The Daily Alaska empire., 1945-02-20
FISH TRAP REFERRAL
 DEFEATED
Senate Votes Measure Down by Close Mar
 gin This Morning

The sharp division of legislative thought in the Alaska Senate be- came more apparent this morning when another to vote defeat- ed the Fish Trap Referendum mea- sure, House Bill No. G. Nearby two hours of heated controversy preced- ed the action that made the measure the second to fail of passage in the upper chamber this session.
 1 Carried over in second reading from the Committee of the Whole hearing yesterday, the bill was ad- vanced to the head of today's calen- dar and went into third reading without amendment. -
 Senator Andy Gundersen opened discussion of the referendum act when he declared that it did not much matter what the Legislature or the people did on the question, as the Fish and Wildlife Service of the Federal Government set all the rul- ings. He referred again to condi- tions on Pudget Sound where a State of Washington referendum drove away 1/2 million dollar business. Many men are now em- ployed during the winter months in cutting piling and logs for traps and many others in the spring pre- pairing traps for the coming season. To rule out traps would cut the sea- son of employment in the fishing industry to only or 9 weeks. Traps Necessary
 Stating that he no longer owned any interest in fish traps, Senator Gundersen offered his belief that traps are the "only modern, eff cient way" to insure cannery opera ton, with conservation protected by the government controlling proouc- ton. Ruling out the traps would re- duce the pack at least 40 per cent, he affirmed. No boats or crews will be available to replace them for a long time to come. It's the same as the goose and the golden egg" he concluded.rY Senator H. H. McCutcheon arose to opine that the measure under dis cussion did not ask to abolish traps" it only wants an expression of opinion by the people. T don't see any harm in that" Stating that he could not "see why these fellows are so frightened" he con- tinued, Let's get the peoples opin- ion on these important questions" 1 Senator N. R. Walker referred to the only major winter payroll of Ketchikan, the wire factories sup plying traps, but said that before he was aware of the dangers in such a referendum" he had promised the author of the bill to support it, and despite of his change of mind since then. has been unable to get releas- ed from his promise, so would have to vote for it, much against my will"
 Senator Frank Whaley said that his only previous acquaintance with 1 fishing had been a Yukon River fish wheel, and thought many per- sons in his Second Division were in the same position. that he would have supported the referendum on his previous knowldge but that the hearing yesterday had made him aware of both sides to the question. Such an opportunity would not be available to all the people, he point ed out, then compared the measure under consideration to a proposal to have all the people of the Terri tory vote on the abolition of gold dredges in the Second and Fourth Divisions.
 Out-D Dated
 Senator Allen Shattuck declared his conviction that the referendum is an out-dated process - that it is not representative government. The people won't know all they should to have an informed opinion before they vote, he said Referendums are never successful; the principle is not sound. We are the duly elected representatives of the people" he avowed, If we are not able to do as they wish, they will not send LIS back