The Daily Alaska empire., 1946-06-13

while it still has control and get the Maritime Commission to auth olize same. The rate on some com- modities should be lowered; the rate on some should be upped All items should be adjusted one way or the other to get maximum rev enues compatible with the develop mcnt of Alaska and that means without any increases in the aver age. overall freight rate.
 Economists Views
 According to Mir O'Connor's tes- timony. in connection with which he qualified as an economist who mad made a study of the Alaska problem, other deficiencies could be introduced such as the palleting of case good, etc, This refers to bind ing items onto a board into aggre- gates of several units such as 20 cases of milk, and thus cut down on handling costs. Many other ideas were suggested as worthy Of exploration and possible adoption. These included re-valuing the fleets, lowering charter hire as now paid by VISA to the companies, extending railway mediation prin- ciples with modificatonS to the maritime trade, with compulsory arbitration, and requiring perfor- nance of collectively bargained contracts as to both management and labor. Of course, some of these advances would call for legislation by Congress. It was also indicated by the evidence that to get effi- cient service at low rates the meth cd Of requiring certificates of con- vcnience and necessity might have to be extended to the Alaska wat erborne trade.
 New Ships Needed
 "Cn the subject Of new ships, the evidence as to the financial condi- ton of the carriers and the cost Of operating new ships was such as to show that the respective companies either cannot or will not provide money for new ships, al- though they all say Alaska needs new ships Therefore, Congress will have to be prevailed upon to pro vide the money or the ships and set up a suitable way to operate them at reasonable rates if it wants to keep Alaska on the map. Such new ships should be carefully planned for economical operation on the main routes. Some of the elder bottoms could still be used for out of the way stops.
 When we talk in terms of get ting an appropriation from Con- gress in the form of a ship sub sidy CT any other kind of a sub sidy, it is apparent that the strug- gle has just commenced. The ap- propriation recently passed by the House for VISA covers only to De- cember 3ist, 1946 This means that the problem will have to be resolv- ed by December 1946. Because of this time element, I spoke against any further continuance of the case and it was concluded as far { as hearings are concerned Briefs er's report rendered to the Mari time Commission We will strongly will now be filed and the examin- urge that no order for rate in- i crease be entered pending continu- ed operation by VISA and appro- priate action by Congress"
 Mine Survey Discussed
 1 Preceding the Attorney Generals
 talk, B. D. Stewart, Commissioner
 Of Mines, spoke on the geological
 survey beginning this year and the
 great need for such survey.
 If the mining industry of Alasks
 is to develop as it should, adequat'
 mapping and thorough knowledg l of the Territory's geology is es sential, he said. The last mappin : work done in the Territory wa
 completed in 1905.
 MT. Stewart gave the Junea r Chamber of Commerce credit i . backing the issue involving nee ) for a geographical survey last yea
 when the Congressional committe |, visited Alaska.
 r The new mapping work will | ) done with modern facilities an
 trained specialists. The resultin