Library 8c Museum
Juneau, Alaska
VOL. 21, NO. 58_"_KODIAK, ALASKA, MARCH 10, 1961_PRICE TEN CENTS
Big Threat To King Crab Industry Looms
Lifting Of Ban
On Russian Imports
Is New Proposal
The United States is expected to
lift a ten-year-old ban on imports
of crabmeat from the Soviet Union,
according to a story appearing in
today’s issue of the New York
Times.
The Kodiak Mirror received a tel
egram to this effect from Sen.
Earnest Gruening (D-Alaska), who
stated that he has sent a copy of
the telegram to Secretary of State
Dean Rusk and Secretary of Com
merce Luther H. Hodges. Gruening
states he will vigorously oppose
lifting of the ban.
Gruening in his telegram to the
Federal government officials stated
that the king crab industry is the
only bright spot in the Alaskan
fishery. He cites the “grave unem
ployment situation” which is due
to the depletion of fish in Alaskan
waters.” He stated that if the king
crab industry is to face the com
petition of imported Russian crab
which is produced by “cheap if not
slave labor,” the effects in Alaska
will be disastrous.
Following is the text of Sen.
Gruening’s telegram to the State
Officials:
“The New York Times this morn
ing carries a story that the United
States is expected to lift a ten-year
ban on imports of crabmeat from
the Soviet Union.
“If this is correct I desire to pro
test most emphatically and request
an opportunity for Alaska to pre
sent its case in opposition before
any such action is taken. Alaska
king crab is the outstanding and
only example of a new develop
ment in the Alaska fisheries which
otherwise have been sadly de
pleted, largely due to Federal mis
management while Alaska was a
territory, and now requires gigan
tic and costly efforts to rebuild.
This fishery depletion has created
a grave unemployment situation
all along Alaska’s coast where the
population’s livelihood has been
and is wholely dependent on the
fisheries.
“The development of Alaska
king crab is the one happy excep
tion and if it is now to face the
competition of imported Russian
crab produced by cheap, if not
slave labor, the effects in Alaska
will be disastrous.
"It is bad enough that the Rus
sians have been fishing extensively
in the Bering Sea and have given,
indications of extending their fish-'
ing industry further along the
Alaskan coast.
“I repeat my request that no
lifting of the ban on Russian crab
be taken.”
FLETCHERS RETURN
Mr. and Mrs. John Fletcher and
family returned this week from a
trip to the South 48, where they
combined business and a vacation
on the West Coast.
His son and daughter-in-law,
Skip and Marie and son, returned
to Seward Tuesday.
Drive For Funds
Launched By SA
The Salvation Army’s annual ap
peal for funds gets under way in
Kodiak with the arrival of Lt. L.
Holmes, who is here from the An
chorage Army headquarters to di
rect the campaign.
Chairman of tlhe drive is Emil
Knudsen, last year’s chairman.
Other members of the Kodiak spon
soring committee are Morris Burn
ham, treasurer, Roland Vickery,
Welfare secretary, DeWiitt Fields,
Bill Poland and Douglas Preston.
A letter announcing the cam
paign has gone out to all residents
of the area. The committee will
make some of the business con
tacts, and Lt. Holmes will make
home calls. Funds will be placed
in the Kodiak bank to be used for
emergencies as they arise.
No Control Over Pi
With New Bill-Att.
JUNEAU (/P) — The Attorney
General’s office warned that a bill
introduced in the House would
make it impossible to control pin
ball machines and to prohibit ille
gal payoff, the Associated Press
learned.
At present, pinball machines are
permitted if (1) State dnd Federal
gambling taxes are paid and (2)
they don’t provide cash or merch
andise prizes. The opinion dealt
with HB188, which was introduced
by House Speaker Warren A. Tay
lor.
