VOL. I
PETERSBURG, ALASKA APRIL 1, 1927
NO. 38
Representative William L. Paul,
of Ketchikan, introduced in the
House last week a bill abolishing
the Territorial Fish Commission,
but providing that a new Fish Com
mission of three members shall be
elected to serve without pay for
two-year periods and for a secre
tary to be employed at a salary not
to exceed $250 per month. The first
doithmissioner, elected by this Legis
lature to serve until March 1,1929;
the first elective commission to be
chosen at the egneral election in
1928.
The bill further provides that the
Commission “shall be official advis
or for the people of the Territory
to the Secretary of Commerce on
the subject of fisheries.” The Com
mission is empowered to hold hear
ings and investigations and to at
tend hearings held by the Depart
ment of Commerce or the Bureau
of Fisheries or by any other com
mittee of either House of Congress,
or to send a delegate to such meet
ings. It is authorizd to carry on
all operations ordered by the Legis
lature.
W’hile attending official business.
+he Commissioners are to receive
$10 per day in lieu of salary, and
actual travelling expenses when ab
sent from the regular place of re
sidence but not in excess o f$7 per
'lay for such expenses.
COMMUNITY WORK OF LEGION
AIDED BY AUXILIARY UNITS
Units of the American Legion
Auxiliary throughout the world are
giving active support to American
Legion posts in carrying out the
Legion’s program of community
service work, according to Mrs.
Margaret Jones Hindermann, the
Auxiliary’s national community ser
vice chairman. Reports show that
Auxiliary units are co-ordinating
their efforts with Legion posts in
civic enterprises of all kinds and
in many instances are initiating en
terprises which especially call for
the work of women, Mrs. Hinder
mann said.
Some of the community better
ment activities in wrhich Auxiliary
units are participating are: Better
ment of health conditions through
improvement of sanitary conditions,
forming emergency relief corps,
establishing free baby and tuber
culosis clinics and instituting, am
bulance service; improvement of
educational opportunities through
educational entertainment course;
creation or enlargement of a public
library; sponsoring open forum
meetings; conducting occupational
instruction for girls; presenting
Auxiliary school award medals and
encouraging night schools; assist
ing in civic improvements such as
establishment or beautification of
a public park, location or improve
ment of a tourist camp and equip
ment of a community building; im
provement of recreational oppor-.
tunities by establishment of play
grounds.
UMIT ON FUNDS OF FEDERAL
MARSHALS
Attorney General Sargeant, in a
circular letter addressed to United
States district attorneys and mar
1 shals, has informed them that the
Department of Justice WU1 be handi
capped through lack of funds as
, he result of the failure of the
Second Deficiency Bill. They arc
requested to use care in the ex
penditure of funds.
The Controller Bill which is
meeting opposition from the reac
tionary members of the Territorial |
Legislature is a measure which pro
vides for the creation of the office
comptroller of the Territory, with.
a term of four years at a salary of ,
$6,000. The first comptroller to j
be elected by the present elgislature j
and his successor to be elected by |
the electorate of Alaska. The bill
provides for the election of the |
Territorial treasurer and makes cer
tain changes in the powers of the
Attorney General, mostly making
him directly responsible to the Ter
ritory direct instead of limiting his
powers to the will of the federal
governor.
Control of, purely territorial af-|
fairs to be in the hands of a board i
composed of the Comptroller, treas-1
urer and attorney general. All ter
ritorial boards now appointed by
the federal governor and under his;
control as a member of the board,
to be responsible to the Board of
Control elected by the °r
the Territory. All fn- duties
heretofore vested ii raI Soy"
ern.br and secretary to be taken ov- j
er by the Board, except those pow
ers and duties set forth and pro
vided for by Congress.
New Migratory
Bird Regulations
i
]
Additional restrictions on wild)
Fowl hunting privileges probably (
will be imposed temporarily this i
season to conserve the future sup- :
illy of game fowl. < i
To safeguard the future supply t
of wild ducks, geese, and other
migratory wild birds of the Western i
States requires that increase re- £
frictions be placed on hunting pri- <
rileges. This statement was made (
recently hy Dr. E. W. Nelson, Chief i
of the Biological Survey, United
States Department of Agriculture, i
in discussing the probable nature of , £
the amendments to the Migratory i
Bird Treaty Act regulations that <
may soon be submitted by the De- 1
partment to the President for pro- 1
mulgation. : J
Additional Fishing
Regulation Issued !
