The Daily Alaska empire., 1949-12-16
GRuEN|NG SEEKS
 TOURIST TRADE WITH HONOLULU
Governor Reports on Month in Japan, Philip
 pines and Hawaii

cific. Gov. Ernest Gruening today
 discussed aspects of two contrasting territories, Hawaii and Alaska. Governor and Mrs. Gruening re-
 turned yesterday from Honolulu,
 where they had met Thanksgiving
 Day, Mrs. Gruening going direct from Juneau and Seattle, her hus- band arriving with Treasury Sec
 retary John w. Snyder and his 1 party, via Japan and the Philip
 pines.
 , Governor Gruening, for whom it
 was the first visit in two years,
 expressed admiration for the mag
 nificent way in which Hawaii has developed the tourist industry to the point where it is becoming a
 major source of income He sees new opportunities in that field for both territories.
 T have urged Pan American World Airways to establish low
 round-trip rates between Alaska !, and Honolulu via Seattle" he com ! mented. "The fare would be ap- proximately $294 to and from Ju- neau, and adjusted to other Alaska points. Such a move would gener- ate a substantial volume of new traffic. Many Alaskans go outside
 each year-they would enjoy the contrast of the Islands. Many Ha-
 waiians go to the mainland, too ! We could induce a large number I of them to come here. 1 q understand" he continued, that Pan American has filed such
 an application with the Civil Aero
 nautics Board. Their route from Seattle and Portland is not really
 developed yet; this might help materially"
 The Governor had a very good opportunity to discuss defense prob- lems with military men in Japan, the Philippines and Hawaii T found nothing but support,
 he said, flor my wellknown views urging far more defenses in the
 Pacific, and specifically for Alaska. The sneed is especially urgent in view of the fact that fthe Com munists now have taken China and threaten to over-run Asia In Honolulu, Gov. Gruening joined the House of Representa- 1 tives subcommittee on territories
 for meetings and inspections. "The committee said Gruening,
 was particularly interested in i studying the civil government ot
 the trust territories-the Marian mas, Marshalls and Carolinas-of
 which the United States is trustee.
 This group also is interested in statehood; this committee, you , know, has twice reported favorably cr statehood for both Alaska and Hawaii"
 IMPRESSED WITH HAWAII I Alaska's Governor was more than ever impressed with what the people of Hawaii have done to i improve their economy and indus 1 tries, despite the severe setback of I the five-month shipping strike. ] Besides the major industries of sugar, pineapple and tourists he commented, "arts and crafts have been built up to the proportions of i an important industry. In this re- i spect. we can learn from our sister territory
 Governor Gruening and the Washington party dined with FL
 pidio Quirino just after he had won the election in the Philippine 1 Islands.
 The Philippines face a difficult i problem, largely due to destruction
 during the war"
 Rebuilding is progressing more rapidly in Japan than in the Phil-
 ippines, Governor Gruening ob- served.
 T was very much impressed with
 the magnificent way in which Gen. eral MacArthur is conducting the reconstruction and rehabilitation program in Japan" said the Gov ernor.
 "The people of Japan are better off than they have ever been. When it comes to going alone, however they will have a tough time. The island is small and cannot possibly
 support its 80OO0,O00 population
 Japan will have to develop new
 markets"
 Asked if Alaska might have any place in these, Gov. Gruening smiled and said, We know they
 are expert fishermen, but we ex- pect them to keep on their own side. There might be room for Japanese manufacturing~of pearls 1 for instance"
 The Snyder party flew over Hiro-
 shima, and the Governor was amazed at the speed with which
 that city has been rebuilt. In the matter of Alaska's de- yelopment, Governor Gruening saic <