NUGGET
OLDEST NEWSPAPER IN ALASKA—MEMBER ASSOCIATED PRESS
63rd Year No. 51
NOME, ALASKA, MONDAY, APRIL 30, 1962
Per Copy 15*
Democrats Meet In Harmony . . .
Frank Peratrovich Is State Chairman
By Ward Sims
NOME, April 30 <& — Alaskan
Democrats, meeting in relative
harmony when warfare had been
forecast, wound up their 1962 con
vention late last night with the
election of Frank Peratrovich as
state chairman for the next two
years.
Peratrovich, who has served as
President of the State Senate for
the past two years, is a resident
of Klawock, a tiny Indian village
on Prince of Wales Island in south
east Alaska.
Named to serve with Peratrovich
were Vic Richardson of Fairbanks
as vice chairman and Mrs. Alice
Harrigan of Sitka as secretary.
Peratrovich won the party’s top
post unopposed.
The convention delegates selected
Kodiak as the site for their next
state convention, during April of
1964, on specific dates still to be
selected.
Among some 30-odd resolutions
approved by the convention, most
of them routine, was one which
directs Gov. Egan to veto contro
versial Senate Bill 147.
The measure would provide for
the popular election of top party
officials, including the National
Committeeman and Committee
woman, State Central Committee
Chairman! and members and Dis
trict Committee chairmen and
members.
muicaieu snuruy Dexore
the two-day convention opened Sat
urday morning that he intended
to let the bill become law without
his signature. The measure was
sponsored by one of the governor’s
staunchest legislative supporters,
Sen. W. O. Smith of Ketchikan.
The resolution approve*! by the
convention delegates on a? voice
vote was offered by State Sen.
George B. McNabb of Fairbanks.
McNabb’s resolution said the
purpose and intent of EB147 “is
to destroy the existing and present
leadership of the Democratic party
and will, jf it becomes law, ulti
mately destroy the Democratic
party itself.”
In a keynote speech Saturday
morning, Dick Greuel of Fairbanks,
former Speaker of the State House
of Representatives, attacked SB147
as a “haphazard and irresponsible
measure.”
McNabb offered a second resolu
tion which was drowned in a chorus
of “Nay” votes, after sharp but
short floor debate.
The second resolution would
have withdrawn indirect or direct
party support, endorsement and
funds from any person elected to
the executive or legislative
branches of government as a Demo
crat who votes against, attempts
to secure votes against or vetoes
any measure introduced or enacted
in the furtherance of any plank of
the Democratic platform, without
having first advised the State Cen
tral Committee, in writing, of his
opposition to the plank or meas
ure.
The adoption of McNabb’s sec
ond resolution would have placed
Egan, a candidate for re-election,
in the position of facing) lass of
party support if he failed to veto
147 before the May 7 deadline
which it will become law
without his signature.
■While there had been strong
indications prior to the convention
that Egan and state party chair
man Wendell Kay of Anchorage
|»ight engage in a prolonged
power struggle, the convention
clicked off with little outward
signs of strife.
The 60-plank platform was
adopted unanimously and only one
of the 28 resolutions offered by
the Resolutions Committee re
ceived the thumbs down treatment.
The resolution which failed
asked for a bi-partisan political
education program for the state’s
young people and a required two
year course in citizenship for high
school students.
The resolution was defeated
after Nick Begich of Spenard told
the convention that the state school
system had such a program in
operation at the present time.
Speaking before the convention
banquet Saturday night, former
Gov. Hersehel C. Loveless of Iowa
urged the state’s Democrats to
back President Kennedy’s federal
aid to education programs.
The convention’s important
Nominating Committee was head
ed by McNabb. Kay was chairman
of the Party Reorganization Com
mittee and Peratrovich was chair
man of the permanent Fisheries
Committee. Rep. Bob Blodgett of
Teller was chairman of the Plat
form Committee and House Speak
er Warren Taylor was chairman
of the Resolution Committee.
Kav’S mmmittoQ nmn awvwwwil
for a change in party organization
to provide, after 1963, that two
men and two women represent each
district Oh the State Central Com
mittee, when women who are able
to serve on the committee are
available for duty.
Ixov* Jbigan Will
Go All the Way
In Campaigning
By Ward Sima
NOME iff) — Gov. Wm. Egan
pledged yesterday he will cam
paign for the Democratic ticket
through the Nov. 6 general election,
regardless o f whom . the party
nominates for governor Aug. 14.
Egan, Alaska’s first elected
state governor, is a candidate for
re-election. Four other Democrats
had filed, through yesterday, for
the office.
