The Daily Alaska empire., 1933-11-24

avowed frankly he would recognize the human element in the fisheries and expressed his lntehoh that insofar it in his power, he Wouio promulgate such regulations to make it possible for every worker employed to earn decent wage. Since that time he informed the salmon packers and owners of fish traps that he would reduce the number of traps operated last year by one hundred The Indian organization in passing this resolution showed but little faith in his good intentions or ability to put them into effect.
 Of course as Past President Frank G. Johnson told the Chamber of Commerce, the Alaska Native Brotherhood has main plank in It's program and that is abolition of the fish trap Presumably, when it set up the Canadian system of tshery administration ideal it had in mind the 1act that the fish trap is largely prohibited in Canadian waters.
 There are features to the Canadian system which in their very nature violate the American custom of free fishery. The Province of British Coiumola' whose salmon fishery is almost Identical Tn Kno' if not in extent, with that of Southeast Alaska, a system tof licenses to control the take as well as the production of salmon. Its waters ana coastline are divided into a number of districts. Licenses are required for canneries and for flsh- ermen maximum number of licenses Of both kind is fixed in each district. After that nunlpei has been issued, no additional ones can De hao either by persons desiring to fish or by those sees to establish canneries In other words, those Wllo come first are served and the late corners are oeheo chance to make of natural resource WHICH, in Alaska is entirely to all or denied to aii Another feature of the licensing system that VoiaIeS conception of free use of fisheries IS che
 limitation placed upon the holders of permits Fish ermen holding permits can fish only m the oiSliic' they cover and can sell only to canneres located in, thot ctrirt Hold of may establish and operate plant only in the district to which it applies, and can purchase fish taken only in the district in which it is located
 We think that the fishery resolution of the Alaska Native Brotherhood was passed without iui knowledge of the Canadian system and without comprehensive and fair understanding Of all the clements in the local situation.
 We would regret to believe that it represented the sentiment the Indian population of Southeast Alaska The toga of American citizenship is some thing not lightly bestowed and should not be cast aside as garment which outworn or outmoded' is discarded for new style. It not only bestows certain privileges and grants certain rights to it's wearers but it requires of them also certain duties and imposes definite obligations, so that to be a competent citizen not only enjoys the bene1l1s pertaining thereto but performs willingly and falth- fully the duties and lives up to the ophgatlons imposed And despite the fact that some fifteen million American wage earners were without jobs for many months, and most of them with depend ents aggregating millions, knew want greater than has been experienced by any Alaskan, it has yet to be recorded that any of them petitioned Congress to wipe out the Declaration of Independence, cast aside the Constitution of the United States and beseech King George to take us back into the fold of Great Britain. It has remained for the Alaska Native Brotherhood to suggest that British citizen ship without fish traps is preferable to American with fish traps.
 The Indians of Southeast Alaska, who claim citizenship by virtue of an Act of Congress of a decade ago. show little appreciation of the great dis tincon conferred upon them by that Act-if it does apply to them-in expressing willingness to throw it away unless Congress meets their every demand and passes what they consider fair legislation on the fisheries. And we do not believe that the average Indian resident of Southeast Alaska or that majority of them favor any such action.
 The Settl hpip of 273