The Wrangell sentinel., 1947-06-20
THROUGH THE SENTINEL PERISCOPE

Two important congressional committees dealing with Territor- les will visit Alaska this summer according to tentative plan, in August. The Territories sub-com- mittee of the House Public Lands committee, headed by Rep. Fred Crawford of Michigan, is expected to come north right after the ad- journment of Congress, set for July 81. The Senate Public Lands committee will send it's Territories subcommittee to Alaska in late August It will be headed by Sen ator Hugh Butler of Nebraska, who is chairman of the main com mittee. Tentative schedule calls for both committees to come north via Canadian steamer to ketchikan anu move north to major centers ot ac tiYjty in the Territory. House com mittee plans to hold hearings in various towns with statehood a major subject Senate committee is scheduling no hearings.
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 Into the House hopper this week went o bill to regulate fish traps. in Alaska, introduced by Rep. White, Maine Republican. The measure, recommended by Secre- tary Krug of the Interior Depart ment would authorize the Secre- tary to lease trapsites in 194S and hereafter with leases to be granted to existing operators on a prefer ential basis ranging from 100 per cent to those with 20 or less sites owned to 75 per cent to those with 40 or more. Leases would expire in 1863 and contain no provision for extension or renewal. Under the bin the surrendered trapsite must average at least one-third theI productivity of all sites of the op-I orator and the operating must keep under 10-year leases and free of the reduction requirements of those sites which are appurtenant to 2uI optional cannery. An optioned can nery is one which the operator de- clares to be available for purchase, with appurtenant trapsites, at the appraised value of the physical as sets of the cannery. The option may be exercised by any Alaskan community within five years: ifI not exercised, the operator may sell on his own terms, at any time within the next five years, to any one who will not thereby control more than 20 trapsites. The pur- chaser, in either case, will receive 15-year leases on the trapsites Sur rendered trapSites, newly opened sites, and those under which the original leases have expired will be auetioned, upon sealed bids, by the Secretary for 15-year nOn-renew- able leases. Preference will be given to Alaska communities. No lease will permit one onerator to control more than 20 sites. The Secretary under the bill would collect each year from every trapsite leassee royalty of five per cent of the val ue of the first 5O0,00O salmon, and seven per cent of the salmon in excPse of that amount Territori Il taxes on traps, or trap-caught sal mon, may be offset against 50 per cent of this royalty. One-half of the revenues, less theoffset, are to be paid to the Territory. Leases to trapsites where the traps are an chored within any area finally de- termined to be subject to exclusive native possessory rights will con- tinue for their term, except that the royalties collected from the lease will be paid to the native village or individual having the possessory| rights.
 Under the preferential provision, for example, P. E. Harris with 64 trapsites would surrender 16; Pa cific American Fisheries with 56 would surrender 16; Libby, Me Neill & Libby with 35 surrender seven; Nakat Packing with 27 surrender three and New England Fish with 23 surrender two. Bal ance would be leased for the 15 year period After that all traps would go to the highest bidder with the Limit 20 controlled by any one person or company
 Last Legislature passed an act calling for a referendum on wheth- CT toabolish fish traps over a per iod of 10 years. Vote will be taken in October of 194S.
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 Establishment of the pulp and paper in dustry in Southeast AL aska was up against it's old hurdle
 aboriginal rights, or now called Indian possessory rights. If, as mentioned last week in this eoi- umn, 1T. ' Res. 2O5 now before Congress is enacted it would en- able the sale of timber over long term periods with proceeds going into escrow until such time as the Indian claims are settled, and if it deVelops the Indians have no com