GQffltetiny flu oitun of erfluokuo (Moot ;Mutw'ie <4Aland
Published every Saturday at Kodiak, Alaska
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THE ISLAND PUBLISHING COMPANY
Box 1307, Kodiak, Alaska
Sig J. Digree, Editor and Publisher
Betha Digree, Executive Secretary
Staff Photographer.George C. Ameigh, Jr.
MEMBER OF ASSOCIATED PRESS
The Associated Press is exclusively entitled to the use or republica
tion of all news dispatches credited to it or not otherwise credited
in this paper and also the local news published herein.
How High Can Wages Go?
According to some of the current
theories, there would seem to be
practically no limit to how high
wages can go. When wages go up
so fast that they leave productivity
far behind, all business has to do
is add the increases to prices—say
those who accept inflation as in
evitable if not desirable. The idea
is that the big unions are so power
ful that inflationary wage demands
cannot be resisted.
Then, so that there will be
enough money to go around, at the
new high levels of wages and
prices, the government would fur
ther inflate the money supply. All
this seems simple enough, but
there are a few serious flaws in it.
First, wage increases don’t help
much when prices have to go up
along with wages—which are the
biggest part of the price of almost
everything. Second, the value of
insurance policies, pension funds
and savings keeps going down as
dollars get cheaper and cheaper.
Third—and most important—a
lot of people can’t or won’t pay
the higher prices. They won’t buy,
or they’ll buy the lower-priced
foreign goods arriving here in an
increasing flow. A time then comes
for many an employee when last
week’s high wage is just a memory.
For his company has been priced
out of the market and he has been
priced out of a job.
—from I. P. S.
Mirrored Reflections.
By Sig Digree
A lot of you will be asking your
selves as 1 did when reading the
report of gains in personal income
in Alaska, as found elsewhere in
this issue, “Where was I — how
come more of this didn’t rub off
on me?”
According to the report, Alas
ka’s personal income was three
fourths again as high as in 1950,
and the per capita income one
fifth higher than the national
average.
This editor got the impression
as he read the report, that he has
kept his nose too long between the
sheets of a newspaper, rather than
seeking out ways of making money.
But reading further into the re
port, geographic distribution of
income had to do with this editor
being on the short end of the
stick — income-wise. There is a
marked uneven distribution of in
dividuals and income in the State.
More than three-fourths of total
income, and more than two-thirds
of the population, are concentrated
in Central Alaska where average
incomes are highest — one-third
above those in the country as a
whole.
The southeastern “Panhandle”
has just over one-eighth of the in
come and nearly one-sixth of the
population.
The sparsely inhabited West re
ceives less than one-tenth of all
income: has one-sixth of the popu
lation; and is characterized by per
capita incomes one-fourth below
the national average. The West, ac
cording to the report, is the least
developed and least accessible
part of Alaska. Its economic struc
ture reflects the considerable im
portance of the military and the
presence of a large native econ
omy based mainly on fishing, hunt
ing. and trapping, with seasonal
employment in fish canneries.
* • ♦
We couldn’t help but reflect
that it is apparent that “them that
have much, want more.” This is
brought out in the move to bring
the capital in the vicinity of An
chorage. Central Alaska now has
three-fourths of the State’s income,
but wants to swallow up most of
Southeastern’s one-eighth.
When voting on Initiative peti
tion No. 1, whether for or against
moving the capital, it might be
well to think about your future
income and future taxes, and that
of future generations. A conserva
tive estimate of the cost of moving
the capital from Juneau is $50,000,
000, but more than likely a .great
deal more.
Personally, we would rather
hang on to what we have, and con
centrate on boosting the economy
of the State, so that individual in
comes can still continue to rise.
Maybe some of it may rub off on
this editor yet.
* * *
The world’s oldest scientific so
ciety celebrated its tercentenary
in London July 18-26.
The Royal Society, or to use its
full title, “The Royal Society *f
London for the Promotion of Natu
ral Knowledge,” is made up of the
world’s top scientists. Its purpose
when it was founded 300 years
ago was “to improve the knowl
edge of natural things, and all use
ful Arts, Manufactures, Mechanick
Practices, Engines and Inventions
by experiment — (not meddling
with Divinity, Metaphysics, Mor
alls. Politicks, Grammar, Rhetoric
or Logiek).”
When the Society was founded,
the members were acclaimed, then
denounced by the church, then
held in derision — and even His
Majesty was reported by Pepys to
have “mightily laughed” on hear
ing that the Fellows were doing
their utmost to determine the
weight of air.
The Society’s membership has
borne such illustrious names as
Francis Bacon, Isaac Newton. Ben
jamin Franklin, Captain James
Cook, Sir James Huxley, Bertrand
Russell and Winston Churchill to
mention only a few.
The Society’s main purpose—the
encouragement of the search for
new knowledge—is being carried
out today.
Letter to the Editor
Dear Editor:
This is in the form of a letter
of thanks to the many persons that
were so extremely kind to me the
day I fell and broke my hip on the
APA Cannery Dock in Kodiak.