1
The secretary of commerce has
issued the following additional fish
ing regulations affecting southeast- (
ern Alaska:
Herring Fishery
Seines used fn commercial fish- <
ing, including bait fishing, for her
ring in Klawack Harbor, within a
true east and west line passing
through the northern extremity of
Klawack Island, shall not exceed
90 fathoms hung measure in length
nor 500, meshes in depth. For the
purpose of determining depths of
such seines measurements will be
upon the basis of 1 % inches
stretched measure between knots.
No such seine shall have a mesh
of less than 1 % inches stretched
measure between knots.
Martin Kildahl of Petersburg, was
a passenger on the Admiral Rogers
enroute to Pybus Bay of which can- j
nery he wlil be superintendent this |
summer. Mr. Kelly who was
superintendent of the Port Beau
elerc cannery will be superintend
ent at Tyee in place of Mr. Kildahl,
transferred.
Sidelights on
Legislature
THE BRAND
The lineup of the legislators wto
carry the Joe Murray brand on the^
backs was clearly brought out this
week. The “sign” came to light <7?
the fight over the motion to cen
sure Thomas Gaffney made by Mr,
Ross.
The story was printed by the Ju
neau Empire even tho their report
er had agreed not to print it fox
fear that the public might not un
derstand.
On Tuesday night there was an
open meeting by the Committee on
i abor to consider the Workman’s
[Compensation Bill. There appeared
ihe attorneys for he big mines and
tanneries, the two Hellanthals, Bert
Faulkner, R. E .Robertson and the
igent for the Kennecot Copper Cor
poration to oppose the bill.
Mr. Gaffney, as chairman, called
Jti Mr. Faulkner to open the discus
don. Mr. Hellenthal spoke and
‘aid that he thought the “propo
lent” of the bill should make th»'
u-st statement. Gaffney fell right
n with the the “suggestion” of the
corporation lawyer and asked for
;ome speaker on the side of the
)ill. No one answered altho William
... Paul, the auther of the bill
5 as present. Jack Hellenthal then
ipoke for two house repeating in
arge part his speech of several
ears ago.
After this occurred, Mr. Paul ask
d for ten minutes and Mr. Gaffney
■efused saying “You have had
rour chance. You will not speak
i.ntil everybody else who is against
he bill has had a chance to talk.”
"his proceedure astonished the en
ire audience. Never before has
ny member of the Legislature been
lenied a right to speak before a.
ommittee. The chairman’s man
ler was very insulting.
When James Daly, of the Ken
lecott Copper Co., was called to
peak, he had an extended argu
ment with the chairman before Mr.
laffney was persuaded to say to
•Tr. Paul; “You may speak, Mr.
Jaul, under these conditions.” Mr.
kiul then answered; “In view of
he gratuitous insult offered me
will not speak on the bill.” He
hen went on and informed Gaffne y
hat he had no right to refuse the
Icor to any member of the House.
• The next morning Mr. Ross of
ered the motion to censure Mr.
^affeny. He later withdrew the
notion when Mr. Gaffney had not
he backbone to stand up to his
actions.
At the end of the evening’s hear
ng, Senator Jenson and Rep. Ralph
Ljomen came down from the gal
ery and congratulated Mr. Gaffne*
ipon his “fair” rulings and con
duct of the meeting. So much for
lenson, who -considers himself of
‘delegate” size, and who has been
jnilding his fenses at the expense
>£ the game commission.
The Town Bully
Everybody had been wondering
lust where Lomen stood. That is
plain now. His arrogance and su
pefiority complex sticks out as
might be expected from a man com
ing from a town where one family
runs the town. After recess, he
came back and said to his colleague
Mr. Sandquist, “You’re dead. I’ll
put the skids under you” etc. after
:,he manner of the town bully.