The governor made the pledge
during a speech before the 1962
Democratic Convention which end
ed last night. Three of the other
Democratic gubernatorial candi
[ lates, John L. Rader and George
Byer of Anchorage and Warren A.
Taylor of Fairbanks, all addressed
the convention.
Egan said Alaska, under a Dem
ocratic administration, had made
tremendous strides since Statehood
and he outlined what he said he
believed were the accomplishments
of his administration in the fields
of government, natural resources,
mental health, labor, civil rights
and economic development.
(Continued on Page 6)
Find Beryllium in Alaska
SEATTLE <Jt) — The Interior De
partment said Saturday a mineral
zone containing beryllium has
been found on public domain lands
in the western Seward Peninsula
of Alaska. ^
The department said the bery
llium occurs along the walks of
dikes which intrude limestone in
Rapid River, a tributary of Lost
' Q
ajfeffSte;
Democrats Adopt
60-Plank Platform
NOME US) — Delegates to the
State Democratic Convention, which
ended last night, adopted a 60
plank platform, including a plank
placing the party in solid opposition
to any state sales tax.
Another major plank placed the
Democrats against Senate Bill 147,
a measure which would require
the popular election of top party
officers.
Gov. Wm. Egan has indicated
the bill will be permitted to become
law without his signature.
Other important planks in the
party platform included:
A recommendation that all with
drawn land for which there is no
immediate use be returned to the
public domain.
A recommendation for subsidy
on newly mined domestic gold.
A recommendation that the leg
islature appropriate funds to bring
the agricultural revolving loan
fund to its full authorization.
A plea that the U.S. State De
partment assist in the establish
ment of a fur seal processing in
dustry in Alaska.
i A pledge for support of President
Kennedy’s medical care for the
aged program.
Endorsement of federal aid for
school construction and teachers’
salaries.
_ A. recommendation that jury
trials be guaranteed in all criminal
cases, including those before magi
strate and deputy magistrate courts
sitting as city courts.
A recommendation that the free
educational system include two
years of higher learning.
A recommendation for a legis
lative-supported program of schol
arship for all qualified students.
Opposition to “right to work”
legislation.
Support for an intensive study
of a workmen’s compensation in
surance fund.
Support for enactment of a con
tractors’ licensing law.
A recommendation that the leg
islature prohibit the importation of
strikebreakers by individuals or
firms not involved in a strike.
Approval of advisory boards but
strict opposition to administrative
boards. ,
Unexpected Treat
' A tropical and unexpected treat
yesterday at the Democratic Con
vention was a box of Vanda or
chids from Honolulu. They were
supplied through the courtesy of
Pan American World Airways and
Wien Alaska Airlines.
175 VISITORS ATTEND
DEMO CONVENTION
The Democratic Convention
Committee revealed today that
they had registered 126 delegates
to the convention and estimated
there were a total of 175 out-of
town guests over the weekend.
BODY OF WOMAN
FOUND ENCASED IN ICE
FAIRBANKS UP) — The body of
a white woman has been found
about one half mile from down
town Bethel.
The body was found encased in
a block of ice by two native boys,
State Police at Bethel report.
The body, still encased in ice,
is presently lodged at the Alaska
Native Hospital where authorities
are waiting for the ice to melt so
that positive identification can be
made along with a determination
of cause of death.
The body was located about
7 pjn. Saturday.
ft
X-15 ROCKET PLANE
SOARS UP 48 MILES
EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE,
Calif. UPi — X-15 pilot joe Walker
shot a record 48 miles into space
today and came back boasting: “I
could take orbit with no strain at
all.”
Back on the ground after sur
passing the rocket plane’s designed
height maximum by almost a mile,
and the old mark by about 7 miles,
Walker told newsmen:
“The success of today’s flight
means there is no question that we
can put a winged vehicle in orbit
and land it as I did today.”
Scientists said some of their
instruments indicated the X-15 hit
about 250,000 feet, satisfying them
that the design height of 250,000
feet had been surpassed. There was
a foulup in other instruments,
however, so precise data was not
available. Walker said his cock
pit instruments indicated about
255,000.
The old X-15 record was 217,000
feet.
CUBANS GET WARNING
HAVANA W — Cubans had a
warning today against any attempt
to walk out on Prime Minister
Fidel Castro when he addresses
the big May Day rally in Jose
Marti Plaza.
The Communist newspaper Hoy
said no one would be allowed to
4-Vk*s Wl
government - sponsored demonstra
tions — “until hearing the last
words of the revolution’s leader.”
