- - A l a s k a : The S t a t e o f Our Newest S t a t e —
% f * * 4+6 . * y * * * ^
^ S o m e mnths a g t ^ I was a s k e d i f I would be w i l l i n g t o g i v e some t a l k s a t t h e
W e s t e r n C a n a d i a n U n i t a r i a n C o n f e r e n c e , b e i n g h e l d a t the l a t t e r
i n ^dmonton, A l b e r t a . T h i s , I was n o t o n l y w i l l i n g ,
p a r t o f June,
bu t e v e n e a g e r , t o do s i n c e
Edmonton was t h e p l a c e where I f i r s t be gan my f u l l - t i m e work i n t h e U n i t a r i a n
m i n i s t r y ^and I was most i n t e r e s t e d , a f t e r an a b s e n c e o f t w e n t y - f o m r y e a r s , t o
a g a in see the c a p i t a l c i t y
many o ld f r i e n d s ,
C h u rc h , and
o f t h e P r o v i n c e of A l b e r t a , t o sp e a k once more w i t h
t o w i t n e s s what was t a k i n g p l a c e
t o be t^with U n i t a r i a n s f r o m t h e t h r e e
Saskatchewan,and A l b e r t a ,
which c o m p r i s e
i n the Edmonton U n i t a r i a n
p r o v in c e s o f M anitoba,
t h e W e s t e r n C a n a d i a n U n i t a r i a n Conp^
feren ce.
So,there
turned out,
was no h e s i t a t i o n
in accepting
th is
in vitatio n ,an d
,a s things
I s p e n t an a l l t o o r a p i d week i n a c i t y and maong o l d f t r e n d s and
new a c q u a i n t a n c e s f o r w h i c h and f o r whom I have a f e e i n g o f v e r y d e e p f o n d n e s s
Beyond t h i s , h o w e v e r ,
of i t s
I had l o n g wanted t o t a k e a l o o k a t A l a s k a , t o v i s t m t some
p l a c e s o f s c h o o l - b . - o k m e n t i o a n ---- J u n e a u , S i t k a , A n c h o r a g e , ^ F a r i b a n k s ,
K etchikan--
;to f i s h
i n some o f i t s
s t r e a m s , and t o v i s i t
t- t h e way
t h e r e . And s i n c e Edmonton was a good
o n . Thus i t was,
out n a t u r e ,t h a t
after
corrsepondence
and
I and my o l d e r son ,H on ,
f r i e n d s who r e s i d e
I d e c i d e d to -#e-*
arrangement 3f a n o t a lw a ys c l e a r -
t o o k l e a v e o f Edmonton a t t e n m i n u t e s
o f t h r e e on a S a t u r d a y m o r n i n g , v i a N o r t h w e s t A i r l i n e s wh ic h a l o n e and o n l y
once a week makes a f l i g h t
f r o m t h e c e n t a l p a r t o f th e N o r t h ^ ^ e i c a n C o n t i ­
n e n t i n t o the v a s t a r e a w h i c h ^ n o w l L s a c c e p t e d and a c k n 6 l e g e d as b e i n g j t h e
fourty-n in th sta te ,
I ha ve e v e r had ^
e la n d e d a t A n c h o r a g e ,
<un -ny +
after
the most s p e c t a c u l a r f l i g h t
-m.m nn
an d ,h av in g c^rssed
t h r e e time z o n e s beyond t h a t o f E d y u n t o n , we a r r i v e d a t s i x - t h r i t y i n t h e
^
y*t
******
*
monning Bp and were met by an o ld time member o f t i s S o c . e t y , S t a n l y ^ r i ^ c k *
w i t h t he ^ r i c k s o n s ,
s o n l . A f t e r some added b r e a k f a s t , h a v i n g a l r e a d y had b r e a k f a s t c o m b i n g down
6"T
a l o n g t h e e o a s t a l r a n g e and o v e r t o e r a t h e r w^ bi"'known Matanuska V a l l e y ,
we yjent down t h e r e l a t i v e l y new s t r e t c h o f
h i g h w a y whi^ch s k i r t s Cooks
I n l e t and Tunmagain hay and leaders i n t o
s h o r e on Lake K i n a i ,
of i t s
an i c y c o l d
su rrou n d in g mountinas,
K e n a i P e n i n s u l a . H e r e , o n t he
a
b u t b e a u t i f u l I k e f e d f ro m t h e snows and i - c e
/
amd on w i l d &nd modest c a b i n p r o p e r t y owned b y
a member o f t h e A n ch o ra ge U n i t r a i n f e l l o w s h i p , w h o
o r i g i n a t e s from S t . P a u l ,
had the f i r s t U n i t a r i a n C o n f e r e n c e e v e r h e l d i n A l a s k a .
c o n f e r e n c e i n numbers,only,
I t was n o t a l a r g e
some f o r t y ^ f i v e i n d i v i d u a l s ^ ^ 3 g ^ & B ^ * ^ s d d i s t a n c e s
i p e i n g v e r y g r e a t I n A l a s k a and a l s o v e r y e x p e n s i v e , i t was much l e s s
f u l ly rep resen tative
we
gathering.The
ireat m ajority
than a
, e r e from t h e A n ch o ra ge
U n i t a r i a n f e l l o w s h i p , a n d t h e r e m a i n i n g few w e i f f r o m t h e F a i r b a n k s U n i t a r i a n
fellow sh ip .
