The Daily Alaska empire., 1939-12-22
GOV. SCORES NAVAL BASE CONTRACTORS
Rank Discrimination Found by 6ruening Against
 AIaskans al Sitka

Contractors on the Sitka and Kodiak naval airbase cOnstruc- tion projects were criticised se- verely today by Gov. Ernest Gruening for what he termed violation of the expressed pol icy of the Navy Department" to give Alaskans preference, or at least an even break, in em- ployment on the projects.
 Returning on the North Coast after a personal visit to the work at Sitka, the Governor today listed various outright discrim- nations against Alaskans on the work.
 GOING TO WASHINGTON
 The Governor said he would make a vigorous and continued protest to the Navy Department against the contractors atti- tude. He disclosed today he IS planning a trip to Washington next month and said he would take the matter up personally there with the Acting Secretary of the Navy.
 Contractors on the Sitka and Kodiak projects are the Seims- Spokane COmpan Johnson, Drake and Piper, Inc, and the Puget Sound Bridge and Dredg- ing Company.
 The Governors statement to- day was as follows:
 Governors Statement
 Ever since complaints from tn Territory concerning diScrimina tion against Alaskans on the nev projects at Sitka and Kodiak spon sored by the Navy Department be gan to reach me-and they be gan in Washington this fall while l was Director of the Division O Territories and Island Possession T have been endeavoring to as certain the facts on the basis O which I could more effectivel! bring the matter to the attention of the proper authorities.
 Delegate Dimond and I calleC on the Acting Secretary of the Nav and found him most appreciativ' of our position. The Acting Secre tary was unaware that any dis elimination had taken place O was intended, and eager to se' there should be none.
 Since coming to the Territor, I have made repeated efforts t get the facts. These efforts were answered only by generalities ant elusive statements of good inten tions not. to discriminate agains Alaskan workers, statements direct ly contradicted by such facts a came to me from other sources. decided to go to Sitka and see fo myself.
 "Grossest Kind of Discrimination T found, despite the statement of good intentions, the crosses kind of discrimination against Al askans has been and is being prac ticed on the project.
 T consider this an outrage. consider it a nullification of tn Administration purpose to in crease the population of Alaska b, making it possible for those wh have settled here to have the op portunity for making the liveli hood to which they are justly en titled.
 T found that the contrac signed between the labor union and contractors and approved b, the Navy Department (which to day has the right to cancel O alter as much of the contract a it sees fit), to contain the follow ing determinations:
 First in Each Craft
 First, in addition to the fore men and supervisors who ar brought up from the States, tn first man in every craft hired i specifically to be hired from tn United States. There is no reasol whatever for such discrimination In fact, if there is to be discrim ination, it would be logical the con tract would provide that the frs man in every craft should com from Alaska.
 "The implications of this dis elimination go beyond the hirin of the single individual. The fac that the first man, in effect, come from Seattle and that he is pre- sumably an active union leader means inevitably that he will in duce his friends and those h knows in the union to come u after him for other jobs as the