The Daily Alaska empire., 1940-03-31


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 Meyers Chuck small boat harbor, $25, GOO
 Sitka small boat harbor. s109, OOo
 Kodiak Harbor, $70,00O
 Recently the Secretary of War has submitted favorable reports for the following:
 Craig small boat harbor, $80,0O0.
 Port Alexander small boat har- bor, s31,0o0.
 Elfin Cove small boat harbor, $38,0O0
 T+he last three projects are not yet included in the bill which is pending in the Senate and it is not known whether they will be includ- ed. Every effort will be made, of course, to have these projects also embraced in the bill when it is passed by the Senate.
 Gastineau Channel Survey In the bill now in the Senate, we are also seeking authority for the preliminary examination and sur vey of Gastineau Channel, Alaska, with a view to improvement for navigation, both water and air, and flood control, both tidal and run off. I invite your attention to the term both water and air in the authorization desired. If the pro- | ject for the dredging of Gastineau Channel is undertaken the spells will be spread over the surround ing hdeland and thus be used for the construction of such an airport as the City of Juneau should have.
 Preliminary examinations an d surveys also are asked for Neva Strait and Olga Strait, Alaska; for small boat harbor at Skafway, and for a small boat harbor at Ko- diak. The last two items are not yet in the bill, but it is anticipated they will be embraced in the bill by amendment when it comes up for consideration in the Senate
 A small boat harbor for Sitka was once approved and the money allotted, but then the Navy De- partment determined upon its ex- pansion there and it was neces- sary to change the location of the small boat harbor, and so we are not obliged again to get further authority of Congress for the new construction which is planned
 Employment For Aiasitans
 During the past year an issue has come to the front of which prob ably more will be heard And that Is that the residents of Alaska should be able to secure er1ploy- ri1ent in Alaska industries. With out going into detail and in order that the facts may be known, it may be we'll to say here that this Is not an endeayor to monopolize Alaska jobs for residents of Alaska. It is not an attempt to prevent irn- migration into Alaska, or the set clement of people in Alaska, quite the contrary It is not move in opposition to any labor union, again Equite the contrary. What we pro- pose to do will strongly support true labor unioniSm. It is scarcely necessary for me to say that now support as I have always supported labor unions. And repeat what I have said many times before, that if labor unions did not exist we should have to invent them to pro- mote the public welfare.
 It is a protest against and re- sistance to the arrogant attempt of those who live somewhere in one of the AS States to rnonopolize ali of the good jobs in Alaska themselves and to say that no one residing in 1 Alaska will be permitted to work in Alaska without the gracious con- sent of those who so reside in the fStates' and who look upon Alaska as a land suitable for exploitation by non-residents.
 Unfortunately, that sentiment is not confined to any stratum or class of business or labor or society. It appears to permeate all, and those who Hive in Alaska are the suffer- CTS. It is just as well that the issue be faced now If in order for us to make our living in Alaska it is necessary for us to maintain our residence in the States, it will be as well that we know it at an early date so we can make provision ac- cordingly.
 Many Gains
 If space permitted 1t might be of interest to review some of the other measures enacted by Congress and some of the other administrative actions taken by the Executive for the benefit of Alaska during the past year. Congress passed bills to provide for the refunding of bonds of municipalities, which probably will save the cities of Alaska ev- efitually great deal of money; to amend for the benefit of the Alaska taa.a