Th er e was s u p p o r t o f t h e Co nf e re nc e, f ro m the o t h e r i w o U n i t a r i a n
F ellow ships in A la sk a ,
a t Juneau,the
cap ital,
and S i t k a , t h e
oyid Russian
,,
c a p t i a l on B a r o n o f i s l a n d , b u t w i t h ^ h u n d r e d s o f m i l e s d i s t a n c e
^
from Lake
E i n a i , t h e r e w . s no p e r s o n a l r e p r e s e n t a t i o n f r o m
two
these
la tter
fellow -
3
f a c t o r s of
mapor importance in the growth and development o f A l a s k a . ^ t i l l , i n
my o p i n i o n , i t was a l i v e l y and s i g n f i c a n t C o n f e r e n c e , l o a d e d w i t h much d i s c u s j / ^ t h e o l d n o t i o n o f t h e f a h t e r h o o d o f G^d,and t h e brotherho. pd Of man,and
j s i o n ^ a n d s i g n i f y i n g t h e o u t r e a c h o f U n i t a r i a n s m f a r beyond t he n e i g h b o r h o o d
p f Bpstpn,
end marked f o r me, n o t o n l y by the f a c t t h a t I was p a r t i c i p a t i n g
in the f i r s t
A laskan U nktarian Conference,
^ M t f a l s o b y the f i c t
th a t I stayed
up most o f t h e n i g h t s c o m p l e t e l y d e c e i v e d by t h e amont of l i g h t t h a t
throughout th e tu r n o f th e tw n ty f o u r ho^rs.And
continued
, i n t h e morning I i n w a r d l y
s h i v e r e d , w h e n I saw two o r t h r e e ha rd ^ s o u l s , o r p e rh a p ^ y s more r i g h t l y s t a t e d
foolhardy s o u ls ,in c lu d in g
ray- 193<y* J o n ,
go f o r a swim
in water o n ly r e c e n t l y
leased
r e i i x ^ K i K y d from i c e and snow.
From Lake K i n a i we went b a c k t o A n c h o r a g e ,
t h e l a r g e s t and i n many ways the
most c o s m o p o l i t a n o f
a l l A l a s k a n c om m u n it ie s a t t h e p r e s e n t m o e m nt.T he re ,
w i t h Mr. V i c t o r G o f f ,
th e r e g i o n a l d i r e c t o r of th e P a c i f i c
Coast U n itarian
C o n f e r e n c e w i t h i h w h ic h t h e A l a s k a n Uni t r a i n F e l l o w s h i p s a r e i n c l u d e d ,
we di d
a TV p ro g r a m and went nn t o an e v e n i n g p u b l i c m e e t i n g . The l a t e a f t e r n o o n
TV program was o f i n t e r e s t , f i r s t ,
a b o u t h a v i n g u s n a p p e a r ahd
t o r e was more i n t e r e s t
second
takenly
speak
b e c a u s e t h e r e wa$ no a p p a r e n t r e l u c t a n c e
as U n i t a r i a n s ( i t
may be ,3533 c o u r s e ,
i n us a s o u t s i d e r s t h a n i n our b e i n g U n i t a r i a n s ) ;
, because a t the l a s t
moment we were
j o i n d d by two i h d i v i d u a l s
t h o u g h t t h e y were e x p e c t e d f o r t h a t program.One o f t h e s e ,
o f much c o r d i a l i t y ,
that
and
who m i s ­
a young man
was t h e l e a d e r o f some e v a n g e l i c a l c r u s d a d e movment i n
A nc h or a & e : the o t h e r t w s a woman o f r a t h e r
s t r i k i n g o h v s i c l auDearanceAUP
f r o m H o l l y w o - d t o promote the
sho wi ng i n l " c h o r a g e o f some B i l l y Grah^an'
moving p i c t u r e p r o d u c t i o n . Somehow o r o t h e r t h e s e two were
P r o g r a m ,a n d at& m ig ht be i m a g i n s o d ,
c o n t r o v e r s i a l p r o g r a m . I am s u r e
TV v i e w e r s must
that
t u r n e d o u t t o be a r a t h e r
I am s u r e ,
igious
q u i t e unique
i n the
l i v e l y and
some A n c h o r a g e and s u r r o u n d i n g t e r r i t o r y
ha v e b e e n r a t h e r b a f f l e d
c o m b i n a t i o n o f sumh d i v e r g e n t r e
w i l l rb a m in ,
it
included
by what t h e y saw and h e a r d . T h e
points
o f v i e w s on
t h e same program
i n A n c h o r a g e and A l a s k a f o r
some time
t o come.
I n t h e c o u r s e o f t h e n e x t t u r e e w e ek s I had m e e t i n g s w i t h t h e
group a t F a ir b a n k s ,
where i n c i d e n t a l l y t h e t e m p e r a t u r e
was a b o u t
and t h e r e was h a r d l y a se m b la n c e o f d a r k n e s s t h r o u g h o u t
from F a irb a n k s i s
the U n i v e r s i t y o f A l a s k a ,w h ic h for
fellow sh ip
$0 d e g r e e s
the n ig h t.F o u r m ile s
some time h a s had the
d i s t i n c t i o n o f b e i n g the n o r t h e r n m o s t u n i v e r s i t y i n t h e w o r l d . 1^ i s
t i n c t o n , however, that has c a ^ rried with i t
t,.
p
the b u l k o f t h e p o p u l a t i o n
A
a d is-
a s e r io u s d isa d va n ta g e in s o f a r as
l i v e h u n d r e d s o f m i l e s away i n t h e
c o a s ta l areas
and more p a r t i c u l a r l y i n t h e A l a s k a n Pan ha nd le w h ic h s t r e t c h e s f a r down the
c o a s t toward S e a t t l e .
!
m o r e b o n v e n i n e t and
The r e s u l t h a s been t h a t many s t u d e n t s ha v e found
le s s expensive to
t h e S t a t e s and m a i n l y i n C a l i f o r n i a
train in g
go on w i t h t h e i r s c h o o l i n g o u t s i d e i n
and Oregon and W a s h i n g t o n . S t i l l m o r e , f o r
i n such p r o f e s s i o n a l f i e l d s a s m e d i c i n e and l a w , t h e y have had t o
go
and tt h
h ii ss
t o o ui tt ss ii d
d ee and
_____ ___
it
o ffer
ii ss
ss tt ii ll ll
n ee cc ee ss ss a
i
n
a rr vy .T^e
U n iversity is
and- m a t c h e l s e w h e r e .
w
i
t
h
still
lim ited
in
some i m . r n v e -
ment i n means o f t r a n s p o r t a t i o n and t h e a l l - i m p o r t a n t d e v e lo p m e n t o f a i r - t r a ­
v e l in A laska,
the
u n i v e r s i t y has be en g r o w i n g . l t ha s a lm o s t
dernized &ts p h y s i c a l p la n t ,
and t h i s
year i t has i t s h ig h est
p r e f e r e n c e b e in g g iv e n to A lask a d n st u d e n t s over a g a i n s t the
who want t o e n r o l l f r o m " o u t s i d e " . ! , s I n s t i t u t e
-^ ^and
first
c o m p l e t e l y mo­
en rollm en t,w ith
g r o w i n g number
of G eo-physics i s
qu ite
i t h a s drawn some r a H i r w i d e - s p r e a d a t t e n t i o n t h r o u g h h a v i n g made t he
c o n t a c t with S p u t n ik 1 .
