The Daily Alaska empire., 1933-01-18

'
 the seiner. But the conditions as I see them now are such that we have got to give the natives and others a chance to make a living. I would therefore favor making regulations fair both to traps and sainers.
 For instance, I would cut down the trap season perhaps by one week and then let the seiners fish teng days longer The trap men are satisfied, now to close Aug ust 16 around Ketchikan. Why not let the seiner fish humpies until September l, and let him fish CO., hoes and chums from then on? What About Bayn, Inlets? The main thing about the fu-. ture runs of salmon is to allow enough escapement Aside from that, it doesn't make any differ ence where the fish are caught. Supposing the seines do catch the fish in bays and inlets What is the difference? If we let l0.000,- 0Co out of 30,000,000 fish get up stream, surely the cannerymen will be satisfied to let the resi- dents catch enough fish to make living. This. would greatly re- lieve the Restitution among our Alaska people who should be the first to be considered. feafA
 "The. conditions are so serious that immediate action is necessary In a letter to the Secretary of Commerce, MT. OMally recently said that 658 natives employed by six cannsries in Southeastern AL aska. earned $36,00o. Unless you take your pencil this sounds very big, but it only amounts to $50 each-not much to spend with our local business men to buy boots, clothes, flour and spuds or to re- pair boats and engines. each year. 4 Lccal Labor and Supplies Il think the time has come for the business men of Alaska to get together, on this question. We all Yknow what the trouble is. Let us take proper action as individuals by writing letters, and through our commercial bodies, and by friendly conferences with the big cannerymen and MT. O'Malley, see | if this unsatisfactory condition cannot be changed without hurt
 ing anybody. I intend to make these representations to the can
 nerymen around Seattle and san Francisco and with MT. OManey,li 2 and I hope the people of Alaska
 will give me support for I am sat- isfied that I have not overesti- mated the conditions.
 Ut is up to the canneries to employ as much local labor as pos
 sible in Alaska at living wage "A very small percentage of our
 people can get work even for the short season of five or six weeks. The canneries should purchase ev-
 egything they can in Alaska where
 1t, will make but little loss to them, as they certainly realize some
 change must take place. Amplifies His Views
 On the following day after this
 statement appeared, Mir. Heckman
 amplified his views as follows: First If you were in MT. O.
 Malley's place, what would you do
 at this timer T would start by regulating the
 traps SD they would catch say 25
 per cent less fish than they do \ now. Then I would watch the re-
 suit. I would throw all the. bays
 and inlets open to seining, thus l allowing the seiners to catch this l25 per cent and make an honest I living. 1T would close down the traps
 at the present closing dates (Aug- ust Is for Ketehikan) and allow
 the seiners to fish for humpies till September :. and allow seines to fish for echoes and chums theraa f+ar leavir,o a clOsa insnao