Evening star., 1943-12-12

the same styles that are worn by
you and me. Because they are
q necessity and not a luxury, Miss
Hautala, along with other Alas
kans, feels that there should be
no luxury tax on them.
Alaska has felt the impact Of
the war relatively less than the
rest Of the continent. There is no
rationing of food or shoes or gas
oline. Food is limited anyway
because, except for the short
summer, 1t must all be brought In
by boat. Fresh vegetables arrive
but once a week in normal times.
During the danger period food
was frighteningly scarce, but the
situation is better now.
Radio programs are rebroad-
cast by the Government, without
the commercials, and newspapers
are not in great demand as they
are In the States. The popula-
ton is not political-minded, and
there are few arguments. Miss
Hautala was amazed to hear New
York taxi drivers express them
selves freely for and against the
administration.
In spite OF the primitive cabins
crowding in among the modern
homes, the miners coming into
town for the winter and other
frontier" evidences, Fairbanks is
far ahead of many towns in the
United States in other ways. 1t is
served by six airlines, with planes
coming and going daily. Every
one flies, and even the mail is de-
livered by plane in Alaska. 1t is
a college town, the site of the
University of Alaska, and there,
as in other school towns, the stu
dents set the pace in the life and
fashions of the young people.
There is little or no servant
problem, as Indian girls trained
in the mission schools do most of
the domestic work. There are
almost no Esquimos, as they live
on the far west coast and the
Islands and Miss Hautala doubts
that she has seen as many as q
dozen in her life.
Alaska is the last frontier, with
all OF the color, the interest, the
opportunity that we associate
with a frontier. 1t will some
day be a big place." Miss Hau-
tala believes.
From the other extreme of the
buying arc comes Mrs. Carmen
zamora, who has her own shop
in Santurce. the fashionable resi-
Dental suburb of San Juan, Puer-
to Rico. She comes to New York
twice a year (by plane) and buys
exotic gowns and sports clothes
for her beautiful dark-eyed pa
irons.
Mrs. zamora reports that her
customers want gowns as CLAM
orous as possible, that they love
bright colors and exotic types,
They appreciate good quality, and
are willing to pay for it. Evening
gowns must be long and clothes
are specialized, with the proper
types worn for afternoon or the
cocktail hour.
Starting with a shop in the
Dominican Republic, Mrs. Zamora
bought from Paris. When she
lost her husband she moved back
to Puerto Rico, her own home,
and opened her present business.
She buys from the United States
not only because of the war, but
because, too, there is no duty and
her customers have come to ap-
preciate the clothes made here.
Some of them even come to New
York on buying trips.
The women of Puerto Rico are
quite "liberalized" since it became
a possession of the United States.
The girls 60 to business, and to
the mainland for college degrees.
They, too, have hordes of uni
formed visitors now. and so life
Is gayer, in spite of the dinout
Of the interior and the blackout
Of the coast. Puerto Rico, an
other country that imports its
food, has had a desperate time
during the submarine danger, but
the situation is much better now.
Mrs. Zamora says.
A good business woman as well
as a charming person, Mrs. Ia
mora has gone back to await the
slow arrival of her purchases
slow in spite Of the fact that they