Tundra times., 1962-10-15
Ca,,didutes for House Answer en Questions RIVERS THOMAS
THOMAS


 claims?
 They should have been recognized and settled many years ago. The record of Congress in ignoring these rights since the Treaty of Purchase of Alaska and again since the Alaska Statehood Act is shameful. I would never cease working until suitable legislation is passed and in opera tion.
 2. What is your position in regard to historic native hunting and fish, ing rights?
 These rights should be made clear and protected for the natives, since they depend on them for their liv- ing.
 3. What is the difference between the natives aboriginal right to hunt ducks and geese for food and the historic right to the minerals under heath their land?
 Although all Americans have some right to migratory wild ducks and geese, the natives have a first and natural right for their food for sur vival. The international treaty must be revised to recognize this right. The native historic right to min- erals beneath their land should also be clearly defined for once and for all
 4. If you are elected what con- crete programs will you promote to better the economy of native vil- lages?
 I would first of all work to pro- tect their hunting and fishing and trapping rights from outside en- croachment. would promote educa- tion in the villages in basic trades, skills and crafts, homemaking, agri- culture and food preservation. I would suggest providing equipment and training for community pro- jects such as roads. sanitation. build- ings. commercial fishing, and agri- culture D, 5. What will you do to obtain vo- cational schools in Alaska?
 would work to obtain the neces- sary federal funds, to be used under state supervision.
 6. What will you do to promote ample educational facilities in Alaska?
 My answer here is the same as above. IL is shocking that all native high school children must go down to Mt. Edgecumbe for schooling, and that so many hundreds are turned away from there each year for lack of room. Almost year ago President Kennedy asked the Sec retary of the Interior to do some- thing immediately about more na- tive schools, and absolutely nothing has been done yet
 2. What do you think about the proposal to build a home for the aged natives in interior and north ern Alaska?
 As much as possible care for the aged should be provided in the vil- lages so that they would not have to be transplanted against their will to strange institutions. How ever, if this is something which most natives will feel necessary in the years ahead, then it should be considered in the future.
 8. If Rampant Dam is built, what do you think should be done with the people who now live in the area that would be covered? |, I believe, first of all, that many careful studies should be made be- fore building such huge project, to find out just what people and wildlife would be affected and to what extent. Then the natives who might lose their historic areas of hunting, fishing and living should have the greatest voice in choosing where they would next like to live in Alaska and what type livelihood they would want. with training fur nished to help fulfil their wishes.
 g. Would you work CT use your influence toward getting Congress to define the historic rights of na-