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V.
VOLUME 10, NUMBER 18.
HYDER, ALASKA, SATURDAY, JANUARY 20, 1934.'
SINGLE COPIES 10 C^NTS
ROOSEVELT’S VIEWS
ON SILVER QUESTION
Prsident Roosevelt’s attitude
on the silver remonetization
question is set forth clearly in
the following extract from his
monetary message to Congress
last Monday. He said:
“The foregoing recommend
ations relate chiefly to gold.
The other principal precious
metal—silver—has also been
used from time immemorial as
a metallic base for currencies
as well as for actual currency
itself. It is used as such by
probably half the population
of the world.
“It constitutes a very import
ant part of our own monetary
structure. It is such a crucial
factor in much of the world’s
international trade that it can
not be neglected.
un December 21, 1983, I
issued a proclamation provid
ing' for the coinage of our new
ly-mined silver and for increas
ing our reserves of silver bul
lion, thereby putting us among
the first nations to carry out
the silver agreement entered
into by 66 governments at the
London Conference. This ag
reement is distinctly a step in
the right direction, and we are
proceeding to perform our part
of it.
“All of the 66 nations agreed
to refrain from melting or de
basing their silver coins, to re
place paper currency of small
denominations with silver coins
and to refrain from legislation
that would depreciate the val
ue of silver in the world mar
kets.
“Those nations producing
large quantities of silver ag
reed to take specified amounts
from their domestic product
ion, and those holding and us
ing large quantities agreed to
restrict the amount they would
cell during the four years cov
ered by the agreement.
“If all these undertakings
are carried out by the govern
ments concerned, there will be
a marked increase in the use of
and value of silver.
“Governments can well, as
they have in the past, employ
silver as a basis for currency,
and I look for a greatly in
creased use.
“I am, however, withholding
any recommendation to the
Congress looking to further
extension of the monetary use
of silver, because I believe that
we should gain more know
ledge of the results of the Lon
don agreement and of oui
ether monetary measures.
-O
Current rumors of impend
ing big developments on the
Big Missouri could not be ver
ified despite diligent inquiry in
all quarters where their au
them ticity should be known.
C. W. A. Forces Reduced
Orders were received Tues
day from 'the E. C. W. authori
ties in Juneau to reduce from
eleven to eight the number of
men to be employed weekly
on the Salmon river flood pro
tection project. The new regu
lation became effective Friday,
while regrettable, the order
will not seriously affect the
local labor situation, although
it will reduce by a substantial
sum the amount of money
which would have been earned
by local labor under the earlier
regulation.
The telegram received by
Representative J. K. Green,
director of operations, gave no
hint of the reason for the re
duction, which is surmised to
be due to some necessity for
cutting the E. C. W. expendit
ures to keep within the avail
able funds.
o
CWA Engineer Visits
A. F. Gighlione, Alaska Road
Commission engineer in charge
of the CWA work in the south
ern Panhandle district, arrived
here Friday to inspect the ECW
work on the Salmon River
flood protection project, and
look into the system and meth
ods of the local Employment
Board in the employment of
labor and conduct of the work.
Mr. Ghiglione came over
from Ketchikan on the Forest
ry gas boat Ranger VI, piloted
by B. R. Aikens.
At the conclusion of his in
spection, Mr. Ghiglione ex
pressed his entire satisfaction
with the work done on the riv
er under the direction of Rep
resentative J. K. Green and
warmly commended his ex
cellent handling of the project.
He also signified his approv
al of the system of employment
and methods adopted by the
Employment Board in passing
upon applicants for labor.
Mr. Ghiglione explained the
recent reduction in the num
ber of men to be employed here
as due to the necessity for
keeping within the limits of the
available funds, as only a stat
ed sum can be expended in
each district.
-O
Beaver Season Closes Today
The special oper season for
taking beaver in Fur District
No. 1, which became effective
December 10. will close at mid
night today (Saturday).
The regular open season on
mink, land otter, v/easel, fox
and lynx, covering a similar
period, also ends at the same
time.
The next open season for
fur-bearers will be for musk
rat and will extend from March
1 to April 30.
“ALASKA SHOULD BE
SELF-GOVERNING,”
DECLARES TROY
That Alaska should be self
governing, was declared by
Governor'John W. Troy in his
first annual report to the Sec
retary of the Interior.
The report, made public a
few days ago in Juneau, ex
presses the new governor's
opinion that wherever possible,
Alaska should govern herself;
that her laws should be made
by her own legislature and ex
ecuted by her own officials,
and that there should also be a
oy.i'tem of counties or other
means of local government.
Regarding essential Federal
administration in the Territory
the governor pointed out that
none are so interested in Alas
ka as those who live here and
voiced the view that Federal
governmental functions should
be as much as possible untier
the direction of Alaskans and
people in the field should
have wide discretion and au
thority to act on their own
judgments.