From F a i r b a n s k
glaciers.O n e
is
a long f l i g h t
down t o Ju ne a u^ ov e r
s p e c t a c u l a r m o u n t i a n s and l a k e s and
comes a c r o s s many m i l e s o f t h e Yukon T e r r i t o r y , w h i c h i s C a n a d i a n
T e r r i t o r y and oneqwas p a r t o f t h e y e t much l a r g e r N r t h w e s t T e r r i t y
ada.T^ere
air
strong
is
no ro ad
or w ater.
It
o f Can­
,th e c a p i t a l .
t
, a s y e t i n t o J u e a n u . I ^ c a n o n l y be r e a c h e d e i t n e ^ b y
i s a l m o s t a one s t r e e t - A o w n , p e r c h e d a t the f o o t of
m o u n t a i n s , w i t h one o f t he w o r l d ' s l a r g e s t
f r o n t i n g a pon an arm o f t h e
g la cie rs
in i t s
towering
b a c k y ^ a r d ,a n d
ocean, w h i c h r u n s a good many more m i l e s i n l a n d
t o S k a g w a y . . H r e we had a Sunday m or ni ng m e e t i n g i n the E a r o n o f f H o t e l . T " e
/
\
*****
( g r e s e n t / c h a i r m a n of t h e Ju e n a u f e l l w o s n i p ^ s y a man by t h e name o f Tom S t e w a r t
He wa^ b o rn i n A l a s k a , i n Juneau^ h i s f a t h e r now r e t i r e d
h a v i n g be e n t h e f i r s t
ney,
c o m m i s s io n e r of mines f o r the
w i t h a la w d e g r e e f r o m Y a l e ,
and l i v i n g a t S i t k a
T e r r i t o r y . T o m i s an a t t o r ­
and i s m a r r i e d to t h e
one-time d i r e c t o r o f
m us ic i n t h e T u l s d , O k l a h o m a " Un ita ri an C h u r c h . As w i t h so many o f the U n i t a r i n a i
I met, Tom h a s
'ong been engaged i n " o p e r a t i o n s ta te h o o d ",a n d
he p&ayed a
6
prominent r o l e as e x e c u t i v e
met a t t h e U n i v e s i t y
s e c r e t a r y o f the
C o n stitu tio n al
Convention which
_f A l a s k a i n 1 95 5 and e a r l y 1 9 5 6 and hammered o u t a
c o n s i t i t u i o n f o r A la s k a ,p e n d in g the adm ission o f A la s k a in to
sta tehood.
Sunday e v e n i n g I was o v e r a t S t T k a inhere I had a m e e t i n g w i t h t h e S ^ t k a Mount Eggecomb f e l l o w s h i p . T h ^ r e s e n t ^ c h a r i m a n
tiansen,w ho
comes f r o
of th is
grouptis)W arren C h r i s t
M i n n e s o t a a s a l s o do some o t h e r members of t h i s
g r o u p . Warren a t t e n d e d t h e U n i v e r s i t y o f M i n n e s o t a and was a s s o c a i t e d w i t h
t h e M i n n e a p l i s U n i t a r i a n xinRanctx s o c i e t y . A h i l e
lived
on a b o a t a n c h o r e d on the M i s s i s s i p p i ;
t h e Law S c h o o l ,
he
g o ? n g to
the U n i v e r s i t y he
follow in g
g ra d u a tio n from
s i ^ l e d f h i s b o a t down t o the g u l f , t h r o u g h th e C a n a l , a n d
up t h e c o a s t t o A l a s k a wh r e
he s t i l l makes much u se o f i t
i n the many w a t e r s
t h a t s rround S^ tka.
O ut U n i t a r i a n f e l l w o s n i p s in A la s k a are
r e l a t i v e l y new,and
f ew i n number - o n l y f o u r - - ,
s m a l l i n mem ber shi p. ^ 1 1 o f them a r e e x p e r i e n c i n g g r o w i n g
p a i n s common to most f e l l o w s h i p s , b u t
t h o s e i n A l a s k a f a c e an a d d i t i o n a l
major d i f f i c u l t y , n a m e l y f i n d i n g o r p r o v i d i n g t h e m s e l v e s w i t h a p l a c e
to m e e t .
Almost e v e r y t h i n g i s e x p e n s i v e i n A l a s k a , a n d h o u s i n g and b u l d i n g o f a l l
not l e a s t o f a l l .
