 12, Dele
gate Bartlett received an adverse
reply, reading in part, as follows:
“Revenue Ruling 237 does not
set a precedent. That ruling is
applicable only to the eost-of
living allowances paid pursuant
to section 207 of the Independent
Offices Appropriation Act, as
amended . . . and Executive Or
der 10,000. . . These allowances
are paid ot civilian employees
of the United States Government
stationed in the Territories and
Possessions of the United States
in accordance with regulations
approved by the President. Such
regulations have been issued un
der Executive Order 10,000. . .
This ruling would not be ap
(Turn to Page 6)
Frank E. Kalbaugh, general
manager, ARR, honor guest of
the Seward Chamber of Com
merce Wednesday, told the mem
bers that he is most optimistic
over the rehabilition of the rail
road and new dock facilities
here. Both the Chamber and
newspaper had been of inesti
mable help according to Mr. Kal
baugh.
Plans for the new dock were
outlined briefly by the speaker,
and gave out the heartening in
formation that the proposed new
dock will occupy approximately
the same position as the present
one. The passenger apprdach
will be on Fourth Avenue. Ware
houses of concrete and steel, con
crete deck and steel piers (pil
ing ?) will establish the per
manance of the installation, and
the entire construction will be
filled in from the shore line.
No interference to ship hand
ling is anticipated as the new
work is designed for construction
while regular longshoring con
tinues in its present location, to
be transferred to the new dock
as sections are completed.
Airplane Contracted
For Nebraska Trip
A contract has been signed for
the airplane to carry us back to
Nebraska with the Alaska Air
lines. The big DC-4 will depart
from Anchorage at 5 p.m., Sun
day, May 30th, make one stop in
Seattle, and arrive at Lincoln
approximately 16 hours flying
time later (Must add the hours
lost by flying east, on the clock
and the time spent in refueling
at Seattle). We leave Lincoln, to
return home, at 5 p.m. their time
on Thursday, June 3rd. The com
mittee has figured on selling
thirty-five seats which at the
present time have all been spo
ken for. Eighteen have paid the
full amount and 17 have made a
deposit. Unless someone who has
already made a deposit on their
ticket should happen to drop out
it looks as though the only way,
for any folks who still want to
make the trip, to get a ticket, is
to get one of the two the Lion's
Club are using to raise the
money for their scholarship
fund this year.
The tape that was recorded in
Seward, Nebraska this week - to
be aired on station KIBH - will
answer the questions as to
clothes, that many of the young
ladies have been asking. Other
questions such as insurance for
the trip, amount of weight allow
ance, transportation to Anchor
age, etc. will all be ironed out at
a meeting about a week before
departure time.
Since the total amount of the
trip will have to be paid by the
committee prior to May 30th, the
committee is especially anxious
to have all of the ticket money
in as soon as possible. There is
still a long ways to go on the
fund raising part of the cam
paign too. It looks as though
there is a good opportunity to
see some real boxing at the Civic
Center on the first (1st) of May.
There is a 300 Savage at the
Bayside Sporting Goods store,
that Harold Davisson donated to
the cause. The women of the
Methodist Church are giving a
Dinner, proceeds to the fund, on
April 3rd. All of which pushes
the plan that much closer to
realty.
Some of the clubs in town are
getting together some Alaska
gifts for their brother or sister
clubs back in Nebraska and the
committee is also getting some
things together to present to the
Mayor, the Governor, and the
Senator. It has been suggested
that it may be that some folks '
have some extra jars of Alaskan
Berries that they might like to
send back to some folks back
there.
The committee sent a piece of
Moose Meat out to their special
Alaskan Day Dinner, to be held
April 1st. We are almost holding
our breath until we hear if it
made it before thawing toomuch.
It may be that you have an
idea that we can use. Anything
to cultivate friends for Seward,
Alaska, no matter how small,
will certainly be welcome — so
don’t be bashful and let us hear
from you.