Ernest Gruening
Gruening in 1935
United States Senator fromAlaska
In office January 3, 1959 – January 3, 1969
Preceded by	Himself (Shadow Senator)
Succeeded by	Mike Gravel
United States Shadow Senator from theAlaska Territory
In office October 6, 1956 – January 3, 1959
Preceded by	Seat established
Succeeded by	Himself (U.S. Senator)
7thGovernor of Alaska Territory
In office December 6, 1939 – April 10, 1953
Lieutenant	Bob Bartlett
Preceded by	John Troy
Succeeded by	Frank Heintzleman
Personal details
Born	Ernest Henry Gruening (1887-02-06)February 6, 1887 New York City,New York, U.S.
Died	June 26, 1974(1974-06-26) (aged 87) Washington, D.C., U.S.
Party	Democratic
Spouse	Dorothy Smith
Relations	Clark Gruening (grandson)
Children	3
Education	Harvard University (BS,MD)
Military service
Branch/service	United States Army
Years of service	1917–1918
Unit	Field Artillery Corps
Battles/wars	World War I

Ernest Henry Gruening (/ˈɡriːnɪŋ/GREEN-ing; February 6, 1887 – June 26, 1974) was an American journalist and politician. A member of theDemocratic Party, Gruening was thegovernor of theAlaska Territory from 1939 until 1953, and aUnited States senator fromAlaska from 1959 until 1969.

Born in New York City, Gruening pursued a career in journalism after graduating fromHarvard Medical School. After working for various newspapers in New York andBoston, he served in various roles during the administration of PresidentFranklin D. Roosevelt. He was appointed as Governor of Alaska in 1939 and became a prominent advocate of Alaska statehood; known as "the Father of Alaska statehood".^[1]

Gruening became one of Alaska's inaugural pair of senators, along withBob Bartlett, after Alaska gained statehood in 1959. Gruening was a prominent opponent of theVietnam War, and with Oregon'sWayne Morse, was one of just two senators to vote against theGulf of Tonkin Resolution which allowed the bombing of North Vietnam. In 1968,Mike Gravel defeated Gruening in the Democratic Senate primary, and Gruening's attempt to win re-election as anindependent was unsuccessful.

Gruening was born in New York City to aJewish family,^[2] the son of Phebe (Fridenberg) and Emil Gruening, aGerman-born eye and ear surgeon,^[3] who had fought in theAmerican Civil War, and was present when Confederate GeneralRobert E. Lee signed the surrender which ended the war.^[4] Gruening attendedThe Hotchkiss School, and he graduated fromHarvard University in 1907 and fromHarvard Medical School in 1912 at the age of 25. He then forsook medicine to pursue journalism, finding it more exciting. Initially a reporter for theBoston American in 1912, he went on to become copy desk editor and rewrite man for theBoston Evening Herald and, from 1912 to 1913, an editorial writer. He also worked for theBoston Herald and theBoston Journal at various points. For four years, Gruening was, consecutively, managing editor of theBoston Evening Traveller and theNew York Tribune. After serving inWorld War I, Gruening became the editor ofThe Nation from 1920 to 1923 and the editor of theNew York Post for four months in 1934. During his time in New York, he also worked for the Spanish-language publicationLa Prensa.

Intrigued withNew Deal politics, he switched careers. Gruening was appointed to the U.S. delegation to the 7thInter-American Conference in 1933, Director of theDivision of Territories and Island Possessions of theDepartment of the Interior, 1934–1939, and Administrator of thePuerto Rico Reconstruction Administration, 1935–1937. He was a member of theAlaska International Highway Commission from 1938 to 1942. In 1939, Gruening was appointed Governor of the Territory of Alaska, and served in that position for 13 1/2 years. He was a delegate to theDemocratic National Conventions of1952,1956, and1960, and was elected to theUnited States Senate in1958, serving for 10 years.

One of Gruening's areas of expertise wasMexico. In 1928, he published the most comprehensive book on the country, which is still recommended by theU.S. State Department and Mexican officials today. For this work, the best written by a non-Mexican on Mexico, he received theOrder of the Aztec Eagle from the Mexican government.^[5]

Despite having been born outside of Alaska, he was a fervent supporter of the territory's statehood, serving as one of its first senators after statehood. He gave the keynote speech in 1955 at the Alaskan Constitutional Convention entitled "Let Us End AmericanColonialism!" in which he outlined the ways in which the United States mirrored the actions of theBritish Empire in North America before theRevolutionary War in relation to the territory of Alaska. Gruening argued Alaska was a colony of the U.S., but had been promised statehood from its purchase.^[6] With his assistance and support, Alaska entered the Union four years later, in 1959.