Taylor said Moody is “Way off
base and talking without knowl
edge of the bill and what it seeks
to achieve. He wanted only to
achieve this: If a person paid both
Federal and State taxes, then the
State sihould not be permitted to
WIFE EXEMPT FROM
HAVING FISHING LICENSE
, JUNEAU (iT*)—'The House passed
and sent to the governor a bill ex
empting wives of commercial fish
ermen from the Fish and Game
code.
The wife would not be required
to have a license while fishing with
her husband unless she receives
“separate and distinct” income as
a result of her participation.
Resolution Seeks To Limit Activities
Of Police And Fire Department To City
Members of the Chamber of
Commerce obtained support of two
resolutions in which they sought
City Council action in limiting ac
tivities of the City Police Depart
ment to the confines of the City
limits, and the Fire Department
not to go on any calls outside the
City limit unless arrangements are
made by the residents there for the
latter service.
Main arguments of Chuck Powell
and Chuck Weir sponsors of the
resolutions .were that the insur
ance on property in the City is
jepordized when fire-fighting
equipment goes to the outlying
areas. It was stated that all pieces
of equipment have gone on calls,
leaving nothing in 'the City should
another fire start. Their main ar
gument was that no portion of the
cost of the Fire Department is
borne by those residing ouftside the
limits of the City.
Aid will be furnished these
areas, it was stated in the resolu
tion, when the residents organize
and an agreement is reached
whereby they pay a fee to cover
their fair share financial support
of the Department.
As to the Police Department, the
resolution reads: “Therefore be it
resolved that the Chamber of Com
merce urge the City Council to di
rect it’s Police Department to limit
it’s activities and actions solely
within the City of Kodiak.”
nball Machines
Gen. Moody
come in and seize machines it has
just licensed. Nothing is mentioned
about gambling in the bill whatso
ever.”
A member of the House Judici
ary Committee studying the bill
said privately: “It would appear
the bill would prevent seizure of
pinball machines by State officers
even though the machines are in
volved in illegal over-the-counter
payoffs.”
Along The
Waterfront
The big news along the water
front is not good this week. Pro
duction is running along as good
as can be expected with the blow
on the south end of the island halt
ing fishing for a few days.
But the bad news, of course, is
the information contained in the
telegram from Sen. Gruening re
garding the possibility of lifting
the ban on imports of king crab
from Russia.
Comments from officials at the
local canneries were very much to
the point. Bob Springhill, superin
tendent at King Crab. Inc. said that
we might just as well give them
our plant here. He said it would
be hard to compete with a country
that produces the same product
under labor conditions so different
than ours.
Emil Norton of Alaska King
Crab said it would be a blow to the
industry, and Del Valentine of
Alaska Packers didn’t mince any
words when he commented on it.
There will no doubt be a flood
of telegrams and letters to the pro
per officials protesting such a
move. This is the only way such
an action can be stopped. Sen.
Gruening will undoubted carry the
fight as far as one man can do it.
This is something that can affect
the economy of Kodiak to a great
degree.
&
All canneries are processing
some crab. Alaska King Crab
slacked off the earlier part of the
week, but revived somewhat later
(Continued on page 4)
Little Support
For Ferry Bill
Says Legislator
The Kodiak-Anchorage ferry bill
is getting little support from mem
bers of the State House of Repre
sentives according to a wire re
ceived from Rep. Gil Jarvela by
Chamber of Commerce President,
Dr. Bob Johnson.
Dr. Johnson read the wire at the
meeting of the Chamber Thursday
noon at the Island Fountain. He
urged all members to contact as
many of the representatives as
they can, preferably by wire, seek
ing their support of the bill.
A letter written by the president
of the Chamber, which had been
forwarded to Sen. Owen, and rep
resentatives Pete Deveau and Gil
Jarvela and others in which he out
lined the Chambers reason for sup
porting the ferry measure was
read. He said in the letter that get
ting ferry service to this area will
aid its industrial and tourist
growth, and together with the
Southeastern ferry, will aid all of
Alaska.
