The Daily Alaska empire. [volume] (Juneau, Alaska) 1926-1964, 1942-01-12
COMMUNICATION

Editors Note: The following is
COPY of a letter, dated Juneau, Janu-
ary 9, addressed to the United States
Maritime Commission, Washington,
D. c., and signed by Alan E. Wicks
relative to the freight and passenger
rate increases. Copies of the letter
have also been sent to Alaska Dele
gate A. J. Dimond, Gov. Ernest
Gruening, Time Magazine and all
Alaskan newspapers)
"we-and> l believe that in this
way 1 may speak for the common
people of Alaska-have been given
to believe that the United States
Maritime Commission, if truly the
watchdog of rates charged for sea-
going commerce is a governmental
agency set up by the people for the
benefit of the greatest number, to
watch over such rates and judicious-
lily and wisely supervise any action
relating thereto. 1t is also my under
standing that it is the Commission's
function to give due consideration
to the legal and moral rights of the
commerce carrier. How. then, may
these positions and the assumed
precepts of democratic government
be aligned with relation to the auth
orization of the Alaska Steamship
Company to increase their freight
and passenger rates by forty-five
per cent?
"As the subsistence and welfare
of the lower paid government work
ers and the large body of medium
and low-wage earners in the Ter
ritory already is being direly threat
ened, from what pocket is 1t pre-
sumed that we can pay this added
lien OH the cost of necessities? 1t
is well known and has been SO stated
by the Governor of Alaska, the Hon
Ernest Gruening, that the 'year-ago'
costs of living in Alaska, as COM
pared with the costs in New York
City and Washington, d. c., where
it is relatively high, was 1852 per
cent higher in Ketchikan, Alaska,
1910 per cent higher in Juneau,
109.45 per cent higher in Nome and
1876 per cent higher in Fairbanks.
wherein, then, lies the rational
and reasonable justification for the
rate increase authorized by the
Commission and accorded the Al
aska Steamship Company? AS West
ward Alaska already is under the
thumb of the Alaska Steamship
Company monopoly-by virtue of its
being the sole carrier to that area
what legitimate reason exists for this
rate increase and the subsequent
exaction of greater tariffs from
those living in that area? Judging
from the extent of the previous
grievances held by the people against
the Alaska Steamship Company, in
addition to the lesser carriers, it
would seem that the previous rates
were sufficiently high to permit of
profit O peration, Notwithstanding
the war and its effects. That these
carriers are not philanthropic con-
Germs we never have been in doubt;
but there is considerable doubt that
they should be allowed to become
war profiteers on such an exorbitant
scale.
Il should like to say in citing an
example, that I am an employee of
the Territory who has had good pro-
fessional training in technical and
laboratory work. My wife does not
work and my salary is, therefore,
our sole income. This salary is hard
put to serve in the following man
ner:: Food, 25.65%; shelter and in
cidentals thereto, 31.79To; clothing
and care, 6.66%; insurance, 1897;
medical miscellaneous, 4.61%; edu-
cation, amusements and social ac-
tivities, 461%; general miscellan-
eous, 1897 donations, 1922. and
extras, 10264o. Can it be assumed
that we may look forward to the
possibility of raising family and
of dressing and sheltering ourselves
with fitting decency and health, be-
sides other absolute necessities, in
dulge in a minimum of amusements
and social life, let alone buy small
Government bonds and pay for this
yet added tariff? From my honest
standpoint, certainly not!
aft I may be so presumptious, I
would like further to state that it is
the general consensus that the SEEM
/ ingly secret authorization by the
Commission. without public notifi-
cation being given or discussion
allowed, recks from here of action
unbecoming an agency of the peo-
pie. Is there not in the laws and
regulations governing the authority
of the Commission, some provision
which states that public notification
of any action being taken under its
jurisdiction shall be made immed-
lately, or previous to such action?
"Oniy recently President Roose-
welt led the nation in celebration of
the establishment of the First Ten
Amendments to the Constitution Of
the United States and declared the
rights and privileges of the citizens
inviolate. In the present war which
we are fighting to preserve these
rights and privileges, we must con-