The Daily Alaska empire., 1948-05-25

able to you when you undertook to criticize those who have had in your possession copy of H. J. Res. 40l, introduced by me on May 13 and not printed until the following day. So I submit that the editorial con clusions drawn by you could not possibly have been based upon examination of the two proposals now before the Congress.
 In my statement before the House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Special Subcommittee on Alaskan Problems I listed section by section the differences between the resolu- tions and gave the reasons why l believe H. J. Res. 40l would do more for the people of Alaska than could possibly be accomplished by H. J. Res. 396. You may have forgotten but others of us have not what hap pened to the Territory after the enactment of Public Law l2 in l947. Now even the United States Mari time Commission itself has ac- knowledged that the criticisms made of the administration of that Law have validity. AS a representative of the people of Alaska in Congress I propose to use every means within my power to protect the resident population of Alaska so that sub sides granted by the Congress of the United States and furnished by the taxpayers of the United States will go for the purpose for which they are intended-that is, the de- velopment of Alaska, not the de- velopment of the financial well-be- ing of steamship operators.
 I am ready and willing to let the public judge whether you were cor rect in your sweeping endorsement of H. J. Res. 396, or whether the territorial officials who sought ad- ditional safeguards for the protec- tion of the people of Alaska were right in the stand they took. They have to determine whether l should have agreed to H. J. Res. 396 With out asking any questions at all about it or whether I took the proper course in introducing another res olution which had changes we tnink are essential if the subsidy Whlcn would be provided by the United States Treasury would be sure to assist Alaska not the ship operators. They will have to determine whether the additional amendments sug- eested to the committee by Cover nor Ernest Gruening when he testl- fled yesterday were worthwhile. me first amendment has to do with the Territory's complaint that the sup- sidy arrangement has been unfairly used to make the consumers oi Alaska pay more for freight than they should, while the canneries paid less both for northbound sup plies and southbond salmon. The amendment in so many WoroS would stop this. The second amend II1GI1J WOulQ tJiOiAAobS AAfe-'~ ---- business. Governor Gruening point ed out that local manufacturer in Alaska now cannot hope to compete successfully with the outside con- cern because of the terrifically hlgn inter port rates. The amendment ne suggested would bring reality into this situation. AS an example oi existing inter-port rates, Governor Gruening pointed out that 1t now costs approximately the same amount of money to ship car from Juneau to Haines as 1t does for Seattle to Ketchikan.
 It is interesting to note that con- gressman Henry M Jackson of the State of Washington. whose con gressional district included part of Seattle. has likewise expressed his opposition to H. J. Res. 396.
 Sincerely yours,
 (signed) E. L. Bartlett
 Delegate