The Wrangell sentinel., 1945-08-24
Tribal Rights < ' Protested By
 Attorney Gen,

dispatched by Alaskas Attorney General, Ralph J. Rivers, to Sec retary of the Interior Harold L Ickes, against the Secretary's ad- ministrative determination "Con- corning Claims of the Natives of Hydaburg, Klawock, and Rake, All aska, as to Aboriginal Rights"
 The Attorney General this week disclosed that he had submitted his conclusions, observations and sug- gestions to the Interior Depart ment head, in the interest of 'the people of Alaska, as a whole" af- ter careful study of the Ickes rul- ing setting aside Southeast Alaska land reservations for the three na- tive communities concerned.
 Declaring, 'showeyer, the pres ent miscarriage serves the useful purpose of bringing the whole problem to the front and at this crucial time,' Rivers offered the following seven suggestions for Alaskas welfare, with the hope that the Secretary of the Interior will endorse them at least to some extent:
 Extinguish Aboriginal Rights
 l. Urge Congress to immediate ly enact legislation expressly ex- tinguishing aboriginal rights coup led with proisions for asceretin- ing the losses of all the natives of Alaska and to make monetary set clement therefor
 If possible, have legislation sup plementing the Thlingit and Haida Claims Act, extending it to all the Alaska Indians and Eskimos and go so far as to authorize the Court of Claims to make awards on the basis of moral obligations as we'll as legal and equitable
 Express extinguishment of ab original rights would serve the purpose, Mr Rivers contends, of clearing the air, even though de- claratory of what has already hap pened.
 2. Call off all elaborations on fisheries regulations such as the present administrative proceedings and thereby restore confidence up here that we have government by law instead of men, and admins trative proceedings foI needed gov ernmental functions only on a mandate from Congress for we'll defined purposes.
 Halt Absentee Unfriemdliness
 Have your department discon- tinue unfriendJy expressions to- ! ward absenteeism in Alaska since, such only tends, without doing any good, to scare away large invest- ments which we so sorely need. We Alaskans often get disgruntled that the great percentage of divi- lends from successful enterprises goes outside, but that can't bel helped until Alaska gets built up. |
 4. Continue to express yourself| in favor of the development of theI Territory as you did in your re- cent pronouncement for Alaskal statehood.
 5 Take steps as soon as possiblel to abolish the 80-rod strip reser-| vations between entries, so far as compatible with harbor needs of the nation and the public in gen. eral.
 6. Get the Land Office to expe dite steps on granting of patents to persons who have complied with the requirements. Prolonged i'm action or endless bureau exacti- tude causes settlers ito become bit ter and discouraged.
 ' Let the Deartment in general do the things that will put Alaska ahead, and engender for the De- partment as a whole the degree of goodwill from the people of AL aska that is adready enjoyed by few of it's local agencies here.
 Reasons For Present Jam
 The Attorney General accompan- jed his suggestions with observa- tions pointing out reasons why the Secretary's administrative action in setting aside reserved areas for the Indians has created a log-jam in Territorial affairs:
 1. It conflicts with the Territor- ial policy of Eliminating racial discrimination Leaders (among Alaska natives) are trying to lift the bulk of their people to indiv- ual responsibility and free citizen ship, not to restore them to ab- original status. Let us not set them apart to the curtailment oi industrial development which will in the long run, deprive them and their children of jobs and the best features of our modern civilization while at the same time generating discord to the degradation of al concerned.
 2 Tot ua mt aot aside lands fo,