Ernest Gruening served as the 7th governor of the Alaskan territory from 1939 to 1953. During his term, he continued to write letters to the editor atThe New Republic. One such letter^[7] examined that publication's recent discussion of state legislation affectingveterans. Gruening's letter included information on the steps taken by his territorial government benefiting veterans in the state. His plan, theTerritorial Veterans' Act, provided for loans up to $10,000 for veterans at a four percentinterest rate, half the established rate in Alaska of eight percent.

A significant issue during Gruening's tenure as territorial governor, particularly in 1946, was atuberculosis rate so high it caused him to declare astate of emergency. The territory had as many as 4000 patients and only 289 hospital beds. Alaska spent one-tenth of its annual budget increasing awareness about TB, yet the death rate was still eight times the United States average.^[8]

Another concern during Gruening's time as governor was the possible effect onwildlife caused by large numbers of soldiers arriving prior to the United States entry intoWorld War II, and which would only increase during the conflict. While he fully supported military presence and activities, after so many soldiers had been in the state long enough to gain resident hunting licenses (significantly cheaper than nonresident licenses) Gruening worried wildlife populations would suffer. Because of this, he began to focus on instituting new regulations to protect Alaska's animals and environment from theover-harvesting that he saw as inevitable.^[5]

In the spring of 1940,Nazi Germany underAdolf Hitler invaded Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium, and France. Meanwhile, in September of that year, the Japaneseinvaded and conquered French Indochina. There had been growing concern in Alaska over the lack of military defense, as it was vulnerable toAxis invasion. Gruening had been pushing for defense facilities in Alaska since his appointment to the governorship, and because of recent actions from Germany and Japan,Congress designated funds to build army forts and airfields in the territory.^[5] By 1941, there were 3,000U.S. Armed Forces soldiers stationed around Alaska.^[5] With theattack on Pearl Harbor, Gruening prepared for Alaska to be next. Plans were made forblackouts and civilian defense forces, whose first assignment was "around-the-clock protection for radio stations, telephone exchanges, oil tanks, public utilities, and docks, and to be vigilant against possiblesabotage."^[5] The armed forces expanded their operations in Alaska, slowly moving toward theAleutian Chain, the most accessible route from Asia. The Japanese did reach Alaska in June 1942,bombingDutch Harbor andlanding on the islands ofAttu andKiska, the only continental U.S. locations captured in World War II.^[5]

In connection with World War II but preceding U.S. involvement, Interior SecretaryHarold L. Ickes developed a plan to resettle refugees fleeing theEuropean continent in sparsely populated Alaska. Many of Alaska's infrastructure difficulties were caused by low population, both in overall numbers and density. An influx of immigrants would help solve some of the problems, but Gruening, Alaskans, and 64.7% of Americans, as aFortune survey in 1938 showed, opposed accepting more immigrants and moving them to Alaska. While that suggestion was gaining force in 1938, before Gruening became the territorial governor, it continued throughout World War II.^[5]

Gruening was instrumental in passing America's firstanti-discrimination law, theAlaska Equal Rights Act of 1945.^[9][10]

Gruening served Alaska in theUnited States Senate from January 3, 1959 (the day that Alaska became the 49th state to join the Union) to January 3, 1969 (the tenth anniversary of statehood), defeating Territorial GovernorMike Stepovich for the seat in 1958. He then defeated future U.S. SenatorTed Stevens in 1962, winning re-election to a full term. He was defeated for re-election in 1968 by fellow DemocratMike Gravel. When Gravel won the Democraticprimary, Gruening ran in the general election as anindependent, taking third place, behind Gravel and formerAnchorage mayor RepublicanElmer E. Rasmuson. He continued his active political involvement as president of aninvestment firm and as a legislative consultant. He died on June 26, 1974.

After the 1964 Alaska earthquake, Gruening was part of the efforts to rebuild Anchorage, along with RepresentativeRalph Rivers, GovernorBill Egan and SenatorBob Bartlett.

Gruening's most notable act as an officeholder was being one of only two senators, along withWayne Morse ofOregon, to vote against theGulf of Tonkin Resolution which passed on August 7, 1964. It authorized an expansion of U.S. involvement in theVietnam War. He was also responsible for introducing a set of congressional resolutions to establish the nationwide911 number.

