The Daily Alaska empire. [volume] (Juneau, Alaska) 1926-1964, 1940-09-07

state. We have made a study o
your Act and it sounds like a gOot
set-up. Knowing always that ther,
is no way to handle the liquor traf
fic in a 100 percent satisfactor.
manner.
do you really feel that you arr
in a position to offer that advice
to Alaska: Your information re-
garding the manner in which it j.
handled in Washington was very
comprehensive, but l feel that you
advice as to how it might work il
our Territory is entirely out of or
der-and 1 wish there might be some
way of correcting that statement.
"Since we vote here on September
10th we would appreciate an i'm
mediate reply from you.
Sincerely yours,
MRS. ELLA D. SMITH,
Chairman Legislative Depart.
ment
Alaska Federation of Women's
Clubs,
Juneau, Alaska"
Admiral Gregory's reply to Mrs
Smith was as follows:
Letter From Gregory
Mrs. Ella D. Smith,
Chairman Legislative Dpartemnt
Alaska Federation of Women's
Clubs,
Juneau, Alaska
my dear Madam:
II am in receipt of your letter
of the 22nd instant in which you
ask certain questions concerning the
handling of liquor which is being
proposed in Alaska, and in which
you refer to a letter wherein my
views are started to the Alaska
Planning Council of Juneau.
you ask how long it has beer
since I visited Alaska. For youl
information was a member of the
Navy Alaska Coal Com m ISIS o r
which visited Alaska in 1919 I have
not been in Alaska personally since
that time, but from 1921 to 1926
inclusive, was Chief of Bureau Of
Yards and Docks in the Navy De-
partment at Washington, D. c., hav-
| ing charge of all shore development
work throughout the service, which
included naval stations in Alaska
"Since my retirement I have beer
in close touch with Navy authOri-
ties who are building airplane anc
other bases in the Territory anC
have also kept in touch with Army
authorities who are in like manner
| building airplane landing fields II
the Territory.
Il am also quite familiar with
the Civilian Aeronautical worl
which has been done in the Terri.
tory, have done considerable flying
around this part of the country
and am quite familiar with thu
means of transportation of freight
and personnel in the Northwest
Since January 10Th of 1884, have
been Chairman of the Washington
State Liquor Control Board, which
is engaged in handling liquor fol
the State of Washington, and ws
operate state-oWned stores and ag-
encies and also license private in
dividuals for the handling of beef
and wine.
1.-The business of the last six anC
cne-half years in the State Of
Washington approximates annually
an average of twelve to fourteen
million dollars and the retail value
of the beer and wine sold in licens-
ed establishments approximate
twenty million dollars annually ir
addition. We have in the State Of
Washington not only large COM
munities but we also have sparselj
settled communities, and the com.
plete range of our work is such tina,
we must have gained great dea
| OF mIOfmatlOn from our expeI-
ience
"You should also know that
was asked to give my views as tt
what I thought would be the bes
system for Alaska. With the know
ledge that I have gained of the
Territory and of the handling Of
liquor, as above outlined, I gave
what I thought, conscientiously, the
best views for the Alaska problem
still hold to them. You do mo-
have to accept them If you con.
slider that you are in better po-
sition to give advice you are a.
liberty to have your own opinions
Yours very truly,