The Daily Alaska empire., 1934-05-28
THE GOVERNMENT MUST ACT.

The tieup of shipping from Seattle to Alaska has long passed the acute stage. It is already havng damaging effects that each day grow worse Already labor in Alaska is being thrown into enforced ldle- ness by it's fellow aborers in Seattle and other Puget Sound ports And daily Alaskans who work with their hands, like the longshoremen will lose their source of employment long as the present situation is permitted to exist. Those who are being thrown out of work who are denied what is their sole opportunity to money for the coming Winter, are naturally sympathetic with the purpose of the striking longshoremen Yet they cannot be criticised for feeling that they are being unjusty treated
 Last week, Ketchikan buyers notified salmon trollers in that district they could handle no more fish Other local markets either have done so, or will be shortly be forced to- Halibut fishermen are feel ing the same effects Construction work of all kind is having to be curtaied and men laid off because the contractors can get materials These are some of the damages that have occurred.
 The total to date serious as it is, is but slight compared to what is threatened An absolute par aysis of all industry in the Territory is just ahead What that means is beyond calculation. It entails economic ruin for many, disaster for all. And out of it. must inevitably follow social chaos, distress and suffering for the children whom the Territory now provides their mothers, the aged whom it feeds and clothes and houses. Schools cannot be oper- ated as they now are The entire child welfare and social welfare program as well the educational activities of the Territory will have to be sus- pended Without funds in it's Treasury, Alaska can not maintain any of these functions It cannot issue bonds to obtain funds. It is forbidden by it's Constitution from mourning indebtedness. It de- bends upon it's taxes for money Its tax system is based almost entirely upon production rather than property. If it's industries cannot operate there is nothing upon which to levy taxes.
 These facts have been set up forcefully and repeatedly by Gov Troy and all of the organza- tions and individuals who cooperating with him in the effort to have a truce declared on Alaska shipping. They known to the striking unions. Federal officers have been informed of them.
 The concessions granted by the Puget Sound strikers while appreciated, matter of fact do not come so meeting current needs They do not give Alaska fishermen chance to ship his products to the Statess markets. They do not give our threatened industries any sort of provision for relief
 Weeks have elapsed and the end of the tieup is apparently far away as ever Efforts at negotiations have been miserable failures. We do not pretend to say that the unions are wholly responsible for that. But they are absolutely re- sponsibe for not exempting shipping to Alaska. And because they are, because have no recourse left because we are at the mercy of men over whom have check or restraint, we have the right to demand that the Government itself step in ano force the opening of the ports upon which we depend for very lives