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LOUIS F. PAUL,.EDITOR
C. O. PARKS,.BUSINESS MANAGER
Pubished every Friday by the Alaska Native Brotherhood Pub
lishing Company at Petersburg, Alaska.
Entered in the Post Office in Petersburg as Second Class Matter.
SUBSCRIPTION RATES:
Six months, $2.50 Per Year, $4.00
Advertising Rates on Application.
Whose Fish ?
Flsewhere in this issue will be
noted the opening in Seattle of a
conference of the Alaska unit of
the Bureau of Fisheries to devise
new restrictions and regulations
affecting the fishing industry in
the territory for the coming sea
son. This is a conference charged
with large responsibility for the
development and wellfare of
Alaska and its people.
The tendency in fisheries rul
ings during the past several
years has been to entrench more
solidly a few of the larger can
rers and chain fish-trap opera
tors, and whether intentional or
not. the regulations have effec
tually strangled the resident
fishermen, the would-be home
builders of the territory. As a
climax we have today the spec
tacle of those concerns whose
favored positions should have,
yielded them enormous profits
wasting their advantage in a
senseless effort to destroy each
other, and in the process they
have annihilated the few inde
pendent, Alaskan-owned can
neries that remained. A prodi
gious resource has been exploited
but no one has been made happy.
On the other hand, thousands of
Alaskans who might have made
a fair and honest living under
more equitable condiitons are to
day unhappy.
Who can say why the fish in
the sea should not belong as
much to a fisherman with only
a gasboat and a seine or only a
dory as to a company with
money enough to build a trap?
Or why the trap operator should
be granted an EXCLUSIVE con
cession to those fishing locations
where, because of natural tides
and shore contours, the fish can
be taken in greatest numbers
while other classes of fishermen
are given no such privilege?
Whose are the fish, and why?
How does it come about that a
non-resident investor has a
better legal right to the enjoy
ment of a natural resource cf
this territory than is granted the
local fisherman? The develop
ment of the territory is directly
dependent on the well-being of
its industries, but there are
thousands who will rise up to
remark that the fish-trap is not
necessary to the perpetuation
of a canning industry.
Once more the conference is
being held in Seattle, far from
the maddening mob of fishermen
who might be begging for
crumbs;—far from Alaskan mer
chants who would see thousands
of resident fishermen able to
earn and spend;—far from
Alaskan machine shop and boat
shop men who realize their shops
are comparatively idle because
fishermen cannot pay.
We have seen it stated that
1931 was a GOOD YEAR for the
fishing industry in Alaska be
cause the trap operators were
able to put up a normal pack. We
accept the statement as literally
true. This year has convinced
the merchants they cannot reap
profits from customers who are
broke, and that the fish traps
are not buying any shoes or
bacon this winter. Perhaps an
other “good year” just like it will
convince Seattle that her gold
mine in the Northland is being
high-graded. Seattle has every
thing to gain by the establish
ment of a large and prosperous
resident population in Alaska,
and the Alaskan consumption of
Seattle merchandise will in
crease within Alaskans’ earnings.
Another Tariff Problem
X
When the revolutionary gov
ernment came into power in
Argentina a year ago, it found
the country spending for foreign
merchandise some $45,000,000
more than it got for produce
sold abroad. Since the country’s
staple exports are largely grain
and meat the production of
which cannot be stimulated on
short notice, the only way a
favorable trade balance could be
created was by curtailment of
the nation’s foreign buying. Ar
gentina’s imports consisted very
largely of automobiles, radio?,
phonographs, electric refrigera
tors, farm machinery and simi
lar manufactured products from
the United States. This trade
has been so reduced by the new
system of import valuations for
tariff purposes that the year 1931
will give Argentina a favorable
trade balance of more than $30,
000,000 and the tariff has pro
duced a difference of $75,000,000
in her favor. That is fine, per
haps, for Argentina. As for the
United States, we have more
time now to consider as an ab
stract problem the possibility of
all nations having a favorable
trade balance. Having set the
example ourselves, we can scarce
Iv blame Canada, Argentina and
all the rest if they emulate us.
If they all stop buying from us,
what becomes of our trade bal
ance? Our only hope would be to
stop buying from them and
what, then, beomes of then
trade balance? What becomes of
the world and its work, its com
merce and industry? Shall the
tourist traffic also be limited and
kept strictly in balance, lest
money be spent in other coun
tries? It seems to us that Ar
gentina’s resolution to do with
out automobiles, refrigerators
and farm machinery can hardly
become a fixed policy, but in
what manner the trade may be
offset and balanced is an inter
esting matter for conjecture. It
is just possible that America
may have somewhat to learn
about the permanent balancing
of international trade and in
ternational finance.
