The Daily Alaska empire. [volume] (Juneau, Alaska) 1926-1964, 1950-05-04

of the late ]. P. Morgans famous yacht ''Corsair'
and known throughout the Pacific Northwest the
fabulous boss of Alaska"
He enlarges upon his charges of monopoly. and
includes this statement, According to the justice de-
partment the average Alaskan family pays than
s4OO year in ocean freight rates alone for food"
Admiral F. A. zeusler, executive assistant to the
president of the Alaska Steamship Company, in a
recent statement brands the Robert s. Allen column
"faacious and wholly unfounded'
Refuting the charges against exhorbitant freight
rates, Admiral Zeuser quotes from the Maritime Com
mission examiners in Alaska Rate Investigation No
g. THE reveals element of bitterness between
the respondent on the hand and the Territory
on the other No service attain a high degree
of efficient and economical operation without CO.
operation and good faith between labor and manage
ment the support public officials and atmosphere
of good will the part of the general public. Unless
such destructive antagonism disappears, the posi-
bity of better operations at lower rates is remote
Regarding Aliens statement that the average
Alaskan family pays more than $500 year in ocean
rates alone for food zeusler says THAT might well
be true the. average family ate 20 tons of groercies
a year. 1869 pounds week ITO pounds day. but, in
fact it can be shown that five closer approx
nation of the total weight of all items consumed by
average Alaskan family in year-for food cloth
ing and all household needs.
while Aliens report implies that the yacht Cor
sair is Mr. SINNERS private pleasure craft the truth
is that it was operated the Alaska trade deluxe
cruise vessel bringing tourists to Alaska and
developing greater interest in the Territory
And of course know that the Corsair was
wrecked last winter while operating the Los Angeles
Acapulco Mexico cruise route removing it forever from
the Alaska trade.
Ac 10 he charges Admiral IeISer
attention to the fact that in addition to the Alaska
Steamship Company the Coast Line Alaska Ship Lines,
Inc Santa Ana Steamship Company, Berger Trans
portation Company, Canadian Pacific Union Steam
ship Canadian National Standard Oil and Union Oil
Company tankers, Petroleum Navigation Company and
great many small craft operating under charter ar
rangements and about anes offer transportation
service to Alaska.
Furthermore" he says, there no legal re-
5rictions of any kind to prevent any other common
carrier entering the trade since this trade is not
cerficated as are coastal nercoastal and foreign
trades
Even Mr.. Aliens statements about what the gov
eminent attorneys telling grand jury about
Mr.. Skinner and the Alaska Steamship Company are
pure fantasy according to Admiral zeusler 1.-THE
Department of Justice is not presenting and has not
presented any evidence to grand jury concerning
Mr. Skinner or the Alaska Steamship Company and
has indicated it will not make any decision in this
respect until the completion of its examination of the
eompanys books, records and files of which were
freely and voluntarily made available to the Depart
ment by Mr. Skinner and the Alaska Steamship Com
pany.
Briefly stated" he concludes, SAnen's whole re-
port must be branded an irresponsible attempt
to smear the Alaska Steamship Company"
To which no one in Alaska. familiar with the feud
involved will disagree.
We doubt that Mr.. Allen of the truth
in this case. We believe he is too good newspaper
man to lend his aid knowingly, to such bitter per-
sonal attack