The Daily Alaska empire., 1946-11-05
GOVERNOR GOING TO WASHINGTON
 ON SHIP TROUBLE

Alaskas Governor expects to leave for Washington within few days in the hopes of meeting with those in authority on transportation mat ters in solving the present con trovery and finding more e1fec- i've program.
 In a statement, which has been sent to all newspapers of Alaska, the Governor says he has been try- ing for several weeks to secure the release from Seattle of ships Wtcn would give some lc'ief to the in creasingly difficult situation in which Alaskans find themselves oW- ing to the differences existing be- tween the steamship operators 2nc unions on the Pacific Coast ot the United States. These differ ences have. as We all know, caused intermittent and increasingly pro- longed tie-ups which through the summer have pretty well wrecked Alaska's economy, have caused great financial damage 70 practically eY- cry business enterprise, have re- tarded housing and III other con struction, have greatly increased the cost of living 10 every Alaskan household and have in short set hack the progress c1 the Territory i1Calculably.
 Two weeks ago l sent my aide Lieutenant Commander Chester to Seattle so that he co;,ld be on the ground and do everything possible to secure the releese 1t ships He has succeeded in getting a number of small vessels for Southeast Alaska which for tEat portion ot our Territory are relieving the st-l uation somewhat insofar as act ual necessities are concerned. al though the future is still extremely uncertain since even these ships are not bringing sufficient hay and feed for our dairies
 f1ONeNCI, lllC SOIlIil44SNN~ AD- Maritime Unity, representing the various unions involved, will per init cnly small ships not connected with the regularly operating steam ship lines to Alaska.
 As far as the Westward ls con- cerned the situation has been grow ing increasingly serious since the small ships cannot easily cross the Gulf of Alaska and Commander Chester has been trying to get at least one big ship released. These negotiations, repeatedly delayed, have now begged down over what must seem to Alaskans a wholly trivial and unnecessary dispute while the entire people of the Territory continue to suffer, Even the small ships released are wholly inadequate to Southeast Alaska needs, likewise the committee is permitting no building materials and many other essentials to be shipped.
 ITO sum up the situation as 1t appears to me, Alaska is being used as 8 hostage between two contend ing groups over q series of long standing differences and disagree ments in which Alaskans have nC voice or no authority Without wish ing to enter into the merits or de- merits of these controversies the utilization of Alaska as hostage is an outrage. Neither side in the conflict has any right to use the actual and potential suffering oi Alaska and it's people as a leverage to compel the other side to yield and I doubt whether any red blood ed Alaskans would te willing to be 50 used. For the moment we are relatively helpless although be- lieve that cur ingenuity will in the long run enable us to overcome thii situation which threatens to bt ever recurring. Unless we find al ternativo solutions the future o' Alaska will be dim indeed sincf transportation is our lifeline
 We should renew our own eff forts to develop other routes O communication between the United States and Alaska which, Whil' costly and perhaps not too effec tive for a time, will once estab lished. help free us from tn tyranny and maltreatment whicl