WHEN SHIP SANK HE SWAM
Fong Sai Gook, arrested by
immigration authorities, explain
ed thusly to United States Com
missioner Enest Williams how he
entered the country:
“I came on a big ocean liner
which sank outside the Golden
Gate. Three white men and my
self were the only ones who did
not drown. I swam ashore cling
ing to a bit of wood and carrying
my trunk.”
Williams was skeptical. He
ordered Fong deported to China.
We see by the papers that the (
U. S. S. Akron, world's largest.
airship was left outside all night
in one of the many tests given it
by the Navy’s crew of experts.
When photographed by the
dawn’s early light the Akron was
still there. Moreover, the “Queen
of the Skies” was able to navi
gate after a night out with the
sailors.
* * *
Although there are shipyards
in Alaska with excellent equip
ment, when the Forest Service
needed a new ranger boat the
business was offered to Seattle
first. How about getting hep to
the way Seattle maintains its
drag?
.. i
Items of Interest to Alaskans
x
A mild epidemic of whooping
cough is reported at Fairbanks.
The Anchorage schools have
been re-opened following an
epidemic of measles.
David Peratrovich of Klawock
was lost in the woods recently
He was Anally located in an ex
hausted condition by Boy Scouts.
Klawock reports that twenty
or thirty clam diggers will be
leaving for the clam beds in re
sponse to a call from Earl Ohmer
of Petersburg.
After spending four years in
the Orthopedic Hospital in Se
attle, Thomas Mills, 10-year-old
son of Albert Mills of Hoonah,
has been enrolled in the govern
ment school there.
Mr. Phillip Reese, oldtime
resident of Hoonah, passed away
at his home on Monday of last
week. Funeral services were con
ducted by Rev. R. Fogal at the
Presbyterian Church.
About 125 men will be engage i
during the coming winter cut
mg ties for the Alaska Rjdhnad
in the Chugach National F »rest.
l^ere will be ab nit 15 tic crunps
i.i the districts and most, of the
work will be done by tie hackers.
* Bids are being called for in
Seattle for the construction of
a new 50-foot forest ranger boat
of the same type as the Rangers
IX and X. M. L. Merritt, assist
ant forester, is now in Seattle
tp complete necessary arrange
ments, expecting to return about
the middle of December
The printshop of Stroller’s
Weekly in Juneau received a
shipment of modern machinery,
cn the Admiral Evans and Editor
Selby promises to make Strol
ler’s a twelve page weekly with
a four page comic supplement
land other modern features. The
shop has been thoroughly re
novated and repainted, and in
creased by 1,000 feet of addition
al floor space.
Eighty Indian tribes arc re
presented in the school member
ship of 1,250 students enrolled at
the Sherman Institute. The last
fiscal year a profit of $14,958 was
[made from 200 acres of land
Ifarmed by the Indian boys. Girls
of the school canned 4,000 gal
lons of tomatoes during the year,
and baked 975 loaves of bread
daily.
The Sawyer-Reynolds Com
pany is rushing construction on
three quarters of a mile of road
at Herring Cove to avoid penal
ty for over time on its contract.
About 35 men are employed.
The Copper River and North
western Railroad will give em
ployment to a number of tie
cutters this winter. The contracts
will be distributed to give em
ployment in the greatest number
cf localities.
The city of Wrangell now owns
its light and power system. The
plant was taken over from the
Vt rangell Lumber and Power Co.
last November and the time for
redemption has expired. The
system will be enlarged and im
proved by the municipality. The
city council has established
rates for current at 12yz to 8c
per kilowatt.
Mrs. Edith Sheelor, president
cf the American Legion Auxili
ary unit of Juneau left for In
dianapolis, Indiana, to attend a
conference of presidents and
secretaries of the organization.
She plans to visit in many places
in the states before her return
next January.
* * *
W. P. Lass of the Whitney As
Lass Company is authority for
the statement that the company
has uncovered another large
bcdy of chromium ore along the
north slope of Red Mountain,
near Seldovia, averaging ove>’
50% pure. It is a continuation of
a previously discovered lode con
taining over 90,000 tens of almost
pure chromium. Chromium is
used in the manufacture of
stainless steel, a new alloy of
chromium, steel and nickel. The
company promises a large min
ing industry for Seldovia.
The Presbyterian mission boat
Princeton in charge of Rev.
Verne Swanson arrived from
points south and west and re
mained in Petersburg over Sun
day. While in Wrangell Rev.
