The Alaska daily empire., 1921-04-05
FISHERIES BILL IS EXPLAINED BY
 SENATOR BRITT
Author of Proposed Legis lative Measure Declares
 Salmon Must Be Saved.

The idea of the Britt Fisheries Bill, recently introduced, is to trans fer jurisdiction over Alaskan fish cries matters from a bureau situated 4000 miles away, to the people oi the Territory, who are the most di rectly concerned in them, according to Senator William E. Britt, author of the measure. MT. Britt makes nc claim that the bill in the form ir which it was introduced is an ideal solution, but states on the contrary that it is a working basis from which the solution most nearly suited to the need of the industry and in accord with the best intei ests of Alaska may be determine cd
 Some of the main features of the bill are reviewel in statement made today by Senator Britt as fol lows:
 Taking Proper Form ...
 '"I am thankful for the publicity the proposed fisheries bill has re- ceived, because only through puo- licity, discussion and suggestion can a bill of this kind get into proper form. I expected opposition to the bill because the man is not born, nor could committee be call ed together, that could draw a fish bill for Alaska suitable to all. Like hn af oil 1iund here for many years, and who eX- pect to live here the balance of their lives, I have seen to my great sorrow our salmon, our greatest re- source, being depleted while nothing has been done for it's conservation. Congress has enacted some laws, and the Bureau of Fisheries has issued numerous regulations, some good ones and some bad ones; but regulation of the fisheries of Alaska, even with the best of intention. can never be administered from Wash ington by officials personally un- familiar with local conditions. In enacting and carrying out it's own laws and regulations the Federal Government has failed, as it al ways must, when authority is vested in a bureau four thousand miles away, which does not even main tain local agent with discretionary powers, and with an allotment, for it's work that is pitifully small to the extreme.
 Follows Wick's Suggestion
 "Our Delegate to Congress for years, MT. Wickersham, knew that our salmon was doomed but did n)t do anything to prevent the destruc- tion. He simply could not. He was too wise a man to try to put forth a bill that would suit all concerned. He limited his efforts to fighting such bills as the Alexander bill and the Jones bill-and they were rightfully opposed. But still he said in his famous speech at the Coli scum in 1915. while the Territorial Legislature was in session, that, If you gentlemen of the Legislature do not enact q SulldDie Hoh VIII LOi Alaska during this session. you do not do your duty Mir. Sulzer also knew that our salmon was doomed under the present system. He wor' ried over 1t and worked hard to mas ter the details of the situation and introduced a bill which he thought might pass Congress. after being properly amended. although the bill very little suited him or others Personally he maintained that the only solution of the problem was tJ give the Territorial Legislature full power to act in the matter.
 States Assume Power
 'T have watched with keen inter est the fisheries legislation in Cali fornia. Oregon and Washington where conditions have been very much the same as in Alaska. These states have wrangled over fish leg islation until the state of Wash ington. during the last session Of it's legislature, had to grab the oGll by the horns and appoint a dictator