The Wrangell sentinel., 1938-09-09

One of the most astonishing sit nations with which the people of Alaska are confronted, is the spec taele Of the so-called Alaska Labor Unions in their relationship with the outside racketeers.
 As far as Alaskans are concerned. these Unions might as well be labei- ed Made in Japan" The local or- ganizations are merely subsidiaries of the Seattle, San Francisco and other outside Unions where the grating officers live in comfort Jn the dues paid by the suckers.
 Let Us briefly review the situa- tion. Approximately twenty thous- and persons are employed in the salmon fisheries of Alaska each year. Of this number, about one half have been recruited from res ident Alaskans. Many sturdy Alaska fishermen. mostly of Scandinavian ancestry, industrious, law-abiding and home-loying people, have made this territory their home; have say ed their money, invested in fine boats, married and raised families, built comfortable houses and sent their children to the educational institutions of the territory and to the colleges of the states. All that they have or ever hope to have, :; invested in this northland.
 Thousands of Indians, the orig inal owners of this territory, depend for a livelihood on fishing and working in the canneries and her ring salteries.
 About ten years ago a smart alien conceived the idea that the Alaska fisheries presented a fine field for exploitation and organized at Sam Francisco, the so-called Alaska Fishermens Union. He opened up a dingy office on the waterfront and proceeded to recruit members from the San Francisco fishermen who either had made or wished to make summer trips to the red sal mon fisheries of Bristol Bay and Boring Sea. The season is short in that district and there are few residents in that section of Alas ka, by reason of the severity of the winters. The fishing is highly profitable for the short season IS no part of the world has such an abundance of fine salmon and fishermen often make more than two thousand dollars during the summer. The demand for jobs in Bristol Bay made it easy for the alien Alaska Fisserman's Union to obtain members at $25.00 a head and it was not long until the graft was extended to include the entire territory. Some Alaskans had been fishing in Bristol Bay for years, making annual trips from thelr homes in Kodiak, Seward and other coast towns and finding ready em- ployment by the canners, for their known ability as fishermen. Two years ago these men learned that the San Francisco Union had de- clared a closed shop ln these wa ters and would only permit resident Alaskans, not members of the San Francisco graft, to fish in the wa ters of their home land, on condi- tion that the canners pay Sc per fish over to the treasury of the SaI Francisco Union. For the past two seasons, this tribute of approxi- mately 20 percent has been exacted for the benefit of the outside rack eteers.
 At Haines. a cannery has notified Indian applicants for work, that the Union forbids the employment of Indians and that they are therefore shut out from a chance to make d living.
 At Metlakatla the Indians own the cannery as a community enter. prise. It is operated under lease which the Interior Department grants to the highest bidder, per. centage of the profits to be paid tc the community. For years the only