The Alaska daily empire., 1922-07-19
.BEYER EXPLAINS ABOUT HERRING
 AND INDUSTRY
Alaska Herring Man Says Protection Needed Supply
 for Canning Is Unlimited.

JUNEAU, July 19.-Tu the Editor: Your article in yesterdays Empire. in which you quote me shows that you have partly misunderstood me, md as the article may hurt the herring trade in general I wish you would kindly permit me to supple ment it.
 Southeastern Alaska will in my opinion this year produce 100000 one half barrels (not whole barrels) of herring I expect to handle 10000 one-half barrels. I don't think il is possible to pack 100000 whole bar rels in Southeastern Alaska. while l do believe the district can pack LOGO 900 one-half barrels without i'm pairing the supply However there IS not and never will be market in he United States for pickled her ring to such an extent, as the aver age American does not eat salt her ring It is consumed exclusively by the foreign born population. especial ly by the conservative Jews. and, to a smaller extent, by the first genera ton of Scandinavians. Germans and Russians. The second generation of these foreign born people does not favor pickled herring. which is eaten raw, that is, cured, but not cooked.
 Europes Picked Herring
 In Europe the pickled herring is appreciated by the rich and poor. Norway, Great Britain, Germany, Sweden and Holland produced before the war about 4,000000 barrels a year, of which, however, 90 per cent were so-called full herring (with melt and roe developed). This fish was sold at exceedingly low prices-s2 to s7 per barrel, according to quality and size, and it can still be pro duced cheap, as European labor, bar rels, salt, freight, etc, are much lower than here The United States can never produce herring for the poor people in competition with Flu rope. The empty barrel. alone costs more than $2 here. Even today Flu rope produces 100000 barrels year ly. and with improving conditions abroad it will again increase it's pack 10 4,000, 900 barrels and more, as the supply of poor grade of herring is unlimited.
 Demand increasing
 The remaining 10 per cent of the pre-war European herring production consisted of matjes-that is, fat, early herring without melt or roe. Of thls variety being caught exclusively in Scotland and Ireland. it can only ducton, while the demand is in crossing in the United States. This Is the reason why Alaska has an ex- cellent opportunity to pack an in creasing quantity of pickled herring. It has an ample supply of the high grade of fish, which can stand the higher cost of materials and labor to some extent.
 But Scotland is sure again to in crease its pack of matjes. Alaska therefore needs tariff on the for eign herring to be able to compete in the long run The freight alone | from Alaska to the Eastern market | is $65O per barrel, notwithstanding that it has been considerably de- creased. The freight from Scotland 10 New York is hardly $2 per barrel Our costs for empty barrels, labor salt. etc.. is at least twice as great as that of the Scotch. Thus there is great need for further reduction of the cost of freight and materials.
 Need Worlds Markets l In order to be able to use it's ample supply of fat herring Alaska would need the markets of the world, which cannot be reached today. Un- iii the German and Russian markets open up it would be foolish to in crease the pack of Alaska much over this years output.
 A market could and should be worked up in the United States for canned herring. which is very SUI perior food article but now unknown 10 the public. The supply for can ning is unlimited, as the small her ring. not fitted for picking, is the best for canning purposes With the new machinery invented in Norway the canned herring can be produced 1t a low cost to compete favorably with canned salmon and sardines. AS T food it is as good if not superior 70 salmon. The salmon for canning purposes can be caught nearly all the year around. weather conditions per hitting, and something ought to bt done to give this industry a start Sincerely yours.