The Daily Alaska empire., 1946-08-21
COMMUNICATION
The Daily Empire, Juneau, Alaska.
 Gentlemen:

IThe Daily Empire, Juneau, Alaska. Gentlemen:
 Accompanying this letter is a copy of my proposal, in summary for an Alaska Fisheries Program which I submitted in writing to Secretary Krug. I am furnishing you with a copy in case you are planning an article on the hearings land had intentions of making ref terence to my oral remarks there
 No one could te blamed for judg- ing from my oral remarks that the position of the organization I rep- resent is entirely negative one - all criticism and with no attempt tat making specific and constructive suggestions. We definitely do have ideas to suggest to improve the gen. eral fisheries picture in Alaska.
 Being rather poor judge of spacing a talk from notes in a linn tied time, I unintentionally eX- cecded my allotted time in the hearings and had to complete my presentation in the form of the summary I am submitting here
 Had time allowed me to do so, I desired to supplement this sum- mary for proposal with some ad- ditional remarks.
 I wanted to emphasize and make clearer our position that the solu- ton to Alaska's inadequate fish cries industry is the broadening of the base of the industry to make it Ia general fishery instead of the narrow thing it is now. I wanted also to emphasize that we feel that it's a whole program that's needed and not any single item a pro- gram involving steps for the whole American fisheries as well as the Alaskan fisheries.
 I wanted to point out that we urge statehood for Alaska as means toward that end for two reasons.
 First, exclusive federal manage ment of Alaska fisheries in the past hasn't done much to develop our fishery, and an element of partic- ipation in government by Alaskans Qncluding fisheries government, of course) would provoke industry into getting busy and improving it's posi- tion in order to retain what it has now.
 The second reason is that with Alaska as a state we'd have two senators and a congressman in Washington Gnstead of an embassy stafD and there'd be more chance for effectiveness in getting atten- ton for our fishery at the place where biggest deterrent in federal channels really eXists-in the Con gress.
 As it is now, no state represent ed in the Congress has a fishery industry relatively comparable to what the fishery interest would be to a State of Alaska. This is, of course, reflected in the actions and positions of the various member s of the Congress This organization (the IFAWA) has found that out in the past several years of making representation in Washington.
 However, with Senators and a Congressman in Washington from Alaska, that situation would under go change. And there'd be a chance that Alaska and it's fishery industry would be ceased to be looked upon in Washington as the half-witted, pCor country relation of the agricultural states.
 The motive for replacing the fish-trap with mobile fishing gear that I wanted to stress orally is similar.
 If and when the salmon-for- canning industry, currently supplied in the main with raw material from traps, faces the change from trap production to production by mobile gear they're going to have to get busy and develop progress siva methods. They'll have tc make their processing more eff cient, less wasteful. They'll have a fleet of fishing boats that they will have to find use for in the i off season from salmon production and that's going to mean rapic development into the general fish cry that is so badly needed for the welfare of Alaska's economy - es- peoially for the welfare of hel 1 fisher folk.
 I am adding these thoughs in g written statement to Secretary Krug. The summary of the pro- gram proposal has already beer handed him. Both are for use a: and if you see fit.
 Yours truly, JOHN WIESE
 Alaska Representative In
 ternational Fishermen anc
 Allied Workers of America
 CIO