Evening star., 1923-07-19
HOOVER PLEDGES
ALASKAN REFORMS
Steps Opening Way to Prog
ress to Come Within Three
t Months, He Declares.
BY the Associa ted Press.

BY the Associated Press
ANCHORAGE. Alaska. July ia
pledge that steps would be taken
within three months which would
place Alaska more in the way of
progress than ever before has been
given the people of the territory by
Herbert Hoover. Secretary OF the De-
partment OF Commerce. Speaking at
a dinner of the chamber of commerce.
the Secretary said:
Within the next three months we
shall effect some measures that will
coordinate Alaska better than here
tofore, so that out of this we may do
something worth doing, The great
est thing we might do is to establish
happy cooperation, to build new
country so that Alaska will have Il
greater mission and vision to Amer
lea than the matter of control of her
nSherleS and lands. She has the
building OF a great state"
Sees Several States.
Secretary Hoover pointed out that
Alaska would not be developed in
great rushes like Oklahoma and CAL
ifornia. but some day would develop
four or five great states"
This" he said, must come by
steady accretion of people, step by
step, that come here to obtain bet
ter livelihood and Il better standard
of living. We must remember it is
q place of greater possibility and Of
tremendous resources and there can
be no full government until you
are able to carry that burden
At a fisheries hearing, Secretary
Hoover took "A vote on the question,
shall we abolish big traps" and re-
ceived unanimous vote Singing
out a man who conducts a small trap.
Mr.. Hoover said:
1t seems the people want a sys-
TEN whereby fishing in Alaska will be
done by men like you, which will
give you population. instead of i'm
porting such labor, as complained Of"
Fears End of Canning.
A cannery man asserted that abo-
Htion of the big trap would end
canning in AjisEa AdTocates of
abolition recommended the use of
small traps with limitation of the
pack and maintenance Of reservations
Mr. Hoover announced that a broad
policy would be adopted. and that
there would be rules governing each
district separately. He said that a
blanket reservation would be insult
able.
Secretary Work of the Interior De-
partment in an address said:
Some people told me that the Alas
kans wanted everything. | have been
disilluSioned. II seems they do not
want anything but to he allowed to
live here the same as elsewhere. |
think Alaska could produce enough
food for her own people if the popula-
tion were a million"
Wouid Relax Restrictions.
William Spry. former Governor of
Utah ami now commissioner of the
general land Office, stated to the As
sociated Press:
We must relax the restrictions and
encourage big capital to come TO
Alaska and inClude' 4. more liberal
policy toward mining and coal lands"
This was seconded by Secretary
Work. who said MANY Things are
needed for developing AlaSka's re-
sources-more liherality and an easier
way of doing business than hereto
fore"
AS sau2ed from the hearings, Sec
retary HOOyer'S announcement is be-
lieved here to indicate that a con-
solidafSd board To adr,flis;rare the
territory, -ordin2ting the various
bureaus and the abolition of large
traps az soon as a substitute can be
round. are new policies to be estab-
Iished.
BLAMEs FREIGHT RATES.