Tfje r e s u l t
i s t h a t many homes are
i n s t a n c e s w i t h o u t a n e x t r a g u e s t room,
r e l a t i v e l y s m a l l , i n many
and bu Idi nA 's f o r r e n t a r e s c a r c e ,
high in r e n ta l,a n d i l l - a d a p t e d fo r U n itraian
is
types
fellow sh ip
u s e s . T^e S i t k a g ro u p
t a l k i n g o f b u i l d i n g a m od es t s t r u c t u r e f o r ih x & m x i z x E x y t h e r i n e e d s , and
d o in g the Con s t r u c t i & n t h e m s e l v a s . B t f o r
this
s m a l l group t h e c o s t o f ma-
U n i t a r i a n f e l l o w s h i p s f o l d i n g up b e n e a t h t h i s
d iffic u lty ,b u t
o f d i s c o u r a g e m e n t c o u l d be l e s s e n e d and t h e i r e f f e c t i v e n e s s
t h e i r mmmments
c ou ld be f o s t e r e d
t h r o u g h some s p e c i a l f i n a n c i a l c o n s i d e r a t i o n b e i n g g i v e n to them o u t o f ogp
g e n e r a l u n i t e d U n i t a r i a n A p p e a l f u n d s . Thes e f e l l o w s h i p g r o u p s ha v e some Ex­
t r e m e l y c a p a b l e p e o p l e i n t h e m ; t h e y e v i d e n c e no mock h e r o i c s a b o u t b e i n g
pion eers;
lik e
to
t h e y g e n u n i n e l y b e l i e v e i h the w o r t h o^ U n i t a r a n d
se e i t
grow
t h e y would
a l o n g w i t h the o t h e r h e i g h t e n e d d e v e l o p m e n t t h a t t h e y
assume w i ^ l l t a k e p l a c e i n A l a s k a a s a s&&&e.0ur U n i t a r a i n movmend^ i r j g e n e r a l ,
it
seems t o me, n e e d s t o b e made awa re o f o ur U n i t a r i a n f e l l o w s h i p s , i n A l a s ­
k a and i t
s h o u l d ' h a s t e n t o g i v e ^ them as much s u p p o r t o f one k i n d and an&Rher
T u r n i n g now from what h a s p e r h a p s been t o o many personal r e f e r e n c e s / a n d
too
much c o n c e n t r a t i o n upon t h e U n i t a r i a n gr o u p s i n A l a s k a ^ I would l i k e t o i n d i ­
c a t e a f ew a s p e c t s o f the A l a s k a n s t o r y and s i t u a t i o n
t h a t , b y and l a r g e , h a v e
be e n n e g l e c t e d i n the r e c e n t f l u r r y o f p u b l i c i t y a b o u t A l a s k a ,
i t s addm ission in to
fu lly
statehood. F i r s t ,
o f n the s t a t i s t i c a l
informed,and presumably im p ressed ,
b l e chunk o f g e o g r a p h y , t h a t
it
o c c a s i o n e d by
f r o n t , we ha v e been
with the f a c t th a t A laska i s
a siza­
i s more t h a n t w i c e a s b i g a s T e x a s , e q u i v a l e n t
t o one f i f t h
t he s i z e
of the United S t a t e s ,a n d
ted S k t e s i t
w i l l make t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s
with i t s
a d d itio n to
tne U n i ­
the f o u r t h l a r g s ' c o u n t r y i n the w o rl d
8
moved ahead o f B r a z i l and e x c e e d e d o n l y b t h e S o v i e t Un ion ,
Beyond t h i s ,
h o T je v e rf^ w a sM
corneas a r a t h e r d i s t i n c t ^
C h i n a , a n d Canada,
s u r p r i s e t o many
6me r i c a n s wuld be t he r e a l i z a t i o n t h a t F a i r b a n k s i n c e n t r a l A l a s k a i s a s f a r
f ro m t h e f o r t h P o l e a s i t
is
from S e a t t l e ,
t h a t A l a s k a l i e s w e s t as w e l l a s
n o r t h o f c o n t i n e n t a l U n i t e d S t a t e s , t h a t Cape P r i n c e o f W a l e s , L 3 * r .pin,
its
p r o j e c t i o n beyond
the 1 6 7 t h . M e r i d i a n , i s t j^e m o r e
o f H o n o l u l u , a n d ^ A t t u , t h e most remote o f the A l e u t i a n s
in
t h a n 4-00 m i l e s w e s t
i s almost d i r e c t l y n o rth
o f New Z e a l a n d . As y e t , & e s t o f us i n the U n i t e d Stag e s , i n c l u d i n g m y s e l f ,
have
s c a r c e l y be gun t o comprehend A ^ s k a ' s g e o g r a p h i c a l p o s i t i o n , a s w e l l a s i t s
s i z e . T^is i s r e f l e c t e d
land o f i c e and show,
i n the
c o n t i n u i n g wdiespread n o t i o n t h a t A lask a i s a
an i c e - b o x somewhere up a t t h e top^i of t he N ort h A m e r i ­
can C o n t i n e n t . T h i s n o t i o n h a s b e e n v o \ c e d
time and a g a i n i n &he h a l l s o f
C o n g r e s s e v e r s i n c e Seward was i n s t r u m e n t a l i n p:&cha{j.$ng A l a s k a from R u s s i a ;
and i t
r e m a i n s an a l m o s t u n b e l i e v a b l e
stereotype
in
i n a d v e r t i s i n g and TV p r e s e n t a t i o n s . T^e f a c t s a r e
Japa n C r r e n t , w h i c h s k i r t s the e n t i r e
towns,
w inter tem peratures,
coastal a r e a ,it s
c i t i e s and
e n j o y m ild e r wni-
Lhe U n i t e d S t a t e s . K e t c h i k a n ' s and S i t k a s
a p p r o x i m a t e t h o s e o f Washington^and P h i l a d e l p h i a * J u n e a u ' s -
o f New Y o r k C i t y , a n d
T^e w i n t e r
of
c o n v e r s a t i o n and
q u i t e o t h e r w i s e . Due t o the
c o n t a i n i n g the g r e a t e r p a r t o f A l a s k a ' s p o p u l a t i o n ,
t e r s t h a n t he n o r t h e r n p a r t s
those
P acific
general
tem peratures o f
are h ig h er than those of Boston,
Omaha,and D e n v e r .
the A n c h o r a g e a r e a a r e h i g h e r t h a n t h o s e o f n o r ­
t h e r n New E n g l a n d . W i s d a R i ^ n . M i n n e s o t a . t h e D a k o t a s and Mnn-han. Even N n m a. lp a s ___
J^han a hundred m i l e s b e l o w the a r c t i c
C ircle,
has w in te r tem p eratu res
h i g h e r t h a n t h o s e o f t he p r o v i n c i a l c a p t i a l s o f W in n ip e g and
6
- R e i n a j u s t n o r t h o f t h e U n i t e d S t a e s - Canada b o u n d a r y . T e F a i r b a n k s a r e a i s
the o n l y s u b s t a n t i a l l y p o p u l a t e d a r e a w i t h t e m p e r a t u r e s w h i c h o c c a i o n a l l y
drop toth e f i f t i e s
and s i x t i e s b e l o w z e r o . But I have e x p e r i e n c e d such tem-
p e r a t u r e s when l i v i n g
i n Edmonton, A l b e r t a and—mads a l l . t h e - woree b y h i g h
v e l o c i t y w i n d s . I n the F a i r b a n k s a r e a such t e m p e r a t u r e s a r e a l m o s t i n v a r i a b l y
accom pa nie d b y a c o m p l e t e s t i l l n e s s ---s t r i g h t upward.
the
smokekfrom t h e c h im n e y s f r e e z e s
3
^
^
"rr.
n i n e t y d e g r e e lemp&r-atue above z e r o i s not uncommon i n
A
^
F a i r b a n k s ia^ tha^aumm er,and w i t h d a y a f t e r
around the c l o c k , t h a t
da y o f alm ost
complete d a y l i g h t
a r e a c a n p r o d u c e c r o p s , i n c l u d i n g n i n e t y d a y wheat,
*very"' T i ± e l y d e v e l o p e d a s a much ne e de d a g r i e u l t u r a l ^ d i e ^ T t ^ t has and
when v a r i o u s h u r d l e s a t t e n d a n t
upon p u r c h a s e and c o s t i n c l e a r i n g l a n d f o r
f a r m i n g a r e overcome
S e c on d ,
moes l i v i n g
there
is a related
in i g l o o s .
