The Alaska daily empire., 1923-03-21


 of the Bureau of Fisheries, he ex- claimed, despite the fact that it knew the record of the companies. The closing eff the Karluk fisheries to .he Ou2lnka cannery means that it cannot operate at profit and is a discrimination in favor of the dis. loyal corporations" against men who entered the service of the company in defense of rights which they thought they enjoyed here, he said Law of 1906 Abrogated Continuing his attack on the Blu reau of Fisheries, Delegate Suther- land charged that it had abrogated the Fisheries Act of 1906, settling it l aside in favor of the reserve sys- tenn. It gave the Department of Com merce power to set aside streams and lakes for spawning purposes or to limit or close fishing when the depredations became menacing to fu- ture supplies. That, he argued, rep resented the view of Congress. Un- der it, he continued, no man would assume he was given the power to give away the fisheries. In so doing under the reserve policy, all the laws of fisheries were reversed. He quot ed from the hearings held several months ago at Seattle in connection with the establishment of the South western Alaska Fisheries Reserve, at which time he quoted Commissioner OiMalley ais saying that in the past under the law of 1906 hearings were obligatory but under the new policy none were required but that the one then in progress had been called in order that the Bureau might be fair to everyone. This, he characterized, as the most arrogant position ever taken by a public official and with out precedent as an arbitrary posi- tion
 He called Ee. the attention of mem- bers Of the Legislature photographs distributed by him of heavy logs into which large spikes had been driven. These, he said, had 'been placed in the waters off the moaith of Karluk River last year by the boats of the big companies to destroy the seines of independent fishermen. He charged that the representative Of the Bureau of Fisheries there on the ground had stood by and watched that kind of work done without any protest. If it had been the acts of independent fishermen, he further charged, those responsible would have been in jail in three days on charge of sabotage for doing that for which the big companies were approved by the Bureau of Fisheries, and permitted to do all last summer "The Bureau of Fisheries has lived with the big packers sof long that 1t believes the fish belong to them and must be permitted to come to the streams to be caught" he said.
 Destroy Cheaper Grades
 He quoted from letter written by Andrew Groswold, merchant in the affected district, in which 1t was charged that cameres operated by certain big companies destroyed pinks taken in their traps and canned only the reds; that Bureau inspectors were transported, wined and dined aboard the cannery boats and either overlooked lthe practices of the com panies or lured away on various pretexts while laws and regulations were violated
 No Real Conservation
 The permits issued by the Depart ment do not indicate, any real effort to conserve the salmon of Western Alaska. said tho Delegate. He quot cd from certain canneries' pack linn it's, all of which he said are higher for 1923 than for the last five-year average packs.
 He had been approached. he asid, by canneryme1 in Seattle who asked him to lay off tho subject and give the reserve system years tryout, assuring him if 1t was unsuccessful at the end of that time. they would join him in getting 1t set aside. He urged members of the Legisla- ture not to be misled by this propa- ganda. It is not anyone's intention to make this system temporary thing but 1t lis designed for per manency, he declared. Don't be fooled into a trial of the suspension of your natural rights, he continued, q ask you as Legislature to see that it is not done" He disputed the claims of the Bureau of Fisher ] ies that reserves are adopted as an expedient, temporary arrangement until Congress- Now it is not!' he l asserted, adding that the Bureau for 1 got 1t is on record. 1t wants and has asked Congress for absolute power to parcel out Alaskan fisher ies," he added.
 Blocks Legislation
 He. charged the Department oi Commerce with blocking Legislation to deal with the situation, saying that two men, whom he did not name had been able to keep Congress from acting on the White bill, the enact Inent of which a majority of th' House Committee favored. Thaf bill. he said, is merely a re-enact ment of section B of the Magni Charta. Had that measure beei