7A1XST,,
ALASKA
Elsie
Laffers, Acting Editor
Published every week at Palner, Alaska for the Matanuska Valley Farfter's Cooperating
Association for the purpose of giving news of the. Associations work, problems and /
accomplishments, as well as news of general interest to the Valley.
SUBSCRIPTION RATH:. a>1.75 per year
1Q£ a cony
ADVERTISING AND PUBLICITY CREATES PROBLE'S
e read many bulletins, pamphlets, magazines, and newspapers painting the wonders and
glories of Alaska, also much is said and written of the golden opportunities offered
those who come to this ’'Promised Land”. Most of us agree with what has been said
of the beauties and wonders of Alaska, and it has enabled many people to get a now
lease on life. However as more people are moving into the Territory, it brings up
ne-.- problems, some of which will not give new corners a very rosy picture of Alaska.
Two ofthe major problems, of course, will be employment tod housing. Mr. A. A.
Hedges, Director of Alaska Territorial Employment Service, says that this great Ter
ritory has a rendezvous with destiny but t‘hat its pathway is'fraught with great hard
ships and many heartaches unless it is guided very carefully. Speaking for the Ter
ritorial Employment Service, he says that they do not feel that the successful dev
elopment of the Territory will bo best served at this tine by encouraging countless '
numbers of job seekers to flock into the Tettitory. He lists five reasons for this.
1* l^1-e bulk of employment in Alaska at present is strictly seasonal* The season
varies from as small a period as twenty-five days for some fishing operations to from
sio: to eight months for other fishing enterprises and most reining activities. 3one
logging and lumber activities operate for longer than eight months, but these are
very small orerat ions. According to the records of the Unemployment Condensation
Commission of Alaska, there mere 24,607 covered employees in*the Territory in August
1946.
This does not include any of the fishermen and other marine mo risers which
would number over 10,000. Yet in January 'of the same year, there wore only 8,311 cov
ered employees and practically no marine workers at least less than 300. In other
words, there are aver 25,000 employees during the peak month of the season in Alaska
who have no employment during the winter months.
2. As yet there are very few established industries in the Territory, ’"hat Alaska
really needs is more capital to establish more industries, especially year around
industries.
3. Those few industries which are already established in the Territory are rather
snail operations in comparison with industries in the continental United States.
4. "'ages In many instances are no higher, or even lower, than for similar occupations
in the continental United States. "c have personally checked a number of wa~e rates
in similar categories a no. found this to be true. 1 e have listened to many workers w
who have come up here from the continental United States to reap the harvest of huge
Brrc rates in Alaska and vno have found that they left higher raying jobs in the
States than they could ever hone to get in Alaska.
ousing is not available as a rule and usually when it is available it is not'
suitable. In recent press reports, Alaska Housing Authority Director TTendell Ka~, Jr,
states that a high percentage of the housing in Alaska is substandard. He points
OU'. that such a condition leads to crime, disease, and juvenile delinquency.
The Ketchikan Central Labor Council (American Federation of Labor) is sending to
all central labor councils and building trades councils of the "’estern States letters
fcp discourage the unemployed from coming ITorth unless they have jobs and have been
assured living quarters. Said the Council, ’’There seems to be a lot'of advertising
and puolicity on numerous jobs in Alaska. This is more than serious, since there
aic no jobs available'.'
*ka|esfC5j<>!ijlok : ^ a- *•.
REFUNDS TO IllCCHPORATZD T0*7!TS TO BE IIADE ATTSR SET73SER 30
..ofunds oo Incorporated towns for the 1946-47 school year will not be made at least
until after September 30 due to-lack of money in the Territorial Treasuryfs Genoral
Tb’n, it v;as announced this week bv the Board of Administration following a meeting
(continued on page 14)''