The Alaska daily empire., 1921-07-14
PROPOSED GOVT.
 SHIPPI IN 6 LINE
 PLAN UNFAv0RED
Business Men Believe Limited Service Offered Would
 Injure Alaska.

 Cummins for consolidation of the government bureaus functioning in Alaska by conferring upon the Presi- dent all the powers now possessed by them and authorizing him to dele gate the same authority to a single department, if found necessary, and also establishing q government steamer line between Alaska. The steamer plan, as outlined in the bill is being questioned by prom inent Alaskans who are inclined to believe that it's adoption would not only injure those ports not included in the route, but also those on the route.
 The bill provides that the pro. posed government line shall operate from ports touched by the govern ment railroad and the mainland of the United States In other words, government owned steamers can be put on between Seward and Anchor age and Puget Sound or other Pa cifie Coast points, but not including any other Alaskan ports as ports of call Local business men doubt the wisdom of the scheme and are in clined to believe that it would re- suit in material curtailment of the present commercial shipping lines raise in rates to compensate owners possibly a complete cessation, for the present at least. of all commer cfal service to Western Alaska points on the Alaska Peninsula.
 This sentiment was voiced this morning by Charles Goldstein, chair man of the transportation committee of the Juneau Commercial Associa tion. Operation of such line would be fatal to virtually all of the coastal sections of the Territory, said MT. Goldstein. 'It would re- suit in fewer boats to both South eastern and Central Alaska and ces sation, probably of what little sery ice is now maintained to Kodiak, Cold Bay and other Alaska Penin- sula points, MT. Goldstein inti- mated that the subject would be brought to the attention of the To- cal Commercial Association and through it with other business men's 5 organizations in the Territory
 !! The text of the bill reads:
 Section, l. .. The President. is au- thorized to consolidate. fn&any execu tive department of the government of the United States or redistribute among the several executive depart ments the powers and duties which have been vested in any or all of said departments relating to the peo- pie and the property and interests of the United States in the Terri tory of Alaska whenever in his judg ment the administration of such pow CTS and duties would be more eff consolidation or redistribution. His findings in that regard shall be in writing and filed with the head or heads of the executive department or departments affected thereby, and shall constitute a public record.
 Sec 2. In the exercise of the au- thority granted in section l hereof, the President may make such trans fer, either by detail or assignment, of the personnel of any executive de- partment to. any other department as may be necessary to accomplish the purposes of this act, together with the whole or any part of the records and public property requisite to make the consolidation, redistri- button or transfer effective.
 Sec. B. For the. purposes of carry ing out the provisions of this act, any moneys heretofore or hereafter appropriated for the use of any such executive department shall be ex- pended only for the purposes Tor which appropriated under the direc tion of such department as the Pres ident may have directed to form and execute said function.
 Sec. A. The United Ssates Ship ping Board is hereby directed to transfer to the Secretary of the In terior such ships as may be designat ed by the President, of suitable ca pacity for the transportation of per sons and property, including our mil itary and naval forces, the United States mails and other government property and thereafter the govern ment of Alaska. in the said ships or some of them, shall constitute con tinuous line of transportation from such points in Alaska as are reached by the said railroad and the main land of the United States, and said entire line of transportation shall be under the management of the Secretary of the Interior. The In terstate Commerce Commission shall have the same jurisdiction over the combined line of land and water transportation as it would have IT the transportation points in Alaska to the mainland of the United States were wholly by rail.