Swanson visited the new indus
trial school under construction
by the U. S. Bureau of Indian
Affairs at Shoemaker Bay. Three
units of the big school plant are
row nearing completion. The in
terior of the buildings is being
finished in paster over metal
lath. The reverend captain also
reports the new church edifice
in Wrangell, replacing the struc
ture destroyed by fire a year age,
is now in use although not en
tirely finished. It is a fully mo
dern little church building with
Sunday school rooms, social par
lor, kitchen, etc. The new church
building at Ketchikan is also in
service and has brought a new
impetus to the work of the de
nomination in the first city.
0«>S>!Z>3H
✓
Event of the Season! I
Best of Peppy Dance Orchestras l
Good Floor, Jolly Crowd, Eats,
PRIZES PRIZES PRIZES
* SALES INN *
WO>»WCOC/)>2
Get your share this season of thi3
extra fur money which is offered
to trappers everywhere by ‘the
THIRD NATIONAL
FDR SHOW
Johnny Muskrat’s new
book,“Ti|)3 to Trappers”
—the only book of its kind
—written fortrappors, by
trappers — witli many
photos taken right on tho
trap-line. Gives modern
methods of trapping,
handling and selling your
furs for most profit. Con
tains full details of our
WON
$2,000.00
Free Fur
Marketing Service
IT. A. Barker. Notasulara.
Ala., whose Mink skin
judged to be the beat
which, since 1925, has en
abled many thousands of
trappers to obtain more
fur money. Learn now
how tho World’s Largest
Store can help you—write
for Johnny Muskrat’s
new book today I
YOU CAN WIN
1st Award $2000.00
2nd Award 500.00
Srd Award .250.00
4th Award .100.00
215 Honorable
Mention ra aa
Awards of $10 *150.00
-$50008
Sears, Roebuck £ Co.
Coupon to Pa"as Seattle
1 ■".(Write nearest point)
SEARS, ROEBUCK AND CO.
Please mail me without cost
or obligation Johnny Muskrat’s new"
book explaining your free fur marketing tervlce jj
^58A80
and the Third National l’ur Show.
? bo*h your Route and Box Number
if on a Rural Route
i
Box |
.No- ■
I
Street Address.
THE
—x
Out Of Town Laundry wil
Be Taken Care Of In The
Shortest Possible Time.
Everything Back But The Dirt
CITIZENS STEAM LAUNDRY
Russel York Proprietor
o 2
,
f Home Service Mending 5
i lift i ms
y* of Laundered Goods
^ We give full vaiue for your
£ money.*
\ H. OYAMA, pro.
R. E. BAUMGARTNER,
Attorney-at-Law
Office above People’s Drug
Petersburg .. .. Alaska
At your Service
Adams Transfer
Hauling and contracting
Wood for delivery
1931
November 17
December 13
December 20
1934
January 26
te ruary 16
March 15
April 19
May 17
June 21
July 19
August 23
September 20
October 18
November 22
Advances will be
made as usual
when requested
Transferred by tel
egraph if desired.
Special Sales held
on request of Shipper.
Seattle FurExch ange
65 MARION STREET VIADUCT
v . Seattle.’u:s , a
tii
»
Befcro Old Man Winter Struts His Stuff,
Have the oid coal bin filled with Naniamo Coal
Chris Tveten, Dealer Phone - 1-5
VVV%VNNVN\VS\\VVv\VNVVN\\S\\ y
THE
HOTEL
WITH A
111 Sritj personality*'
«8.4e- 4et 1 ^:- a
MODERATE RATES
Smqle room with bath I2-S°and up
P@T . Double room with bath <3.50 and up
Special weekly and monthly rates
where hospitality centers
Second and Stewart
Northbound
Alameda Nov. 10
Northwestern Nov. 17
Alameda Dec. 1
Northwestern Dec. 8
Alameda Dec. 22
Northwestern Dec. 29
ROUND TRIP FARE TO
Southbound
Nov. 22
Nov. 30
Dec. 13
Dec. 21
Jan. 3
Jan. 10
SEA TLE
Lower deck $57.50; Upper, $65.50
The Alaska does not stop at Peters
burg Southbound but will bring and
' 'take out mail.
|-|Pass. & Freight to S.E. & W. Alaska.
Uhris Tveten, Agent
Phone 15 , Petersburg
Alaska
I
ANDERSON BROTHERS
Marine Ways
General Boat Work
Repairing and Overhauling
Our marine ways are built to handle boats up to
110 feet in length. Thoroughly modern wood
working plant equipped to do every sort of re
pairing or new construction.
All Work Guaranteed and priced right
Petersburg, - - Alaska
The New yorl< I
- Pool Billiard And Card Room jj
Dick Kuwata, Prop.