The Daily Alaska empire., 1950-04-26
Wires Oppose Butler KOS M 331;; 5o|ons R Reservations Dive Bombed In Amendment

to the Empire-Many Alaska resi- dents feel that House Resolution 331 is not the bill they want to see passed for the Territory's ad- mission as state, United States Senators are learning this week.
 Since the Interior and Insular Affairs Committee of the Senate opened hearings last Monday the Senators have been bombarded with telegrams from the Territory. Most of these are from opponents of H R 331.
 These telegrams are being entered in the official record each day and testify to the fact that the feeling in support of H R 33l is by no means unanimous.
 Charles D.. Jones of Nome, Ter ritorial Senator, writes House Bill 331 is statehood in name only. It impresses me as a bill to perpet- uate the control of Alaska by the Interior Department.
 "The meagerness of any assets given to the contemplated state is appalling. This emphasizes the terrific burden taxation under the state would be on the residents. The vagueness of the wording on the fisheries, game and mineral, as to the control thereof by the new state should make any real Alaskan be strongly opposed to H R 331.
 Tn fact, it is one of the most shortsighted pieces of legislation ever to come before Congress. No Alaskan who understands it's terms would want statehood under its restrictions I urge you most strong ly to vote against H R 331."
 Joseph A. Durgin of Ketchikan also voiced his strong opposition with these words:
 Our fishing industry in the Ketchikan area is very important to the area and it is one of the biggest and most important in- dustries in Alaska. House Resolu- ton 331 will be harmful to us and we do not want Alaska to become a state under these conditions The bill leaves our industry on tenderhooks with no definite place to look for control. It complicates our situation here and will make more confusion than ever. In ad- dition, this bill does not give AL aska any land or means to support itself as a state. We are against H R 331."
 Trevor Davis of Juneau told the Senators in his telegram that H R 331 would give Alaska the name of statehood with none of the pow CTS or resources it must have to support itself.
 "This bill," continued Davis, "does not specify what will be done about the Indian claims against our valuable forests. It does not give us enough land of any sort. Under this bill we would have no other source of state income and would be completely impoverished"
 Davis also pointed out that H k 331 does not set up adequate pro- visions for Alaska's fisheries.
 Harry J. Hill of Anchorage said he had discussed the bill with neiehbors in his city and that they agreed that most Alaskans do not realize that H R 331 would give the government control of S9 per cent of the Territory, land "ali ol our forests and leaves control oi our fisheries in doubtful position. He argued that an overwhelming majority of Alaskans would oppose H R S31 if they knew the contents of the bill.
 Similar expressions of protest were received from c. s. Glavin- ovick, Larry Calvin, Donald Lyle, Hans Arp, Scott J. Reader, Fred Covota, w. E. Mcdonald, w. w.. Laws. James M. Walsh, Keith He- dreen, and G. R. Jackson all ol Nome.