Seward daily gateway., 1923-09-29

IeITlllOIy Ol Aidohd du uA1ColA doiC and criminal class.
 In brief, we find conditions in the Bristol Bay district most deplorable and alarming, especially with regards to narcotics and bringing in of fire arms by Oriental foremen and mem bers of the China crews. There seems to be no provision made for prevent Ing men employed by the canueries, ard especially OrientalS, from bring ing all kinds of firearms with them to the fishing grounds. We believe tha, many of the crimes committed in the BristO! Bay district is due to permit ting Crientals to have firearms which they use on slight proyocation, result ing in murder, assault and crimes.
 We also beg to report tha, il ap'- pears from our investigation thar on account of the poor food furnished by many ol the contractors, the men are forced 10 supplement 1heir raticns with purchases from the commlssary and what is known as the slop chest, which are sold to them by the fore men of the China gangs and Oriental contractors at exorbitant prices. Many cases are reported where the earnings of the men were consumed in pur- chasing food to supplement the def ciency of rations and when the men finished the season and returned to the States they were indebted to the companies.
 We further wish to call tine Courts attention to the nature of contract under which these men are employed and which they are compelled to sign before leaving the States to go to the fishing fields. These contracts leave the men at the mercy of the Oriental contractors, and under their terms slight infractions of the onerous reg ulations will and do result in penal ties which consume the wages Of the workers.
 We further report that meI are employed for cannery wolk in the packing of fisu in the fishing fields in Bristol Bay and other fishing dis tricts, who are subject to no adequate medical examination, otherwise it would not be possible for men with yenereal diseases or extreme drug ad- diets to enter the employ of the com panies.
 We further find that nu adequate examination or inspection is made of men who have the actual handling ot the fish products as reported above, as to their being infected with conta- gious and loathsome diseases.
 Alaskan fishing and especially sal mon is one of the nations greatest food supplies, and yet it appears rha there has never been any government supervision to guarantee the cleanli- ness, purity and wholc3omeness ot the product packed. The only action taken along these lines that the Grand Jury is aware of is that in rare cases where the fish are decayed before be- ing packed, parts of the pack have been condemned. If there were inspec tors in the buildings at all times, not only the quality of the fish to be packed, but the cleanliness of the buildings and employees and the sani- tary conditions, the danger of con- tamination would be avoided.
 Many of the matters and conditions set forth demand legal action and prosecution, but this Grand Jury did not convene until after the crews had departed from the fishing fields and scattered throughout the country and 1t was impossible, except in a few in stances, to obtain the necessary proof for conviction, but we. have not the slightest doubt that conditions are as bad as set forth above and worse.
 We Therefore recommend:
 First That rigid inspection be re~ qulred of cannery employees at the port Of departure on the Pacific coast to ascertain whether the men to be employed are infected with venereal or other diseases. We also suggest that the examination so made shall cover the question of whether or not such candidates for employment are narcotic addicts, and if found to be diseased or addicted to the use of narcotics, they be refused employ ment and not be taken to the fishing fields in Alaska.
 Second: We recommend that nar- cotic officers be placed on board these ships at the time of leaving port for the fishing fields and after they have
 Continued on Page Five)