In 2006, Norman Jacques, a formerstate senator fromRhode Island, called theAnchorage Daily News saying he was putting the chair used by Gruening on the U.S. Senate floor up for auction.^[11] When Gruening left, he was given the option to buy his seat, and he did. It sat in his dining room, unused as it was so uncomfortable. The friendship that developed between Gruening and Jacques from the time Jacques was protesting against the Vietnam War draft^[12] made him present at the sale of some of Gruening's property after his death and acquire the chair. At the time of the call, Jacques was moving and felt hisWinnebago was "no place for a chair of such stature" and that it should be returned to Alaska.

In the May 5, 1969 issue ofThe Nation, Ernest Gruening wrote: "It is, and for some time has been, obvious that the most important issue facing our nation is to get out of the war inSoutheast Asia. All our other issues and problems are slighted, impaired and unresolved until we halt the fighting, stop the... continuing drain of blood and treasure, and turn to the long-neglected and pressing needs at home."^[13]

Gruening's negative opinion on theVietnam War is clearly summarized here; he was a vocal opponent of the war throughout U.S. presence in Southeast Asia at the time. In the article, Gruening notes that his 30-page speech, including exhibits, on March 10, 1964, was the first piece of opposition out ofCongress regarding the Vietnam War. He was against the bloodshed, against the expense, against the number of refugees resulting from combat, and against how it had changed the worldview on the morality of the United States. He focused on combatting the mindset that since the U.S. was involved in Vietnam, it might as well stay. Gruening suggested that the U.S. entrance into the Southeast Asian theatre was misguided and called for an apology.

In an article about his debate withAssistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern AffairsWilliam P. Bundy regarding Vietnam, Gruening continued the fight against U.S. involvement in the region and its consequences by stating, "After you have been bombing villagers withnapalm, it's going to be very difficult to persuade people that you are their friend."^[14]

However, Isaac Camacho, who became the first American to escape from a Viet Cong POW camp, said that whilst he was a prisoner, Gruening's anti-war rhetoric was used by his VC interrogators as propaganda. Camacho said that he found this "very demoralizing."^[15]

While Gruening was not an Alaska resident when he was appointed governor, he lived in Alaska after leaving office. Remaining inJuneau, he spent most of his later years living with his wife,Dorothy,in a cabin atMile 26 of theGlacier Highway. The cabin is currently listed on theNational Register of Historic Places.

Though only one of his three sons reached adulthood, Gruening's descendants have managed to establish roots in Alaska after him, mostly in Juneau. In 1980, Gruening's grandson,Clark Gruening (who grew up in Juneau but moved toAnchorage following college, serving from there for two terms in theAlaska House of Representatives),defeated incumbent Gravel for the Democratic nomination in the U.S. Senate primary.

Another grandson, Winthrop H. "Win" Gruening, was the longtime head of The Alaska Committee, organized in Juneau in 1995 to lobby for keepingJuneau as Alaska's capital.^[16] Win Gruening also had a long career in banking in Juneau, originally with B. M. Behrends Bank, which called itself the oldest bank in Alaska prior to being absorbed byKeyBank, and with KeyBank following the acquisition. His daughter, Caroline Gruening, enjoyed success in basketball, playing guard forJuneau-Douglas High School andSanta Clara University.

The Ernest Gruening Building, a classroom building on theUniversity of Alaska Fairbanks campus, is named in his honor. The structure is eight stories tall and 72,000 square feet, making it the first on the college campus to be over three stories. In 1977, Alaska donated astatue of Ernest Gruening to theUnited States Capitol'sNational Statuary Hall Collection. Ernest Gruening Middle School in theEagle River community ofAnchorage, Alaska is named in his honor. Numerous roads and streets in Alaska are named for him as well. As per his wishes, his cremated ashes were scattered onMount Ernest Gruening near his Alaska home.^[17][18]

• This article incorporates material from theNational Statuary Hall website.

• Gruening, Ernest (1973).Many Battles: The Autobiography of Ernest Gruening. Liveright.ISBN 0-87140-565-2.
• Johnson, Robert David (1998).Ernest Gruening and the American Dissenting Tradition. Harvard University Press.ISBN 978-0-674-26060-3.
• Johnson, Robert David (1997). "Anti-Imperialism And The Good Neighbour Policy: Ernest Gruening and Puerto Rican Affairs, 1934–1939".Journal of Latin American Studies.29 (1):89–110.doi:10.1017/S0022216X96004634.S2CID 144948868. (Argues Gruening tried to implement the anti-imperialist principles he had outlined in the 1920s. He failed because he lacked local support.)
• Naske, Claus-M (2004).Ernest Gruening: Alaska's Greatest Governor. University of Alaska Press.ISBN 1-889963-35-6.

Media related toErnest Gruening at Wikimedia Commons

• United States Congress."Ernest Gruening (id: G000508)".Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.

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