< . e ll,
t h e r e a r e a l l a c & r s s th e
cf
common n o t i . n
course
that Alaska i s
a lan d o f E s k i -
, t n e r e a r e E s k im o e s i n A l a s k a , a s
sweep o f N o f t h e r n Canada c l e a r a c r o s s
o f t h e B ^r th A l t l a n i c . B^t among o t h e r t h i n g s ,
the so -c a lle d
to
w hites g r e a t ly
outnumber the Eskmoes i n A l a s k a . And
s t i l l more, t h e Esk tm oe s a , e
of at le a s t
t h a t have b e e n i n A l a s k a
four etth&c s u b - d iv is io n s
a ny w h i t e man e v e r a r r i v e d
t h a t thousands ^
-/ears a^n
the s h o r e s
o n l y one
!ong b e f o r e
t h e r e . S c i n n i s t s a r e r a t h e r s t r o n g l y o f t h e tne^ry
„ let-nn n ^ o s s i n a f r o m A s i a
to
10
a c r o s s what now i s B e r i n g S t r a i t s .
the w a ter in th e
stra its,
T ^ is i s
shallow ness of
o n l y some one hundred and t w e n t y f e e t i n d e p t h ,
more c o n c r e t e s u b s t a n t i a t i o n
ha s come f r o m many
mammoths and m a s t o d o n s , w h i c h were
to t w e n t y - f i v e
b o n e s o f n,ap.mals s u c h a s
thousa nd
it
is
r a t h e r g en e d r'lly held
t h e r e were
tions
su b-division s
o f p e o p l e s . T^e e t h n o l o g i s t s
the A l e u t s ,
recognize four
j,
who m a i n l y i n h a b i e d
the w e s te rn p a r t o f the A la s k a P e n i n s u l a ;
A r c t i c and B e r i n g S e a e o a s t s ;
the i n t e r i o r
sa n d ,
v a rio u s m igra­
of these
'
the A l e t u i a n Is aM nd s,a nd
the E sk im o s ,w h o f r e q u e n t e d the
the T ^ i l i n g i ^ t - H a i d a I n d i a n s , w h o
the s o u t h e a s t e r n c o a s t a l r e g i o n ;
that
y e a r s a g o , t h e r e was no t o n l y a m i g r a t i o n
o 3* s u c h a n im a s f r o m A s i a i n t o A m e r i c a , b u t l i k e w s i e
^laskan a b o r i g i n i e s :
and
common t o S i b e r i a , t h a t have b e e r u n e a r t h e d
i n g o ld m i n i n g o p e r a t i o n s i n A l a s k a . T ^ u s ,
some t w e l v e
s u g g e s t e d by the
settled
along
and t h e A t h a p a s c a n I n d i a n s who g r a v i t a t e d
of A l a s k a . T^e E s k i m o e s i n A l a s k a ,
to
now number some s i x t e e n t h o u ­
and make up abo ut one h a l f o t ^h^jnative p o p u l a t i o n . ^ o 5 t o f them s t i l l
depend upon t h e land
and s e a f o r t h e i r f o o d , b u t
o f C^a^ada and G r e e n l a n d ,
u n l i k e some E s k i m o e s o f p a r t s
t h o s e h f A l a s k a have n e v e r l i v e d
in i g l o o s , e x c e p t
a s an e m e r g e n c y measure when out on t h e t r a i l and away f r o m t h e i r v i l l a g e s .
In
having t o a d ju s t to v a r io u s
o f the w h i t e m a n 's ways ,
w i t h numberous p r o b l e m s , b u t by and l a r g e
t h e y nave had t o cope
t h e y hav^ been a b l e t o d o so b e t t e r
than most a t o r l i g n a l p e o p l e s . T^ey are r e s p e c t e d a s e x c e l l e n t w o r k e r s ,
a good many o f
them ha ve become t r u c k d r i v e r s , a n d
carpenters,
and
and c a t -
s k i n n e r s , a n d have t a k e n j o b s a t a i r f i e l d s and a t r a d a r and r a d i o i n s t a l l a '
11
t i o n s . T^e A l a s k a n n a t i v e s have f u l l
the c a s e ,
c i t i z e n s h i p r i g h t s . T " i s has lo n g been
and i n 1 % 8 t h r e e E s k i m o e s were e l e c t e d
t u r e . T ^ e new C o n s t i t u t i o n ,
in A r t i c l e
I,
to t h e t e r r i t o r i a l l e g i s l a ­
likew sie
c le a r ly stat
p e r s o n s a r e and e q u a l and e n t i t l e d
to e q u a l r i g h t s ,
p r o t e c t i o n und er t h e l a w " , a n d t h a t
"no p e r s o n i s
a n y c i v i l or p o l i t i c a l r i g h t b e c a u s e o f r a c e ,
Third,w^a^re a l l
it
i n 18 67 f o r o n l y l i t t l e
m lllo n s in f u r s ;
c o lo r creed ,o r n a tio n a l o r ig in " .
more t h a n s e v e n m i l l i o n s
a t the p r i c e .
t h a t &ae. time one mine a l o n e h a s p i a d
countyy;
and
and a g a i n ha v^ b e e n h a v i n g
t h a t the U n i t e d S t a e s bo u g h t A^ptpka f r o m R u s s i a
men i n and o u t o f C o n g r e s s r a i l e d
th eR h ole
o p p o rtu n ities,
t o be d e i e n d t h e en jo ym en t o f
r a t h e r f a m i l i a r w i t h the f a c t ,
c a l l e d to our a t t e n t i o n ,
s"that a ll
d o l l a r s and y e t
short-sighted
S h o r t -s ig h t e d because
since
i n g o l d n e a r l y t e n t&mes th e c o s t o f
one s m a l l group o f i s l a n d s h a s y i e l d e d more t h a n f i f t y
and f i s h i n g w h i c h i s s t i l l
A la sk a 's biggest in d u stry repre­
s e n t s 3 ome s e v e n t y m i l l i o n d o l l a r s a y e a r .
