The Daily Alaska empire., 1936-12-04
ESK|M0S 0. K. |HAWKESW 0RTH
 SAYS ON RETURN
Lab els Reports of Arctic Starvation Last Spring
 Slightly Exaggerated

Reports emanating from the Arc tic last Spring that Eskimos were starving, primarily because wolves were killing off the reindeer in huge numbers, were termed exaggerated" by Charles w. Hawkesworth, Assist ant Director of Education of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, who re- turned to Juneau on the North Star this morning after a first hand investigation of the reported conditions extending over a period of four months.
 The Indian Bureau official, who was delegated to the Arctic survey following repeated cries of distress from the ice-bound north, declared there had been depredations by the wolves and that some of the natives had suffered due to unusual condi- tions, but that on the whole his in- vestigation had shown the ravages had not been as severe as reported He dubbed the report of Charles Brower veteran Point Barrow trad- CT made last spring, that wolves were killing off the reindeer at the rate of 100 per day as slightly ex- aggerated."
 Natives Progressing
 "The reindeer" Hawkesworth said, ''is the economic pivot on which swings the progress of the Arctic Native. The fact that there are as many as 80,000 deer in one herd in that area would indicate that there is not shortage of reindeer"
 He declared there are plenty of animals and that in addition ade- quate supplies of food had been dis patched from Point Barrow to Cape Halkett and other communities east of Point Barrow so that all the na- tives now are in excellent shape.
 Pointing further to the economic progress of the inhabitants of the north he explained that the use of coal and petroleum in the district had now become universal. The old seal oil lamp for heat has been abandoned, he said, and the Eski- mos are getting their fuel from the coal fields near Wainwright and the petroleum from just east of Point Barrow. The petroleum, he explained, is cut in large pieces and burned in fire boxes on stones much the same as burning coal
 The people are in good shape" he stated.
 Demand for Ivory
 There is growing demand for ivory, the official added, and this, too, gives an economic resource to the natives of the north, who pro- duce many rare ivory articles.
 Mr. Hawkesworth spent four months on his survey. He left here on the North Star last August T and enroute north visited many of the Indian Bureau stations. Arriv- ing in Barrow early in September, the vessel lay there for some time and the official supervised sending of supplies to points east of that community. The North Star was delayed in departure from the Arc tic outpost for several days due to the incoming ice behind which she had to lay until 1t receded. Going out, she damaged propeller blade which slowed the vessel down on the rest of her journey to about seven knots an hour. The vibration later caused the ships shoe to break with the result that it was necessary to make repairs with cable. As soon as she limps into Seattle, the ves- sel will be put on the ways for com- plete repair.
 Enroute south, the well known official sprained his ankle, and is still getting around with the aid of cane.