It is said that Lomen’s attitude
means an open break between the
Lomens and Dan Sutherland. If
; that occurrs, it will be tbe Lomens
! who will be hurt for that family
are hanging on only thru the
strength of the old gentlemen
I.oman now 74 years old. There
: is also a possibility that the Sheldon
Tramway project will also be killed
for that’ project cannot get thru
Congress without Dan Sutherland’s
aid. If he continues to support that
project, it will only be thru the
friendship of Richard Sundquist
and Sutherland; for Sundquist is
:he only m*an from the Nome
Division who is supporting Suther
land’s policies and working with
Sutherland’s friends.
Proportional Representative
In fact, the attitude of the Lo
men faction seems to invite the is
sue of PROPORTIONAL REP
RESENTATION. It is believed
that the Sutherland party will de
mand that the sparsely settled
Nome Division be deprived of its
equal power in the legislature. It
is redieulous to talk about rep
resentative government when Nome
with 600 votes can have equal rep
resentation with the First Division
with its 6000 votes.
The Third Division is ready to
join with the First in demanding
that this injustice be ended. The
attitude seems to be “Why should
the Lomen family (the bosses of
Nome) have the same power in the
Legislature with the 10,000 voters
in the other two divisions?”
“Tom Did It”
Tom Elsemore, of Petersburg,
has been in town. He found that
Billy Worth of Petersburg had al
ready completed the work in which
Petersburg was specially interested.
Over two weeks ago the ROAD was
promised . However Elsemore did
seme effective work in getting the
tide land road through.
Medical Assistance Refund
On Thursad afternoon, the Ways
and Means Committee approved of
a bill to reimburse the city of
Petersburg for some $3,200 which
had' been expended to check a
small-pox epidemic which the city
stopped several years ago.
Valuable assistence was rendered
by Ralph Lomen who has had ex
perience along similar lines a num
ber of years ago. The recommenda
tion was unaimous and it is ex
pected that the bill will pass the
House and also the Senate.
Graduated Tax
The tax on fish was provided for
in a bill by Mr. Paul. The basic
fax on the different kinds of gear
was as follows; Seines $25; gill
nets $10; traps $200. No further
rax is to be charged until 50;000
fish have been caught, then 1^ per
fish is charge till 75,000 is reached;
the 2%<f each till 100,000 is reach
ed; than 5^ over that amount.
The big trapmen were hopping
mad. They had hoped that a
basic tax of $1000 would be made
in the hope that all the little traps
would be stopped.
Pish Bill
Several fish bill have been in
troduced by members of the first
Division. Mr. Paul’s proposal for
the fish commission was to elect
three commissioners who should
engage a secretary. Ralp Lomen
moved to amend the bill by in
serting a commission of four, one
from each division, headed by the
governor. This was defeated.
Regulations effective April first,
carrying into effect the provisions
of the new law by which a Bureau
of Prohibition was created in the
Department of the Treasury and
transferring to that bureau pro
hibition activities now conducted by
the Bureau of Internal Revenue,
have been promulgated by Secretary
Mellon.
The regulations, identified as T.
D. 3999, formally transfer from
jurisdiction of the Bureau of In
ternal Revenue the enforcement
work prescribed by the National
Prohibition Act and the statutes
governing sale of narcotics, togeth
er with funds contained in Inter
nal Revenue appropriations but de
signated for those services. All
personal detailed to the work re
quired under the several laws con
cerned also are formally trans
ferred, but announcement already
has been made that area prohibi
tion administrators will recommend
the actual transfer of only such
personnel as they desire to retain
under the new system.
WANTS ASYLUM IN ALASKA
The Alaska Pioneers in Conven
tion at Juneau last week drew up a
resolution urging the establishment
of a government owned and con
trolled institution in the Territory
cf Alaska for the care of insane to
be ready for occupancy at the ex
piration of the present ontract. It
also earnestly endorsed the com
mendable efforts of the Governor
to bring about a betterment of the
existing evils and pledged him the
utmost support of the Pioneers.
