The Daily Alaska empire., 1951-11-09

in Alaska gained several additional | facets when it was aired before a House of Representative subcom- mittee in the senate chambers of the Federal building in Juneau yes terday afternoon.
 The subcommittee saw many ob- stacles hurled into the path of a bill sponsored by E. L. Bob Bart lett, Alaska delegate, as it headed toward consideration by Congress The bill outlines a plan of settling land claims of long standing by Indians, Aleuts and Eskimos of | Alaska.
 | All witnesses who appeared before the group agreed that the question of settlement of claims was a vital one, but there was no full agreement with the bill as it now stands. How ever, most witnesses expressed thoughts that the bill could be amended and made workable.
 Members of the subcommittee who conducted similar hearings in Anchorage, Fairbanks, Kotzebue, Nome and Kodiak thus far and who were in Juneau yesterday are: Rep. Norris Poulson (R-Calif); Rep. Wayne N. Aspinall (D-Colo); Rep. Chester D. McMullen CD-Fla); Rep. Wesley A. D'Ewart (RcMont); Rep. Frank T. Bow (R-Ohio); Delegate E. L. Bartlett. Alaska; and Preston Peden, counsel for the group. Claim 3S2,0O0 Acres
 William L. Paul, Sr., who said he had been a member of the executive committee of the Alaska Native Brotherhood for more than 20 years, but said he was appearing before the group as a representative of the Tee ton tribe near Wrangell lit the most spectacular fireworks when he said his tribe could prove claims to some 382, ,000 acres of land near Wrangell worth $8,000.000. The land descrited by Paul extends from the north end of Prince of Wales island Gown to the Kasan peninsula and includes a large ~area on Reyilla- gigido island.
 Paul was insistent in questioning why the United States government was careful to deal fairly in most transactions. but always wanted to take property away from the h. dians. He said that as far as the talk about there being no aboriginal rights because of the Russian agree ment with the United States, he could prove that the Russians de- feated only part of small tribe when they took Sitka, and hac never occupied or possessed ono acre in the area he now claims fol his tribe.
 Workable Amendments
 R. E. Robertson, appearing CT behalf of the Juneau chamber of commerce, said some parts of Bert lett's bill were good but needed workable amendments. He said il should be. decided whether the claims have merit or not, and cm- phasized that they needed to bt settled. But he also stated that there had been a court case whicf the chamber of commerce thought had ended the question of any ab- original rights in Alaska.
 1 He cited the case of Miller versus the United States in the Appellate Court in San Francisco where tht judgment was rendered that no ab- original land claims could be al. lowed in Alaska because the Rus sian-American treaty of 1867 sai6 the land in the Territory was solo to the United States without en. cumbrances.
 He voiced the opinion that lanc claims should be heard before 2 court and not before commission as Bartlett's bill provides. He pointed out the importance of tht manner of disposition of tidelands in Southeast Alaska.
 TideIand Control
 He who controls the tidelands can block any development of the uplands," Robertson said. If there is to be development of mines and pulp mills, there must be access tc the tidelands."
 He said he was afraid that Bart let's bill might convey tidelands to tribal groups and deny access to industry. He also pointed out | the importance of tidelands fishing and was emphatic in pleading that tidelands should not be deeded tc any group or individual.
 He and others questioned the re- mobilization section of the bill which provides that 20 percent of re- volving fund of $40 million dollars be used for help in getting Natives started on new claims, in new busi- nesses and for educational pur- poses. Most of the witnesses and some of the congressman seemed to feel that this should be made sep arate from the land claims part oi the bill
 Answering question by Repre- sentative DEwart, Robertson agreed that the land claims must be settled l f0 nrOrnnfa fha Abandonment Q1