The Nome nugget., 1921-03-05
ALASKA BUREAU
 NEWS LETTER


 Alaska by the present Consree will very probably be limited to the ap- organizations for Federal activities and to a bill permitting of homeetAd en- try on lands now reserved for coal. This latter measure has been before Congress for some time and it's pass age will result in relief to a number of homesteaders who nave settled in the Cook Inlet region. The law will reserve all coal rights but will permit of title being granted % the surface, said J. L.. McPrefson. assistant to the president of the Chamber of Com- merce today. MT. McPherson. who has just re- turned from Washington, D. C., pre- dicted however, that -he next Con- gress will enact laws that will permit AElhka to develop. Mr. McPherson went to the national c,pitl Dec. 1 at the requdst of Congressman Charles F. Curry. chairman of :he house com- mittee on territories. who is anxious to have hearings on the Alaska devel- opunent board measure begin as soon as possible.
 Finding. however, that it would be probably impossible to complete the hearings before the committees of both Houses during the short session and secure action by both the II use and Senate, it was deemed inad~i sable by Chairman Charles +. Curry. ane Sen ator Harry New of Indiana. who is the chairman of the Senate coman:ttee on the Territories. to begin the hear ings at this session. as the work would all have to be done over by the new Congress and there will be q number of changes in the personnel of these committees. It is Chairman Curry's intention to begin hearings as soon as possible after the organization of the new Congress is completed.
 Although no word has come from Senator Harding as to when the extra session will be called. it is the con- census of opinion of both the leaders of the Senate and House tha. it vii be probably the middle of March.
 It is tht, intention of Alaska's friends in Congress to initiate a policy that will result in local industries in AL aska, and in the encou1.a cement oi settlement by q home- building citi. zenry. and further to provide for q coordinated administration of federal affairs in Ala ska that can be held re. sponsible for esults-
 Mr. McPherson mad conference with President elect Harding q. Mar ion and presented him with a fine al- bum of Alaska views. on behalf of the Alaska bureau of the Seattle Chamber of Commerce and invited him to visit Seattle and the territory. Senator Harding remarked: Tt has been a dream of mine to visit Alaska" /" Mir. McPherson will return to Washington ID. c. when the senate and house committees take up the Alaska devaI- oIment hoard measure at the next ses- ion
 Seattle is dil actly concerned with the success of the educational cam Daign to be carried on by the salm ,r packers in an effort to move the m:, lions of cases of salmon now stored in termina Is in Seattle. is shown in the rt port submitted to the n ustees of tho Chamber of Commerce.
 With the sluggish salmon market and the public insisting on .he red salmon. thereby leaving the pink and chm salmon unnarketed. the pa ;. CTS are face to face with a ser.ous sftua ton. and the report made to the of the Chamber empha sized how intimately Seattle and the can. ling industry are connected. The re- por showed that any disaster to the saDnon industry would be q vital blow 1t Seattle.
 The Chamber has sent a wire to the states delegation at Washington. D. c.. urging that every effort be made o have congress act favaratly on the recommendation of ths bureau of fish. ,sies for a $2o.Ooo appropriation to the sale of the cheaper. grade # salmon. A tariff to protect Amer. can salmon and save the industry WIS l1so urged.
 During lsis. our pack statistics how that Alaska and Puget Sound listrict produced 5.ss7. .s27 casety from 6S carneries, out of which quantity '.9S6.000 cases were handled through he city of Sea title. Gu. of the 1920 'ack. from 153 canneries Which accord.