And there are plenty of men
and women in the Territory to
fill all of 'the responsible posi
tions,” the statement conclud
ed.
Included among the more im
portant recommendations made
by the executive were tl.e fol
lowing:
Federal government assist
ance in the prospecting and
development of mineral resour
ces and a businesslike plan to
encourage prospecting.
Investigation of the fisheries
resources of Bering Sea and the
Arctic Ocean.
Granting to fur-farmers
title to not less than 160 acres
•of the land they now oct'.py
under leases or otherwise upon
which their improvements are
located.
Greater activity toward ex
termination of predatory an
imals and other enemies cf
fish and game.
Transfer to the Territory of
control of the fisheries and
game cf Alaska, as proposed
by the Dimond bills befoi’e
Congress.
Ain-maii service between
coastal and interior Alaska
and Bering Sea points.
Construction of the Inter
national Highway connecting
the highways of the United
States, through British Colum
bia and Yukon Territory, with
the highways of Alaska.
Repeal of the Alaska Bone
Dry Law.
Establishment of a naval
submarine and air base in
Alaska.
Other recommendationsmade
were for extension of public
Continued on Page 3
I Citizens Protest Radio Proposal
Vigorous prOest was entered
Monday by Hyder residents
and radio owners against ef
forts now being made by a
high-power South Carolina ra
dio broadcasting station to sec
ure the same wave channel
now allocated by the Federal
Radio Commission to the pow
erful Los Angeles station KNX.
The protest was made through
the medium of a telegram to
Alaska Delegate to Congress
A. J. Dimond by a citizens
committee headed by L. C.
Thornton on the score that the
resulting interference will have
a highly detrimental effect on
the broadcasts of the Los
Angeles station and deprive
Alaska residents of the pleas
ure and benefit of hearing
what are unquestionably* the
best and most dependable news
and general broadcasts re
ceived in Alaska.
According to radio experts,
if permission is granted the
eastern station to use the same
channel and wave length as
KNX the effect will be to so
diminish the volume of the lat
ter station that it could not be
heard beyond a distance of 300
miles; which would render it
inaudible in Alaska when the
two stations were operating
simultaneously.
Information received regard
ing the proposal indicates that
powerful eastern political in
fluence is being exerted to
have the South Canolina stat
ion placed on the same chan
nel as the California station.
This is what is known as a
“cleared” channel, which, un
der the Radio Commission reg
ulations, are allocated to super
powered stations.
Delegate Dinuond reports
having received a number of
telegrams and letters from
Alaska asking him to protest
against possible elimination of
news broadcasts by Pacific
Coast radio stations. It ap
pears, however, that the Radio
Commission has no jurisdiction
at all with respect to this sit
uation. It is a private matter
between newspapers, news
gathering organizations and
radio stations, Mr. Dimond was
informed by Radio Commis
sioner Lafount.
There have been recent in
dications that these differences
will be patched to the extent
that news broadcasts will con
tinue to be sent out.
The Alaska complaints, with
out excepton, came from corn
unities without newspapers,
which depend altogether on
radio for “spot” news.
-o
The highest tide of the year,
23 feet 4 inches, Tuesday,
DECEMBER COMMERCE
OVER 2V4 MILLION
Exports of Alaska products
during the month of December
attained a total value of $2,
250,642, according to the
monthly statement of J. J. Con
nors, collector of customs for
the Alaska district.
Gold and silver shipment?
during the month were the
largest with one exception in
many years and were valued at
$1,666,036, while merchan
dise products totaled $584,606
in value. Fish and fish pro
ducts were valued at $491,788.
Fur exports totaled $16,379.
Individual values of all pro
ducts were as follows:
Animal's . $ 850
Curios . 219
Fish:
Fresh and frozen
Halibut . 86,139
Salmon . 39,215
All other . 524
Canned
Salmon . 319,322
Cured or preserved
Cod . 2,731
Herring . 7,563
Salmon . 15,543
Shell-fish
Clams . 130
Crabs . 10,101
Shrimps . 10,520
Other fish products
Oil . 4
All other fish and
fish products. 1,157
Furs and fur-skins
Blue fox. 4,270
Silver fox. 1,650
Red fox . 158 -
White fox . 120
Mink . 7,697
Muskrat . 35
All other . 688
Manufactured furs.. 600
Ore, matte and regulus
Lead . 6,901
Tin ore and
concentrates. 2,000
Trophies, specimens .. 2,680
Wo.od: Timber. 2,350
*A11 other articles .... 2,214
Total value products
of Alaska . $525,381
Products of the U. S.
returned . 58,975
Total value shipments of
merchandise . 584,606
Gold.$1,662,649
Silver . 3,396
Grand total.,. $2,250,642
*Items included in
“All other articles”:
Wool . $1,116
Reindeer Hides . 185
Reindeer offal. 913
-o
The Stewart Junior Orches
tra gave an enjoyable dance
and whist social last evening.