The Daily Alaska empire., 1947-02-18
HOUSE GETS MEMORIAL 10
 THANK kRUC
Secretary Asked 10 Take No Action on Fish Traps
 for af Least Two Years

tor df Least Two Years The House of Representatives in short forenoon session today re- ceived two new memorials read the journal, heard number of minor committee reports and recessed un- til 2 D. m.
 A memorial by Rep. Edward An derson of Nome, addressed to the Territorial Department of Aericul- ture, asks that a survey of aeri- cultural conditions in the Second Division be instituted and that methods be established for increas- ed agricultural development in that division.
 ' The second memorial is address ed to Secretary of the Interior Julius A. Krug, and was introduced by Rep. Andrew Hope of Sitka. chairman of the House Committee on Fisheries, Fish and Game. The memorial acknowledges receipt of the Secretary's letter of January 24. 1947, to the Governor on the sub ject of the regulation of fish traps and the control of fisheries. and reads:
 Text Of Memorial
 Your Memorialist highly appre- ciates the expression of your view that this important question should not be left to administrative legis- iation; and that the question being whether Territorial or Federal legis- lation should be sought, you have reached the conclusion that it would be desirable that the Legis- lature of Alaska be given the first opportunity to deal with this prob lem. Your view in this respect ccincides with the previously often expressed wishes Of the Territorial Legislature, which, time after time, has sought to secure the transfer of the control of the Alaskan fish cries from the Federal government Ito the Territorial government.
 Your Memorialist wishes to ex- press it's appreciation for this atti- tude on your part and to state that this is the first time that a Secre- tary of the Interior has shown his understanding of the Territorys de- i sires in this matter and has ex- pressed his willingness of the Terri tory's assuming as much authority in the regulation of it's own natural 1 resources as is possible under exist i ing laws
 Your Msmorialist is pleased to | inform you that the Eighteenth Territorial Legislature has already i acted It has taken the most im- portant step ever taken in this di- rection by providing for referen- i dunn of the Alaska electorate on | the question of whether fish traps should be abolished. This referen- dunn is to take place at the next i regular election, The Act provides | for an expression on the abolition . of traps over period of ten years, 1 thus giving ample opportunity for adjustment on the part of the trap owners, relieving them of any pes sible financial hardship and giv- { ing adequate time for the Territory the fishermen and other workers as well as the salmon industry. to adjust themselves fully to this ina- portant change should the voters so decide.
 Your Merorialist asks that you note that it deemed this matter of such importance that it felt the issue should not be decided by the /. Legislature itself, but by the en- tire people of the Territory
 Your Memorialist further points cut that dependent upon the action .of the people, the Legislature will have from them an important indi- ! cation as to what steps it should take thereafter. Your Memorialist therefore re- spectfully urges, in view of the positive action by the Alaska Legis- latura, that no further Federal legislation in the matter of fish traps be favored by the Department of the Interior until the people of Alaska have expressed themselves at the next general election, and the subsequent Legislature has had the opportunity to consider the peoples verdict and to take what ever legislative action it may deem suitable"