Seward daily gateway., 1933-07-14
SEATTLE ARTICLE AIRS MULTITUDE
 OF GRIEVIENCES
EDITORS NOTE-The following article is being republished all most in its entirety from the June, 1883, issue of the Railway and Marine News, published at Seattle.
By Robert c. Hill


 Seattle waterfront gossip in re- cent weeks has actively concerned itself with the tranSportat tion by vessels of the Bureau of Indian Af- fairs of two cargoeS of creoSoted ties from Seattle to Seward, Alas ka, for the Alaska Railroad. This has naturally revived the unsettled argument over the propriety of government vessels competing with private tonnag t age on esta blished routes.
 The Department justifies it's ac- tion on the ground of economy. The opposition protests that bids were not called for and asserts that regular lines should at least have the opportunity of bidding on government business.
 The situation places the Govern ment in contradictory position. Federal attitude toward the i'm portant shipping industry is one of inconsistency.
 Government competition to Alas ka has aroused more opposition this year because private lines have found it increasingly difficult to obtain cargo Alaska is suffering from reduced buying power, cur tailed industrial operations and de- creased tourist travel, due to gen. eral conditions. Vessels, which in past years were chartered by fed eral bureaus, are unable to find business. The regular lines are feeling the depression keenly and the loss of government business is adding to their distress Increasing encroachment of the government is being severely criticized.
 The shipping industry recognizes that the government must perform certain functions, mainly of a hu- manitarian and disciplinary na- ture, particularly in Alaska. The laws must be executed, the schools must be supplied, aids to naviga- tion kept in condition, fishing and other regulations enforced, police and patrol duties performed and medical attention given the na- tives. But when government ships carry freight in direct competition with regularly established lines or at higher cost than can be done by chartered vessels owned by private capital, waterfront opinion is that Uncle Sam is taking an unfair ad- vantage of taxpyers who have their money invested in the merchant ', marine
 The Interior and Navy Depart ments and the Lighthouse Service, according to Seattle shipping men, have been the chief offenders in competing with commercial ton- mage on Alaskan routes. The Bur- eau of Indian Affairs, the Navy sending transports to the Pribilof Islands and elsewhere in the North and the Lighthouse service using it's tenders to carry freight from Seattle have taken much cargo that commercial operators claim they could have handled to the governments profit and satisfac- tion. However, some government bureaus use commercial lines ex- clusively
 The old argument flared into raging controversy last month when the Bureau of Indian Affairs pressed the motorship Boxer into service, dispatching her to Seward with the second shipment of treat ed ties for the Alaska Railroad, the motorship North Star having pre- viously taken the first cargo. Both voyages were made in direct com- petition with regular commercial service and bids for freighting the material were not invited.
 Because he says the government is thereby saving money, the use Iof the North Star and the Boxer
 (COntinued on Page Twol