Bill Extends ESD
Benefits 2 Weeks
The Senate voted Thursday for
the third time in less than a week
on a measure which extends the
maximum unemployment security
benefit period from 26 to 28 weeks.
Using the intricacies of parlia
mentary procedure with obvious
guidance from the chief executive,
the Senate rescinded Wednesday’s
action and passed the bill 12 to 8.
The bill originally passed a week
ago by a 13-7 count, then was de
feated by 10-10 tie vote Tuesday
on Sen. Howard Pollock’s (R
Anchor.) motion to reconsider.
After the bill’s defeat Tuesday,
Senators Paratrovich, McNealy,
Logan and Metcalf were called to
the governor’s office for long con
ferences.
Metcalf moved to rescind action
Thursday and measure passed on
swing votes of Metcalf and Mc
Nealy. Peratrovich and Logan
again voted against the bill.
In an afternoon of fast action,
the Senate also; passed a bill re
quiring that genuine and authentic
native arts and crafts be labelled
as such. The bill of the Senate Re
sources Committee was a substitute
for a House bill, authored by Rep.
Blodgett. ; <
The measure is designed to pro
tect native crafts -'against compe
tion from mass-pro’duced imita
tions.
i
Chamber Favors Teacher’s Pay Nike
Fisheries Bills Reviewed-No Action
$ •
Support of a Legislative bill pro
viding for pay hikes for teachers
won out following opposition at the
Chamber of Commerce meeting
Thursday noon at the Island Foun
tain.
The bill, HB116, provides for a
pay hike for teachers all down the
line. Increases are based on teach
ers qualifications, whether having
a Batchelor’s or Master’s degree,
and whether having public school
experience in Alaska. Proposed
salaries range from $6,000 the first
year to $8,400 the eighth year for
teacher’s with B. A. degrees and
$6,500 to $10,500 after 12 years of
teaching for those with M. A. de
grees.
Opposition stemmed from Frank
Iriek who said he didn’t think it
was any of the Kodiak Chambers
business, as the measure does not
affect salaries of the teachers in
this District. Chuck Weir also op
posed the Chamber supporting the
bill because he did not think it
should unless it can suggest a
means of paying for it. The State
is so heavily in debt at present, he
said, that it will only mean in
creased taxes.
John Trent spoke in favor of the
increase, and suggested a hike in
sales tax to pay for teacher’s sal
aries. Reeves Reed stated he fav
ors assisting teachers anywhere in
the State, as he did not favor iso
lation.
The Legislative Committee
would not endorse the measure, it
was stated by Jack Hinckel, chair
man of the committee, but he said
he thought the' Chamber should
support it. George Cornelius stated
the American Legion favored the
raise, or anything to raise the cal
ibre of teachers in Alaska. Cham
ber support was given by a vote of
13-2.
In other business the Chamber
group heard a report on proposed
legislation now in committees of
the Legislature on fisheries. Rpy
Rickey reviewed various bills,
among them HB90, which provides
for no license requirements fjor
indigents and those earning $1,200
or less, for hunting, fishing and
trapping provided the fish and
game is not for resale; HB143,
which imposes a catch limit if the
yearly run is 70% or less of the
average; SB 127, which closes a dis
trict to non-resident fishermen Jin
the event of a poor run. The latter
two bills have “alarmed fisher
men,” Rickey stated.
Other bills touched on by Rickiey
are SB9, which provides for oije
quarter Alaska Natives to be ex
empt from paying license for fish
ing or hunting when their gross an
nual earnings do not exceed $800
and if fish or game is not for fe
sale; and HB110 which increases
the Fisheries Board from 8 to 10
members. No action was taken on
the bills, but they were referred to
the Fisheries committee. Several
of the members of the latter com
mittee were said to be out of town.
In commenting on the bills Bob
Simon, ADF & G official, said: “We
would rather handle the fish, not
the fisherman.”