The Daily Alaska empire., 1949-11-05

fore the hearing, including c. L.. Anderson, Territorial Director of Fisheries, who has spoken at each previous hearing.
 The three trap opponents, Adolph Mathison, Cecil Owsley and Fred Magill, recommended traps be abolished over a five-year period, although they gave no statistics supporting this recommendation.
 TRAPS "UNDEMOCRATIC'
 Mathison and Owsley termed traps "a special privilege" with Owsley further criticizing them as Mathison admitted, however, under questioning by Committee Chairman Victor Wick ersham that traps were a more efficient operation than boat fish ing, and that individual fishermen would earn more money without traps.
 Others who testified were Earl N. Ohmer, president of the Cham ter of Commerce, and John E.. Sales retired piledriver.
 Sales joined with Owsley in hit ting at protection of fish ducks and seagulls, which they claim de- stroy many eggs and small fish, although Sales had no specific criticism of traps themselves.
 Ohmer criticised low tariffs in effect on imported fish, and other foreign products, declaring that such policy threatens domestic fishing, industry as well as de- yelopment of the entire territory, so far as industrial possibilities are concerned.
 SHIPPING SUBSIDY
 Ohmer brought up the shipping question, another topic the sub committee is investigating while on it's northern tour. He maintained that some form of subsidy should De granted Alaska shipping to inn prove service, which, he said, pre- sent operators cannot give be- cause of lack of business
 He. suggested small fast ships, re- quiring less crew and containing less passenger space, to make more frequent calls with some govern ment assistance.
 "Competing lines are no solution, "because present operators are do- ing better than actual conditions warrant, with their high operating costs"
 Mathison brought up the subject of halibut fishing, suggesting fixing the number of fish caught per man per toat under the new proposal ot increasing halibut fishing limits, now being considered by the Inter national Fisheries Commission. Ma gill pointed out many halibut are caught in salmon traps.
 Magill also told his listeners that the large trap season this year made canneries limit tneir purchases from boats, and said canneries would have made more money without, traps.
 The suggestion for licensing halibut boats by areas met opposl- tion and the nonresident restric- tions were "unreasonable.'
 SOUTHEAST DEFENSES
 The Chamber head asked com mitteemen why not defense pro lects for Southeast Alaskan" He pointed out a possible enemy could get inside of defenses to the west ward and south, and make all easy landing in this area.
 He said he was opposed to a pulp industry starting until anti-poliu- tion measures have proved it safe because fisheries will always be the most important industry in Alaska"
 Anderson took the floor to answer criticisms launched at him in Ju- neau about his pointing to the suc- cessful record of Washington states fisheries.
 Delegate Bob Bartlett suggested that an Alaska Fish Commission similar to the game commission would have solved many problems.
 Wickersham repeated his earlier statements that Alaska should ad- vertise nationally, fix up its build ings and appearance, develop nat ural resources, attain statehood, help homesteaders, and get in- creased gold prices.
 Besides Bartlett and Wickersham, the sub committee is composed of Thor c. Tollefson of Washington and John H. Allen of California. They are accompanied by three ad- visors.
 Hearings are to be resumed this afternoon in Wrangell. The party is travelling on the Coast Guard cutter Storis. They later go to Ketchikan and Sitka.