The Daily Alaska empire. [volume] (Juneau, Alaska) 1926-1964, 1949-04-27
ATTORNEY GENERAL
REPRESENTS ALASKA
I'm Two HEARINGS

i'm TWO HEARINGS
j. Gerald Williams, who took the
oath of office as Attorney General
April l and left the same day on
Territorial business, returned yes
terday, his trip to San Francisco
having been extended to Chicago.
In San Francisco, williams APP
peared in the experience rating
case representing the Alaska I'm
employment Compensation Com
mission in the case of Griffin VS..
Sheldon ct al.
I'VE anticipate" said the At
torney General, that the Ninth
Circuit Court Of Appeals will re-
verse the decision of the Third
Division District Court that the act
is unconstitutional. The court inti-
mated from the bench that Griffin
bad no legal right to bring the suit
but a reversal on that ground
would not give decision on the
act itself.
1--WE hope he continued, that
the court will review the law, SO
that the decision will give a pre-
cedent"
Leaving his young son, James,
with his mother, Mrs. Mary Stoya-
novich, in wyoming, Williams went
on to Chicago for hearing which
opened April 20, concerning the
application of the Railway Express
Company for increased charges on
iced fish shipments.
He appeared on tehalf OF the
Territory = and especially for
Alaska tishermen''-for three days
Of the hearing.
The Railway Express Company
seeks to change the present billing
weight rule to increase charges on
iced fish from the present add
tional rs percent for ice and con-
tainer to so percent above the regu-
lar rate for the fish.
The Express company argues that
it is not adequately compensated
for re-icing fish while in transit.
That, while the average cost OF
$500 a ton for ice had not materi-
ally changed, labor costs have in
creased to where the company
loses, especially if re-icing is neces-
sary two or three times for one
shipment.
The company also claims that
some shippers are taking advan-
tage of the present ruling by ship
ping more than stated in the in
voice.
Fish shippers argued that the
rule has operated effectively Tor
the SO years since it was estap-
lished. and that it gives the Rail-
wav Express Company adequate
compensation. Rates for fish nave
gone up periodically, but, the
shipping charge being percentage
the company has had correspond
inc increase in revenue.
They also claim the company
penalties the shippers who use lots
Of ice as preservative.
Shippers claim that delayed
schedules and missed connections,
causing extra re-icing, constitute
loss attributable to the company,
not the shipper. They further claim
the re-icing in transit is not ade-
Quate.
These billing rates. commented
Williams. do not apply on intra--
Alaska shipping or that from
Alaska to the United States. But
they are extremely important TO
Alaska shippers who have con-
signments beyond the Pacific
Northwest.
Il don't see how the industry
could stand an increase Williams
continued. with the general mar
ket in meat declining, it would pe
impossible to have competing
raise in the price of fish Inc
killing rate increases would have
to he passed on to the fishermen.
The Williams family in Juneau
have had houseguests for the past
two weeks. The visitors, Mrs. E. l..
Arnell and her two children, BOD
tie and Freddie, plan to go to An
chorage tomorrow. (Bobble wiz
miss his classmates in the llrst
grade, where he has been going 10
school)
Arnell is taking over Williams
law practice in Anchorage, and
now has found and purchased
bouco for fha fo y1ni1u home there.