The Daily Alaska empire., 1944-02-25
What Is Discrimination?
Alaska Weekly

 On December 24 we ran an editorial entitled Rank Discrimination" in which discussed the travel control regulations and mail censorship inn posed upon Alaska which then considered and still consider to be just that Rank Discrimination.
 We receive letter from General S. B. Buckner, Jr., commenting on that editorial in which we were informed among other things, of his regret that our paper was being used to stir up ill feeling between Alaskans and their defenders and that enemy pro pagandsts were doing everything possible to such publications ours.
 We are also indebted to General Buckner for the information that the editorial did not represent the feelings of the patriotic Alaskans among whom he lives If the general is correct that statement it is obvious that in daily contact with travelling Alaskans whe have been meeting lot of the wrong of people who have gravey misled as to their feelings.
 The editorial under discussion closed with the following
 If General Buckner can offer anything other than such generaties applicable to the entire Pacific Coast in justification for stringent travel con- trol and for censorship of Alaska mail Aaskans would like to have, and entitled to have the benefit of his knowledge.
 Insofar as any informed Alaskan knows no part of the Territory this side of the Aleuans ranks as combat in any larger than do the States of the Pacific Coast and the treatment accorded, therefore, constitutes rank discrimination.
 The United States has expended some s22,0000 900 at the British Columbia port of Prince Rupert in the building of supply depot from which the bulk of the army supplies for Alaska shipped. Travel to Prince Rupert is unrestricted except for the ordinary re- quirements of immigration laws Fifty miles farther north at Ketchikan where such installation exists one stands in line while the husky lads with the big MP on the sleeve decide whether not one is fit person to be allowed ashore.
 There is small misstatement in the above, for it applies only to Americans. Canadian citizens en- route to Skagway, for example may go ashore at Ketchkan Juneau at will while Americans cool their heels and await the examination of their papers and the whm of the officer in charge of the Port If that does not come under the heading of dis crimination shall have to appeal to the General for definition of the word.
 The Alaskan War Council appointed by the Commander int Chief of the armed forces of the United States for the purpose of coperating with the Alaska Defense Command in the defense of the Territory and particularly in the handling of matters involving public acceptance and cooperation. So far as have been able to ascertain, this body is unanimous in it's condemnation of continuing either travel control censorship other than concerns the Aleutian chain.
 One more comment on General Buckner's letter: The General said, If the attitude of the Russian people in backing military had been similar to that reflected in your editorial fear that would by this time, have been lost Our only thought in that connection, aside from the obvious unfairness of the statement is that if the American attitude concerning the exercise of dictatoria power that of the Russians would be fools to be fighting