The Daily Alaska empire., 1949-12-01

100000 acres on Prince of Wales and Sukkwan Islands in Southeast Alaska to the native inhabitants of Hydaburg, an Indian village on Prince of Wales Island.
 750 square miles of the Arctic slope, for use by the Eskimos of Barrow, northernmost point of Alaska.
 The offers are contingent upon the natives resigning. all claims to other Alaska lands tecause of occupancy or use for generations past.
 NATIVES MUST APPROVE
 The Alaskan natives must ap- prove the creation of the reserva- tons in an election for the plan to become effective.
 The reservations admittedly rep resent only small part of the land claimed by the Indians.
 In the case of the 36O inhabitants Of Hydaburg, Krug said:
 II realize that, to accept the offer made today these Indians will have to trim to one-ninth the land they sought for their use, but I believe they will wisely choose to do so.
 Every passing year will make it more difficult for them and for the government adequately to protect their way of life otherwise"
 WITHHOLDS OIL
 The offer of the Arctic slope to the Barrow Eskimos withholds from them any petroleum that might be found in the area.
 It includes for use by the natives a coal deposit which the Eskimos are now working and upon which they depend for fuel.
 Krug said the actions we're taken on petitions by the Barrow Eski- mos and the Hydaburg Indians, after studies and hearings com ple>ed months ago.
 He said the Barrow reservation would not affelt or supersede exist ing rights or claims in the area, the Naval Petroleum Reserve estab- lished in 1923, or other small War Department and Civil Aeronautics Administration reserves at Point Barrow.
 "The Barrow land-use withdrawal will protect the shore line of Peard Bay and Dease Inlet as bases for the Eskimoes from which to hunt whale, walrus and seal, on which they are particularly dependent, Krug said.
 CAN CONTROL LIQUOR
 Tt will help them under their own village government to control the liquor traffic in their area, and it will safeguard the coal which they must have to heat their homes.
 The reserve does not include all the hinterland that the Eskimoes use for hunting and trapping, nor all the area that they requested.
 But I feel this action is fully justified and that it must be taken now to avoid careless displacement of these people by casual inter- ference with their complex hunting and fishing way of Arctic life"
 There are 1885 Eskimoes at Bar row.
 MARINE RECOMMENDS
 Assistant Secretary William Warne in recommending the action to Krug said, Tt is critically i'm portant to the nation that we main tain settlement at Barrow and occupy the land. "Only the Eskimos actually live in and occupy this Arctic region, and they must be protected to pre- serve them and their way of life there.
 "They are a fine, loyal and hardy people. This action will safeguard them"
 Of the Hydaburg reservation, Warne said that although there has been relatively little outside pressure" on native settlements, the development of Southeast Alaska pulp industry will affect natives in the future.
 If these people are to be secure, they must. have protection in the form of a recognized land base" Warne said.
 Near Ketchikan, the history and i development of two villages that have already felt the pressure of economic development are illumi- hating.
 "One. Metlakatla, has been pro- tected since 1886 by reserve, An nette Island, and 1t 'prospers and ! it's people are a credit to Alaska. "The other, Kasaan, is unpro- tected and is dying tragically.
 "Hydaburg needs the protection HOW offered. It is a strong village today and can be kept so if the land base is accepted"