FAIRBANKS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE writes to KHJG-BARTLETT-GRUENING-ARNOLD
Gentlemen: . k . \
-Tho .unsatisfactory condition^fitcamship servico between Seattle ah(l Alaska
since the close of the. War, and the present prolongc!"labor-management' disputes have
brought'Alaskans up against, a’most alarming situation, t j > '•
We face tho ?,r.ug wintor with a. very serious . of food and a complete
leek of despcrctcZy nbeded essential items. Lack of j.°t. the ordinary every day re-,
quirements of living is slowly bringing many gainful ocov.piv.ions to a standstill.
I cannot over-state the scriousnoss of tho 'Situation that'exists in Alaska,
In our own‘community alone scorps of families are living in shacks, woodsheds, old
log cabins, simply because thcre'is’ no building material available to complete homes
they have started or have wanted to build. As our winters are seven months long and
temperatures sometimes drop to 50 and 60 below, you can readily appreciate our concern.
At the present time the need for housing of any kind is so acuto that prefab
houses are being flown to Alaska from points in tho States, Wo'arc flying in food by
tho plane load every day. Wo are flying in foed for dairy cows, but our pockotbooks
cannot stand this very long,
Tho logical question is, "Is there ci solution for thi3 situation?" without
getting involved in tho merits and demerits of tho labor-management disputes on
Seattle*s waterfront, we submit that there is a Solution. The Ai^lea Highway now
stands as an artery of -communication and commerce from which communication and com
merce are barred. The American taxpayer has invested about $155,000,000 in the Alaska
Highway and v/e arc barred from using it.
As. late as four days ago a. Fairbanks merchant received a wire, from tho
Canadian authorities stating, "Trucking commercial merchandise ’in'bond* through
Canada to Alaska not permitted under Canadian Customs Regulations."
This official statement, it seems to us, is at complete variance with the
agreement between the United States and Canada signed March 17 and'18, 1942, by the
Honorable"U. L. Mackenzie King and the Honorable Pierrcpont Moffat, American Minister
to Canada. ... "< •
I'rofer to letter No. 626 of tho Legation of the United States, Numeral 3,
paragraph D, which states: "■... .that at the conclusion of tho war that part of tho
highway" v.'hich lies in Cdnada shall become in all respects an integral part of the
Canadian highway system, subject to tho understanding that there shall at no time bb
imposed any discriminatory conditions in rcietion to tho use of the road as between
Canadian and United'Statos Civilian traffic," ' /'-.
Numeral 3, paragraph B states, "...to waivo-import duties, transit or simi
lar charges on shipments originating in tho United States and to be transported oyer
the highway to Alaska, or originating in Ap-ska end to be transported over the high
way to the United States," Cont,,:on page 13 • .
LUM
GO/A/-'
ABNER.
TOWN