..hat i s n o t so f a m i l i a r i s t h e f a c t t h a t w h i l e no l a n j ^ i n h i s t o r y h a s
p our ed out i t s
w e a l t h more b o u n t i f u l l y t h a n h a s A l a s k a , l i k e w i s e a l m o s t no
o#&*^Land i n h i s t o r y ha s r e t a i n e d
ing of i t s e l f .
le s s w ith in i t s
boundaries f o r the u p b u ild ­
S c o r e s o f m i l l i o n s of d o l l a r s have been
made o^^Tof A l a s k a ,
b u t t h e g r a t b u l k o f t h e s e f o r t u n e s have be e n t a k e n out o f A l a s k a , a n d A l a s k a
and i t s
permanent c i t i z e n s
o v e r most o f A l a s k a ' s h i s t o r y have b e n e f i t e d
from o n l y a f r a g m e n t a r y s h a r e .
The p r o c e s s s t a r t e d a l m o s t a s soon a s w h i t e men f i r s t
l a n d e d on t he c o a s t s
o f A l a s k a .T ^ i s ,
fa *
k a-w , was in the summer o f 174-1.? when V itu a
B e r i n g , A &ane by b i r t h ^ b u t a l o n g t i m e o f f i c e r i n t h e R u s s i a n I m p e r i a l
i n a second a t t e m p t a t f i n d i n g the s o l u t i o n
problem o f the
tim e,nam ely,
and A m e r ic a were j o i n e d
beyond
est
o f the g r e a t g e o g r a p h i c a l
w h e t h e r the c o n v e r g i n g c o n t i n e n t a l mass es o f A s i a
o r s e p a r a t e d by a n a r r o w body o f w a t e r ,
t h e w a t e r s t h a t were t o b e a r h i s name, a t o w e r i n g
The A l e u t s r e f e r r e d
to i t
Navy,
as A L - a - a s k a , m e a n i n g
saw r i s i n g
. ange o f m o u n t a i n s .
"T^e G r e a t L a n d " . B e r i n g and
n e a r l y one h a l f o f t h e c rew
s h o r t l y t h e r e a f t e r came down w i t h s c u r v y and
died o f I t .
the n e x t y e a r t h a t t h e
I^_ was not u n t i l
b a c k to R u s s i a b r i n g i n g news of t h e i r
fin id n gs,
s u r v i v o r s made t h e i r way
and of the d e a t h o f B e r i n g
and t he o t h e r s . T^ey a l so b r o u g h t b a c k some f u r s , a m o n g
aaa-otter,an h itherto
unknown f u r a n i m a l . 7^ t h i n a s h o r t t i m e
t e r s and a d v e n t u r e r s and f u r d e a l e r s were
depleted
s o u r c e s i n R u s s i a and S i b e r i a
w a t e r s and among t he
them b e i n g some o f t he
to
R u s s i a n promo­
e x t e n d i n g t h e i r e f f o r t s beyond t h e
this
g r e a t new f u r
s u p p l y i n the
i s l a n d s be tw ee n A s i a and N^rt h A m e r i c a , i n t he words o f
E rn est Gruening former lo n g-tim e
gover or of A la s k a ,"F o r
t e r B e r i n g ' s d i s c o v e r y the A m e r i c a n s h o r e s were v i s i t e d
n t e r p r i s e r s who s l a u g h t e r e d
the f u r - b e a r e r s , p l u n d e r e d
some f o r t y y e a r s a f ­
o n l y by b u c c a n e e r i n g
the A l e u t s ,
and k i l -
ed t h o s e who r e s i s t e d . " 1^ was a b r u t a l and r u t h l e s s b u s i n e s s , m o t i v a t e d o n l y
by a g r e e d f o r q u i c k and f a b u l o u s
a tio n of
th e f u r - b e a r s e r s or t h e
wea 1 t h and w i t h
thogM^ h t o th e c o n s e r v ­
w e l l - b e i n g o f the n a t i v e s . A^d e v e n when
some measure o f c o n t r o l and a l i t t l e
less b ru ta lity
toward the n a t i v e s were
introudced
tractin g
its
into
13
the s i t u a t i o n ,
the c e n t r a l c o n c e r n y e t remained t h a t o f e x ­
a s much w e a l t h from the f u r r e s o u r c e s o f A l a s k a a s p o s s i b l e * c u r i n g
ie 6 years of rather
f l i m s y do m in io n o v e r A l a s k a , w i t h
n o t h i n g much o t h e r
t h a n S i t k a t o show i n t h e way o f R u s s i a n s e t t l e m e n t ,
R u ssia bestowed alm ost
n o t h i n g o f w o r t h and v a l u e
p eople.
upon t h e
c o u n t r y and i t s
"=7^en R u s s i a s o l d A l a s k a t o t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s , l a r g e l y a s a p o l i t i c a l p w e r
move t o
p r e v e n t B r i t i a n f ro m moving i n on A l a s k a and a d d i n g i t
t o Canada,
t h e r e m a ^ h a v e be e n some who t r u s t e d t h a t RnRax A l a k s would g e t a much b e t t e r
d e a l u nd er the s o v e r e i n g t y o f t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s ,
R u s s i a . A^d o v e r t h e y e a r s , b y c o m p a r i s o n ,
it
than i t
had r e c
has insome m e a u s r e .
