Seward daily gateway., 1932-05-05
ALASKA ITEMS OF INTEREST AT THE
 NATIONS CAPITOL

populations Committee to reduce the total of the amount allowed in the House bill to the Department of the Interior by 10 per cent. This was done and in the bill as passed by the Senate most of the reduc- tions were sustained As a result Alaska is affected and the Alaska Railroad appropriation was cut from $5OO,O0O to $450,O00. However, clause was inserted to include "operation and maintenance of agriculture experiment stations heretofore operated by the Depart ment of Agriculture on the line of the railroad" In making the ap- propriation of $34,300 for support of reindeer stations in Alaska, the following clause was inserted: "Pro- vided, That no part of this appro- priation shall be available for the payment of employees who are ex- perienced in animal husbandry." * x * *
 Col. James G. Steese, who spent seven and a half years in Alaska as president of the Alaska Road Commission, and who has been out of the Territory for nearly five years, is now serving as an eXecu- tive in business capacity in New York. He was visitor in Wash ington a few days ago and told of much-looked- -forward-t outing that he expects to take shortly. He will reach Fairbanks in time to be present at the commencement ex- ercises of the Alaska Agricultural College and School of Mines, on May B, and also to himself receive a college degree. He will then spend two or three weeks in other parts of the Territory.
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 An Alaska constituent who has been receiving a $68 per month pension for partial disability writes to inquire what amount in a lump sum settlement he would be enti- tied to receive. The Delegate took the matter up with the United States Employees Compensation Commission and the chairman ends a letter of information with the following statement: "The com mission has found, from experience that the payment of lump sum in lieu or regular installments of compensation is not advisable in the interest of the injured em- ployee. The unsatisfactory exper- fence which has followed where lump sum settlements have been made has caused the commission to practically discontinue making this form of settlement. In the case of an employee we'll advanced in years, the payment of compen- sation in regular monthly install ments would appear to be much more advantageous than the pay ment of a lump sum. It would, at least, insure the injured employee a regular income which would en- able him to be self-supporting during the remainder of his life and he would not be left to the un- certainty of safety investing the proceeds of lump sum payment"
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 The Senate h as reduced the amount appropriated by the House for the education of natives in AL aska from $69O,0OO to $650,OOO. The large reduction is $25,OOO for sal aries and $10,000 for equipment, etc. The rest is for travel expense and repairs. There is nothing al- lowed for operating the vessel Boxer, which is to be succeeded this summer by the new North Star, which will be finished and operating this month. No salary has been allowed for employees of the Shoemaker day school, which has just been completed near Wrangell, and it is feared that this school will not be able to open for another year unless more consid- eration is given it's necessities in the conference between the Senate and House committees.