Toward a New Way off Liffe
Is Theme of Juneau Writer
(Reprinted from the Daily Alaska Empire)
Just as a bird needs a left wing and a right wing, a
head and a tail on a central body in order to fly, so does
any society, small or as large as the world, need extremes
as well as in-betweens in order to go anywhere or even
to survive. Man is Earth's leading creature, because of his
ability to adapt himself to varied conditions, his constant,
restless scouting of the outposts, the mysteries everywhere
within reach, his endless experiments.
Primarily as a result of recent break-throughs by the
white man, America has developed its greatest height to
date a way of life giving primary emphasis to economic
powerwealth and what it can buy in luxury, ease, con
venience, security and pleasure. (Communism's emphasis
on such material things is even greater than that of west
ern democracy, but it hasn't yet gone so far in achieving
economic strength.)
The typical American way ot Iite, while leading the
world in wealth and power, has not yet really answered a
number of fundamental questions. Unemployment is still
with us. And millions of our people, a large proportion of
our teenagers and frankly, a great many of our adults,
while well enough off financially, simply aren't getting
a feeling of happiness from life, not finding they really
"fit in" and harmonize with human society or with God
and the deeper realities. The feeling of being needed, of
contributinq clearly to the significant whole is often not
to be found in jobs our society offers.
Alaska has the greatest opportunity to improve on the
American way of life. Our state is in its early stages, still
largely as nature made it. And we have all kinds of people
—extreme examples of white technologists, natives who
grew up in Alaska for countless generations and found
sustenance and satisfaction, extreme twentieth-century de
velopers who wish to create "New Yorks" and "Los An
peles" here, equally extreme wilderness dwellers who
don't care if they never see anothr human being, and a fair
proportion (most of us) who think we're middle-of-the
roaders but actually don't know the way of life we truly
want to live. ,
Alaska's way of life, logically, should be a blend of
the ways of the natives with those of the "whites." Among
the major mistakes we should avoid are over-crowding,
over-exploitation of natural resources so they'll never pro
duce again as they did once, over-government, too com- )
plete a dedication to the gods of wealth and "progress"
without realizing the real goal is not comfort and security
but happiness, satisfaction and joy in living.
The goal is not to make Alaska produce as much
wealth as possible—though a solid Alaskan economy is de
sirable. The goal, we think, is to make Alaska produce as '
much happiness as possible and sometimes we think the
natives are wiser than the whites. The Tundra Times takes
valuable space to write of the legends, the old dances,!
languages, and other aspects of culture, while also seeking
education and health. Many white people in Alaska also
pursue cultural activities, though the great emphasis is on
money and security—with an all too dominant drive to*
create here a duplicate of the productive industrial civiliza
tion to the south which all too often merely puts its people
into a rat race" from which they cannot escape.
We don't see clearly yet the better blend, the better
way of life, and how it can be sustained, but we're quite
sure there is a better way for Alaska, a way in which
Alaska can contribute significantly to its own future and to
the world. That way can be worked out through dreams
and continuing effort if we set our sights high toward the
basic realities, not on mere echoes of what someone else
has done.
Cash Prizes for Centennial
Cash prizes totalling $1,300 will
be awarded winners of the compe
tition for a Centenial emblem and
slogan which is being conducted by
the Alaska State Centenial Com
mission.
Peter Deveau, Kodiak, chairman
of the Commission, said the person
submitting the winning entry in the
emblem division would be award
ed $1,000, and the person submit- J
ting the winning entry in a slogan
division will be awarded $300. Funds
are being provided from non-gov
ernmental sources.
Details of the competition are
available at all schools or may be
obtained from the office of the
Commission, (Box 1421) in Juneau.
The contest closes November 30th,
is extended by the Commission. j
Comments on Rampart Dam
By Anchorage Businessman
Anchorage, Alaska
Oct. 9, 1963
Dear Editor:
The Anchorage City Council has
no legal or nigral right to give away
$10,000 of the taxpayer’s money
without their permission. However,
they have the political power to do
so and that is what seems to be im
portant in present day Alaska.
This Rampart Dam thing has be
come an untouchable like Mother,
hood, God and the Flag. It's backers
1 are giving no consideration, what
so-ever, to the welfare ot the peo
oIp who will be most effected; the
people who live along the Yukon
River from it's mouth to the head
waters.
Well, the Build Rampart Dam at
any cost people may have the power
to use taxpayer’s money without
the taxpayer’s permission. They may
have the power to ignore the wel
fare of the people who live along
the Yukon.
However, the people along the
Yukon might have the power to
show’ there is another side to the
story.
I Congress is what will count in
the final outcome. Of course. Alas
ka's Congressmen are all in favor
of building the Dam at any cost.
This is known as pork-barrelling.
However, the other Congresmen are
a decided majority and that will
decide the outcome.
The people alcng the Yukon
could write as many letters as pos
sible to as many as possible ofg the
Congressmen and Senators. Village
Councils especially should write as
many letters as possible. These let
ters should not take on the flavor
of form letters. English and Gram
mar are not important in the least.
The people should write in their
own words and tell their side of the
1 story in their own way.
Lists of names of all Congressmen
and Senators could be furnished to
the Village Councils along the Yu
kon.
If a sufficient number of such
; letters are written to a majority of
| Congressmen and Senators, it would
1 surely let them know there are
; two sides to the story and the Ram
part Dam projects is not all pure
gravy.
Very truly yours,
Frank Donalson
PO Box 845
Anchorage, Alaska
rundra Times
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HELP WANTED
DOG HANDLER — Young, single
native man wanted to handle and
drive large kennel of trained sled
dogs at a popular Rocky Moun
tain resort. This job has a sound
future with advancement oppor
tunities for the right Alaskan.
Transportation to Colorado sup
plied. If interested write giving
age, education and something
about yourself. Job is open for a
short time only. Write Stuart
Mace, Toklat, Box 239, Aspen,
Colorado.
MAGAZINES
“LETS TELL EVERYBODY!” —
Give Christmas subscriptions to
Alaska’s magazine, Alaska Sports
man — $5 a year first subscrip
tion, $4 a year for each additional
year or subscription ordered at
same time. We send gift card.
Order now; Dept. C, Box 1271,
Juneau, Alaska.
BETHEL. DAMAGE—The mighty Kuskokwim River is again raising havoc at Bethel, the largest village
on the river, located near the mouth of Alaska’s second largest stream. Workmen are shown here, racing
freezup and running ice, attempting to reconstruct piling that has been damaged by high water eating
away the bank on which a warehouse, shown upper left, sits. —Photo by Frank Anderson
tVeKmutke°gWneLatKGairnf rdSmf to'th? Yuk'on ^ ‘Uch.rthon. are shown parachuting into
joint military maneuverWhen theyhittheGround thf’’ he?n‘,y’ ** Par‘ °f Exercise Si,ver F°* 1- »
opposing force from the 9th Infantry of* Fort WafnwriirM The ITt encountered }>y members of the
"■ “Th<> ■*
—Tundra Times Photo