Special thanks to the ambulance
drivers that drove so very care
fully to avoid any big bumps, and
the same goes to the pilots on
PNA. From Homer they flew high
er than they usually do because
they said the higher they fly the
smoother the ride.
The same goes to Dr. Bob and
the personnel at the Griffin Me
morial Hospital the two days I
spent there before being sent over
here to the ANS hospital. They
did everything in their power to
make me comfortable.
Also, I wish to apologize to Mrs.
Jess Tucker and another patient,
name unknown to me, who were
in the same room with me. With
all my moaning and groaning, I’m
sure I disturbed their sleep which
I’m sorry for.
Will see you all some time this
fall.
Sincerely,
Una Malutin,
ANiS Hospital, Anchorage.
Bowling
Women’s Scratch
Trio
July 26th
W L
Syns 28 17
Rins 27 21
Gems 25% 22%
Reds 24 23
Hubs 20 28
Bips 19% 28%
High game: Lila Lester 197;
series: Gerry Gronlund 516, Lila
Lester 525.
Mixed Doubles
Final Standings
W L
Buzzards 30 6
Kurlie’s 20 16
Pin Flyers 19 17
Criss 19 17
Stovers 17 19
In Laws 17 19
Watkins 17 19
Frosty Eggs 15 21
Tasks 13 23
Mix Ups 13 23
Week’s high games: L. Wittieh
231, V. Panchot 187; series: L. Wit
tieh 583, V. Panchot 499.
Season’s high games: R. Panchot
255, V. Panchot 205; series: Wm.
Unger 640. L. Lester 536.
Averages: L. Wittieh 188; V.
Panchot 157.
The annual hospital bill for can
cer is estimated at above $350,
000,000 or over eleven times more
than what the public gave the
American Cancer Society to fight
cancer in 1959. Support the Soci
ety’s 1960 Crusade.
- . ' —.
Mr. and Mrs. John K. Keers of Brooklyn, N. Y. left this morning
(Friday) for their home after vacationing in Kodiak since July 16.
The John Keers were house guests of their son and daughter-in-law,
Dr. and Mrs. Bruce Keers. This is Mr. Keers’ first visit to Kodiak,
the second for Mrs. Keers.
Persona! Incense of Alaskans In 1959
$as $556 Million-Big Gain Since 1950
Personal income received by
residents of Alaska in 1959 was a
record $556 million, according to
the first official income report,
released recently by the Office of
Business Economics, U. S. Depart
ment of Commerce.
Last year’s total was 6 per cent
more than the $527 million volume
recorded for 1958, a rate of gain
about the same as for the nation.
Alaska’s personal income last
year was three-fourths again as
high as the 1950 total of $319 mil
lion. This increase represents a
rate of growth moderately in ex
cess of the rise of more than two
thirds for the country as a whole.
With a rough allowance for the
advance of consumer prices in
Alaska since 1950. total purchas
ing power of individuals in real
terms has risen about two-fifths
over this period. Other indications
of economic growth include a popu
lation expansion of more than one
half and an increase of one-seventh
in per capita income.
This information is part of a
forthcoming comprehensive report
based on a study of the Alaskan
economy initiated by the Office of
Business Economics immediately
after statehood was achieved. The
reoort, which covers the period
1950-59, provides an economic rec
ord consisting of summary figures
on total and per capita income and
detailed breakdowns of the over
all flow, by type and by industry.
As to sources of income in the
new State, of Alaska’s 1959 per
sonal income total, $281 million,
or one-half, was paid to residents
by private industry: $239 m:llion,
or 43 per cent, by Federal Govern
ment; and $37 million, or 7 per
cent, by State and local govern
ments.
The size of the Federal Govern
ment percentage—higher than in
any other state—reflects Alaska’s
major role in national defense.
Military payrolls form the main
component of Federal disburse
ments, totaling $112 million in
1959. (Earnings of civilian employ
ees of defense agencies located in
the State added another $50 mil
lion. National defense payrolls
thus account directly for nearly
one-third of all income in the
State.
The largest source of industry
income since 1950 has been from
contract construction.
VFW Auxiliary
Selling Tickets
Crocheted and hand made ar
ticles will be awarded winners in
the ticket sale conducted by the
Ladies Auxiliary to the VFW Post
7056. Awards will be made on Aug
ust 25, at the Post rooms.
The articles are on display in
the window of the Wilton White
Insurance office next to the Or
pheum Theatre, and are the work
of Helen Parrish, who is in the
Alaska Native Hospital at Anchor
age. Tickets are on sale at the
Tailor Shop, VFW hall, the City
Market and may also be purchased
from any member of the Auxiliary.
Of the 9,400.000 Americans who
applied for life insurance last
year, 9,118,000 or 97% were ac
cepted as insurable.
Read the classifieds for profit;
use them for results.
New officers of the Kodiak branch 165, Fleet Reserve Association, were installed July 15 at the EM
Club, by Hank White, founder of the local branch. Left to right are Ed. Kraft, vice-president; Roy
Roberts, president; White, J. T. Harrison, secretary; Opal Mehrtens, past - president LAFRA Unit 165,
Mary Harrison, president and Bill Poling, treasurer.