The Nenana news., 1917-12-29
BARKING UP THE WRONG TREE

The fact that Governor Strong has been granted authority to sus- pend the new territorial eight-hour law, in whole or in part, for the duration of the war, when requested to do so by the council of national defense, or the secretary of the in terior, is just now the subject of general discussion throughout the territory and strong pressure is be- ing brought to bear on the governor to suspend certain restrictions con- tained in the act.
 The fishing industry, it is asserted, will suffer greatly if the law is en- forced, resulting in curtailment of the nations food supply. It is claimed also that the mining indus try will be equally hard hit if the hours of labor in the mines are re- duced at this time. Territorial Mine Inspector William Maloney declares that the development of the terri tory will receive tremendous set back if the law is enforced, owing to the shortage of labor which will be created.
 We know little about the fishing industry beyond the fact that large numbers of foreign laborers are inn ported annually by the fish com panies. They are not a part of Alaska and the money they receive does not benefit Alaska, for the reason that they do not receive it until they have returned to the States at the close of each season. If the eight-hour law is enforced, it probably will be necessary for the fish companies to import more of the foreigners each season and .he wages likely will be reduced or the products of the canneries advanced in price. But in any case, the problem, as we see it, is one for the govern ment to deal with, rather than Alaska, since it does not concern working conditions among Northern CTS. -...
 With the mining industry, it is entirely different. The men who work in the mines are the ones who are chiefly responsible for the en- actment of the eight-hour law. They voted for it at the polls and it is generally admitted that eight hours is quite sufficiently long period of labor for men engaged in that arduous industry In view of the fact that these men who have played such an important part in the de- velopment of the territory finally succeeded in securing the passage of law designed for their par ticular benefit, it is not good logic for our mine inspector to argue that the enforcement of the law will cause a shortage of labor. It Is easier to believe that shortage of labor will result if the law is not enforced, for comparatively few Of our miners will continue to work ten hours, in Alaska, when th..y ca find eight-hour jobs almost any where in the States. To keep them in the country it will be necessary to improve working conditions by making the hours of labor more at tractive and the payment of wages more certain.
 We fail to see how the develop ment of the territory can be re tarded seriously by granting the r. quest of the men who are dolng the develop;ns The trouble with the mining industry is that it already has been throttled by excessive transportation charges and the ad- vanced cost of provisions and other supplies. Development stopped in Interior Alaska when it was found that the transportation companies and Outside manufacturers were ab- sorbing all the profits. And wa cannot hope for a resumption ot mining activities until the govern ment has made it possible for us to land freight in the Interior at reasonable cost, by providing us with cheaper transportation and ell nina ting excessive profits.