Plans went ahead for the show
after a weekend that brought the
first open anti-government outburst
in Havana in seven months and the
dismissal of another official of the
integrated revolutionary organiza
tion, Cuba’s only legal political
body.
Witnesses said about 50 demon
strators unfurled banners demand
ing the release of political prison
ers at a busy Havana comer Sat
urday night. They had mingled with
a crowd assembled for a pep rally
in connection with the May Day
celebrations.
Police, apparently tipped off,
quickly squelched the hostile out
burst and rushed some of the de
monstrators away.
SEN. BRAD PHILLIPS WON’T
RUN FOR GOVERNOR POST
JUNEAU un — State Sen. Brad
Phillips of Anchorage announced
today that he would not be a can
didate for the Republican nomi
nation for governor, and threw his
support behind State Sen. Howard
Pollock, also of Anchorage.
“I would like to thank the many
people who urged me to run for
governor,” Phillips said. “I can
not fully express my deep grati
tude for their confidence in my
ability to hold the important po
sition of Governor of Alaska.
“This confidence has made it
dobly hard for me to reach my
decision to remain in the Senate.”
Phillips said that he hoped his
supporters would “carefully con
sider” Pollock’s qualifications for
the governorship and look upon
him “as the one man who can lead
the Republican party to victory in
1962”
He added that he had found
Pollock to be an outstanding leader
during their joint service in the
Senate for the past two years.
Pollock is one of a field of four
avowed candidates for the GOP
gubernatorial nomination. The
others are Verne O. Martin and
Dr. Milo Fritz, both of Anchorage,
and Mike Stepovich of Fairbanks.
State Chamber Will
Try to Accelerate
Rampart Project
WRANGELL U> — The Alaska
State Chamber of Commerce has
named a top-level committee to
accelerate the start of construction
on Rampart Dam on the Yukon
River.
Chamber President Robert Baker
will head the group, with former
Gov. B. Frank Heintzleman serving
as co-chairman.
The committee will send repre
sentatives to Washington to con
fer with Secretary of the Interior
Stewart Udall, and with the State
Department. At the nation’s capi
tal the committee will try to learn
what fish and wildlife problems
and what Canadian-United States
problems may impede an early
start on the dam’s construction.
Heintzleman pointed out that
about 70 per cent of the water flow
at the Rampart site originates in
Canada, and that country’s in
terests must be considered. Migra
tory water fowl and wildlife will
be affected by the dam’s reservoir.
Chamber President Baker said,
“low cost power from the world’s
largest hydro-electric installation,
at Rampart, will be a major factor
in providing thousands of new em
ployment opportunities and bring
ing new residents in tens of thou
sands to the 49xrr State. The State
Chamber of Commerce is going
to actively explore all possible
means of accelerating the
when power priced in mills rather
than cents starts to flow over
Alaska’s electric distribution lines."
The Chamber denounced the
issue and circulation of souvenir
trade coins bring the word “Alas
ka” which have not been approved
by the state government.
Meeting here Saturday, directors
of the Chamber said trade coins
inscribed “Alaska” are creating
confusion in Seattle, where sou
venir “trade dollars” are being cir
culated in conjunction with the
World’s Fair.
j.xie worms r air traae aouars
are acceptable in place of regular
U.S. currency by retailers through
out Washington, but the Alaska
coins are not' being accepted by
most Seattle merchants.
“If the current confusion in Seat
tle is not resolved by voluntary
withdrawal of the Alaska souvenir
coins in the near future, our State
Chamber organization intends to
urge the state administration to
take steps to protect the good name
of America’s largest state,” Robert
Baker, president of the Chamber,
said.
The Chamber did not say who
is issuing the Alaska coins.
LIONS’ BREAKFAST
PRONOUNCED A SUCCESS
The Lions’ Pancake Breakfast at
the Polaris Lounge Sunday morn
ing was pronounced an unqualified
success by all who participated.
The committee in charge said that
well over a hundred breakfasts
were served to conventioneers and
townspeople.
Proceeds from the breakfast will
be used in the Lions’ sight conser
vation program — more specific
ally the Nome Public Health
Nurse’s Glasses for Kids fund.
The Lions thank the N.C. Store
and the Merc for their contribu
tions of foodstuffs, May Bale of
the Polaris for the use of her
kitchen and lounge and the
“waitresses” Diane Wilke, Gladys
Cannon, Doris Wilke and Dade
House.
T^v'' . :-v;: • '