can r e a d the h i s t o r y o f A l a s k a , a n d p a r t i c u l a r l y
its
past
ived from
B^t no one
h is to ry of n in ety
,
y e a r s o f so under
which
what mn<*i nf
t&e t im e w a s ^ e x c l u s i v e
A l a s k a n e v e r had a n o f f i c i a l v o i c e ,
c o n t r o l by^C^ngress in
w i t h o u t beng t h r o o u ^ h l y amazed
by t h e d i s c r e p a n c y b e t w e e n what h a s c o n t i n u e d to b e p l u n d e r e d f ro m the reso(*ur<
:es o f A .a s k a ,
its
ter
and how l i t t l e
i t o r i a l needs. I t i s
A l a s k a h a s be en a l b e
a lo n g
so rry record,
s h e e r i g n r o a n c e a&d ut and i n d i f f e r e n c e
6^
man; ^ i n v o l v i n g
t o c o l l e c t and r e t a i n f o r
i n v o l i n g no s m a l l amount f
to A la s k a ,o n thee p a rt o^many Congress
much p o l t i c a l i n t r i g u e and m a n i p u l a t i o n ,and p r e s s u r e f ro m
wes a l t h y and p o l i t i c a l l y p o t e n t
commerical i n t e r e s t s ,
whereby t e r r i t o r i a l
c o n t r o l o f t h e i r a c t i v i t i e s have b e e n t h w a r t e d and s t y m i e d ,
t h e Hones A c t o f 1 ^2 0 , c a r g o c o u l d be s h i p p e d n o ^ t h
,
.
thu<3
A la s k a o n ly in American 'ot..^ m s,th u s
axcludina; a l l
excruuing
w hereby,as w ith
t o A-^ska and S o u t h e f ro m
c o m p e t it io n from Canadian
F
slipping
out o f B r i t i s h C lum ib e t o A l a s k e n p o r t s , and f u r t h e r i n g a m onop oly
by United S t a t e s s h ip p in g i n t e r e s t s which has r e s u l t e d
i n some of the h i g h e s t
and most d i s c r i m i n a t r y f r e i g h t r a t e s t o be found any her e
no s i a l l
i n the w o r l d . I n
..easure a b s e n t e e i n t e r e s t s i n S e a t t l e have w i e l d e d an e c o n o m i c c l u b
o v e r t h e d e s t i n y o f A l a s k a ; and i n v o l v e d
i n t h e r e c o r d h a s been a n e t w o r k o
E E K t x x i x f e d e r a l c o n t r o l d i v i d e d among many f e d e r a l a g e n c i e s w i t h j u r i d s i c t i o n
o v e r some p h a s e o f A l a s k a n a f f a i r s w h i c h h a s &&mit3 d , i f n o t c o m p l e t e l y d e n i e d
c o n t r o l b y the t e r r i t o r i a l g o v e rn m e n t a t J u n e a u .
To g i v e bu t one example o f an a l m o s t i m p o s s i b l e s i t u a t i o n t h a t h a s c o n ­
fronted
the T e r r i t o r i a l g o v e r n m e n t , m e n t i n might be made o f what f o r
has be en a w h o l l y i n a d e q u a t e
which provdied fo r a
t a x s t r u c t u r e . The C o n g r e s s o n - a l A c t o f 1 $ 12
te rr ito ria l leg isla tu re ,p lace d
up n the amount and kind
of taxes
As a r e s u l t , i n d i v i d u a l s
and many i n d u s t r i e s ,
from t h e
to ria l
T errito ry,
.con om ic^ asjtra^ portation ,
banks,m otion p ic t u r e t h e a t e r s ,
S t e a m s h i p Company,
in terests
,he
crip p lin g r e s tr ic tio n s
te r r ito r ia l legislatu re
c ou ld l e v y .
d erivin g su b stan tial p r o fits
p a i d no t a x e s w h a t e v e r . S u c h i m p o r t a n t c a t e g o r e i s
,and a p a r t m e n t h o u s e s ,
oarl
t he
o i l componaies,
whose S e a t t l e
of T e r r i­
con struction in d u stry,
newspapers,
raid io
p a i d no t a x e s w h a t e v e r t o the T e r r i o t r y .
station s
The A l a s k a
o w n e r h s i p l i k e w i s e had l a r g e s a l m o n - c a n n i n g
in A laska,and d e riv e d i t s
a n y t h i n g beyond a t o k e n t a x
so lo n g
en tire
r e v e n u e f r o m A l a s k a had n e v e r pa id
^
s i t u a t i o n became c r i t i c a l d u rin g thu v . o — o f 19/17
t o
t h e T e r r i t r y . T^e
t h e r e n o t enough i n c o m e , b u t a n o t h e r r e s t r i c t i o n
created
the T e r r i t o r i a l l e g i s l a t u r e
A l a s k a n go ve rn m en t o r i t s
of 1$12 th a t
p revented any borro w ing e i t h e r b
in stitu tion s
t he
t o meet t h e e m e r g e n c y . As a r e s u l t
U n i v e r s i t y o f A l a s k a and some o t h e r i n s t i t u t i o n s
t h e ir doors.
i n the a c t
the
came n e a r h a v i n g t o c l o s e
T^e l $ t h . T e r r i t o r i a l l e g i s l a t u r e , m e e t i n g i n 1 % $ a f t e r
these
two d i f f i c u l t y e a r s , m o r e o r l e s s t o o k t h e b u l l by the ho1 n s , a n d p a s s e d a
c o m p r e h e n s i v e t a x p ro gr am , R h i c h i n c l u d e d p e r s o n a l and c o r p o r a t e income t a x .
A l t h o u g h t h i ^ m o d e r a t e p ro g r a m was l o n g o ve rd u e and d e f i n i t e l y e s s e n t i a l ,
various
i n t e r e s t s w h ic h n e v e r had ^aid more t h a n a t o k e n tax,commenced a two
year d elayin g actio n
the A l a s k a
in jt -h e c o u r t s . E v e n t u a l l y ho we ve r t h e
income t a ^ f w a s upe ld
Fourth,
v a (id ity of
in the c o u r t s .
we have be e n k e p t in fo rm e d
a b o u t t h e v a r i o u s r e c e n t s t e p s w h ic h
makes s t a t e h o o d f o r A l a s k a a v i r u t a l c e r t a i n t y b y p e r h a p s t h e f i r s t
year
o f t he
.And we have be n p e r h a p s a s much c o n f u s e d a s e n l i g h t e n e d x k x x b y HZ&&h
o f the debate
th at has c e n t e r e d
around w h e t h e r i t
is
s a f e o r good or
w i s e t o g r a n t S t a t e ood t o A l a s k a . B u t beyond what e v e r c o n f u s i n we may i n
our t h i n k i n g / \ a b o u t t h e m a t t e r ,
clearly.
