The Alaska daily empire., 1922-06-22
Sutherland on Fisheries.
(Ketchikan Chronicle.) )


 In an interview with Frank P. Gross, published in the Seattle Post-Intoligencer June 5, and pre- sumably in all the Hearst papers of the same day Dan Sutherand Delegate from Alaska, makes some rather startling charges against the Bureau of Fish cries, the Department of Justice, and the fisheries interests of Alaska.
 At point in the interview relative to the orders of the Department of Justice to take lonary against fish piracy in the tory MT. Sutherland says:
 "The large cannery interests of Alaska assisted lat every turn by the United States Bureau of Fish Eeries which really is an adjunct the packers and hunder their domination and control, in their work Of usurping public fishery rights and obtaining special privilege and monopolisc control of the natural food Isuppy of the nation."
 And again. further along he says:
 "The record of the disloyalty and criminal avarice of the large packing interests of Alaska is in the De partment of Justice and has been there for period Eof two years.
 These fellows sold to the United States Army over 100 900 cases of decomposed and putrd salmon land representatives of the Bureau of Chemistry tes fled under oath that it rotten and unfit for human consumption when it placed in the There was enough of this poisonous stuff sold to the army Ito have sckened and perhaps killed all the American forces, it done deliberately, cold bloodedly and avarciousy."
 And still further along, he says:
 This entire matter inspected by committee lof house members headed by Representative Graham of Illinois"
 Without any refutal on the part of Mr Sutherland it may be assumed that Ee is quoted correctly
 Regarding his first charge, it is not believable that pr. OMalley, head of the Bureau Fisheries. the selected by President Harding for that i'm porant position, is in league with any interest, under the domination, control influence any monoposts. Dr. O'Malley is man of the highest type, of the greatest authorities in the world fisheries, and in whom President Harding was amply justified in placing the confidence which he has imposed in him. The statement of the Dele gate from Alaska that he is under the control any one is not sufficient.
 of the canneres put up rotten fish, and did it deliber lately. Here agree with the Delegate in part. There was some putrid fish put and of the fnerymen knew it and are entitled to consideration, kfor they hurt only themselves especially the packers who were and putting up splendid product But this matter, the Delegate says, has been given to the Department of Justice and with the head of the Bureau of Fshereis, it is unthink able that Harry Daugherty, the who conducted President Hardngs campaign, who has been his per sonal friend for many years and who chosen by him for Attorney General, is also under the dom inaton of the fish trust, so-caled.
 And above all, at this time of year. when the fisheries season is starting nothing could be greater slam at the canneries the fishermen to plaster all the front of the Hearst papers and others receying the Universal News Service that Alaska salmon is rotten and that it is likely poison the whole country. The article alone will put thousands of people in such frame of mind that they simply will be unable to bring themselves to port where they will buy salmon
 Also in the same interview the Delegate inmates that the District Attorneys and Judges Alaska are also in league with the cannery interests to permit them to escape adequate punishment. No answer is needed to that implication.
 The whole matter arises over the decision of the Department of Justice to enforce the law to protect property and legitimate fishermen against pirates and others The Delegate gives the inference that there is nothing to such charges of piracy. Such the case however. of these were tried in Junau. before jurymen who certainly in the contro of the interests" and ended in verdics of guilty.
 The efforts being put forward by the Deparme of Justice, under the direction of Attorney General Daugherty, do harm to any legitimate fisher men, and it is no knock against them. Attorney General Daugherty and the head of the Bureau of Fisheries have repeatedly shown that they are entitled to the confidence which the President has placed in them.