The Alaska Native Brotherhood
several years ago adopted just such
a resolution urging care of Alaskans
in Alaska instead of thru contract
system where by certain men in
Portland enrich themselves off of
unfortunate Alaskans.
Union Oil Cuts Rates
During the past week Mr. Ther
modstader, agent for the Union Oil
Company of California, station in
Petersburg, received the following
message:
“Reduce price distillate one cent
per gallon making net price eleven
cents per gallon. We are the first
10 lower on this commodity and be
lieve the trade will appreciate this
fact. We are in Petersburg to stay
and will follow any reductions.
J. FEDERSPIEL
Competition is the life of trade
and in this instance the fishermen,
halibut or troller, will benefit from
the operations of the Union Oil In
Petersburg.
The Utomigi Campfire Girls stag
ed a very succeful dance at the
Pioneer Hall on Tuesday evening
in honor of Seward Day.
The American Legion Post No.
14 convened for their regular
meeting at their hall on Monday
evening but adjourned at eight'
o’clock and attended the Declama
tory contest in a body to show
their patriotic spirit.
Then Lomen said he would support
a commission of one. Mr. Paui
said he would accept the suggestion
and promise of Loen’s support, and
therefore asked to have the bill
recommitted for this amendment.
It is expected that this bill will
pass the House by Monday.
FOB SEAL PATROL
Two Ships to Leave Seattle April
15 and Another June 5; Hunt
ing Privileges Are Outlined.
Orders have been issued by the
United States Coast Guard for the
annual Bering Sea patrol for the
protection of the seal herd, and
the cutters, “Algonquin,” “Haida,”
and “Unalga” have been designat
ed for principal duty in this year’s
patrol. The new cutter "North
land” also will participate in the
patrol to a limited extent on a
trial cruise in the early summer.
In connection with the patrol
plans, Coast Guard headquarters is
sued the following statement In
which are reiterated the privileges
of seal permissible under the North
Pacific Sealing Convention:
Shortly the vessels of the Bering
Sea Patrol Force will- enter upon
one phase of their duties—the pro
tection of the seal herds in their
migratory movements northward
and the enforcement of the pro
visions of the North Pacific Seal
ing Convention of July 7, 1911.
Under this Convention the killing
of fur seals is prohibited except by
the designated Government rep
resentatives in the Pribilof Islands,
and by Indians, Ainos, Aleuts, or
other aborigines dwelling on the
coast of the waters mentioned in
Article 1 of the Convention who
carry on pelagic sealing in canoes
not transported by or used in con
nection with other vessels, and pro
pelled entirely by oars, paddles, or
sails, and manned by not more than
five persons each, in the way hith
erto practiced and without the use
of firearms.
During some of the past seasons,
the patrol cutters observed that in
instances the Indian were in the
habit of having their canoes towed
to and from the sealing grounds
by motor boats, and the question
was placed before the proper Gov
ernment department for an*opinion
as to whether or not such practice
was in violation of the Convention
and law.
In an opinion rendered on June
22, 1925, the Bureau of Fisheries
stated in part: “ * * * It is clear
ly the intent of Article 4 of the
Convention that the privilege of
taking seals accorded Indians and
other aborigines shall be exercised
under conditions involving only the
use of primitive methods. With
the sealing grounds from five to
thirty miles off shore, the towing
of sealing canoes between the seal
ing grounds and the shore daily
eeems to * make the towing by
motor boats a very important, if
not an essential, element of the
sealing operation.
“It is therefore the opinion of
this Bureau that the towing of
sealing canoes, used by Indians
operating off the coast of Wash
ington, to the sealing grounds by
motor boats, is a violation of
Article 4 of the North Pacifis Seal
ing Convention of Juy 7, 1911. * •/'
Protests Fish Traps
Below Mexico Line
Vigorous protests against the
establishment of a huge fish trap
on the lower California cjast Just
below the international boundary
line by the Ocean Industries
Company, a Japanese concern, were
launched the first of the week by
local fishing associations. Permis
sion to establish the fish trap was
granted to M. Konda, President of
the Ocean Fisheries Company, by
the Department of Agriculture at
Mexico City.