F irst,
long tim e.
It
some t h a t
out r a t h e r
s e n t i m e n t f o r st a t em eh o d d h a s be e n g r o w in g i n A l a s k a f o r a
was under way l o n g b e f o r e
d e v e l o p e d i n t o a world power,
tion c r i s i s
t h e r e a r e two p o i n t s t h a t st an d
i n the s o u t h ,
t h e S o v i e t Uni n
was formed and
i t wa su nd er way l o n g b e f o r e ^ p r e s e n t d e s e g r e g a ­
i t w a s und er way a s s o o n a s i t was a p p a r e n t t o
Ti. haTnst.T-.it,. i n d R f i n i t e l v under the r e s t r i c t i o n .
p l a c e d upon t h e T e r r i t o r i a l
Wichershnan,
U .S. D i s t r i c t
lb
l e g i s l a t u r e by the a c t o f 1 9 1 2 . I n 1 9 1 5 , James
who und er a p p o i n t m e n t o f P r e s i d e n t M a c K i n l e y ,had s e r v e d as
Judge i n th e t e r r i t o r y o f A l a s k a f ro m 1900
t h r o u g h 1908,
then served as e l e c t e d d e l e g a t e from A l a s r a to s e v e r a l c o n g r e s s e s ,
A la s k a 's f i r s t statehood
action ,
trat
and i t was
b i l l i n C o n g r e s s . The b i l l
o nt o t h e
corss currents of
igh t years e a r lie r
u n til it
b ill,co n v in ced
In 1 943,D eleg a te
a s Wickersham had been t w e n t y
t h a t t h e t e r r i t o r y would n e v e r p r o g r e s s s u b s t a n t i a l l y
had s t a t e h o o d , a n d t h a t s t a t e h o o d
o b ta in thah f u l l
ite m s
i s s u e , t h a t n x E x i a A l a s k a would be h e l d
p r e t t y much a s i t was f o r c o n t i n u e d l u c r a t i v e p l u c k i n g .
Dimond i n t r o d u c e d a s t a t e h o o d
introduced
r e c i e v e d no f a v o r a b l e
q u i t e a p p a r e n t t h e n , w i t h o u t th e
l a t e l y have been t a k c e d
and
territo ria l
would be no more d i f i c u l t
o ve rnm ent w.iich a f t e r
to
t h i r t y g i x R i y a r s had
n o t y e t be e n o b t a i n e d . And i n O c t o b e r o f 1 94 6 t h e r e was a v o t e i n A l a s k a
a r e f e r e n d u m t h a t would a s c e r t a i n the w i l l
o f the
p e o p l e o f A l a s k a on s t a t e ­
h o o d . The v o t e was 9 ,6 3 0 f o r and 6 , 8 2 2 a g a i n s t . That was t w e l v e
...
s o m t h i n g we ma y have f o r g o t t e n ,
most r e c e n t a l a s k a n v o t e
Second,
over a l l
and t h e
on the i s s u e
on
for
sentim ent as r e f l e c t e d
y e a r s ago,
thax in the
was d e c i d e d l y o v e r w h e l m i n g .
t h e r e a s o n s f o r w a n t i n g s t a t e l o o d h a ve be en c o n s i s t e n t l y s t a t e d
th is
period o f tim e . A lask a has s u f f e r e d
or
a n y y e a r s under hwa
i s v i r t u a l l y a c o l o n i o a l system t h a t h as e rco u arg ed a b s e n t . e e e x p l o i t a t i o n
of it s
nat r a l re s o u rce s w ithout le a v in g
fo r the t e r r i t . o t y .
needed s o c i a l and economc b e n e f i t s
1^ i s d e n i e d the power t o
r e s u lt
its
f i s h e r i e s or
dispose o f i t s
so il.
T errito rial
17
s t a t u s w i t h c o n s e q u e n t want
o f a d e q u a t e p o —'
l i t i c a l b a r g a i n i n g power i n W a s h in g t o n ha s d e n i e d t o A l a s k a t he f u l l
of fed e ra l,in
such m a tte rs a s r o a d s ,
p r e s e n t e d the
education,
de v e lo p p e m n t o f a n y e f f i c i e n t
side the in co rp o ra te d
ben efits
and a g r i c u l t u r a l r e s e a r c h , a n d
s y s t e m o f law e n f o r c e m e n t o u t ­
t o w n g . The p r o h i b i t i o n b^ C o n g r e s s o f A la^ ^a n m u n i c i p a l
bond i s s u e s h a s st o od i n t h e w a y o f some wholesome d e v e - l o p m e n t s . A ' " d as a
3
4
t^ rrity
A laska i s
a t the mercy o f d i s t a n t f e d e r a l b u r e a u s .
P e r h a p s n o t h i n g b e t t e r i l l u s t r a t e s why so many A l a s k a n s a r e
statehood th a tn the s i t u a t i o n as i t r e l a t e s
e s t r e - s o u r c e , namely salmon f i s h i n g ,
A l a s k a n salmon has d e c l i n e d . I n 1 9 5 3
i n t h r i t y two y e a r s , a n d
ter a r e a . " There
is
to
waat h a s be e n A l a s k a ' s
plummeted t o t h e
P r e s d i e n t Eisenhower
one t h i n g c a l l e d
d e c l a r e d A l a s k a t o be a " d i s a s ­
t r a p s t h a t b l o c k s t r ams and
about th is
salmon
long term d e c l i n e ,
s c a l e c o n s e r v a t i o n policy^., t m t
f o r abo ve e v ^ e r y t h . n g e l s e
Of
second l o w e s t p o i n t
unanimous a g r e e m e n t by t h o s e who know gisatxEXg the
t h e r e must be a c o n c e r t d and f u l l
rich ­
bve r a number o f y e a r s now t h e c a t c h
i n d u s t r y and a r e g x x a r x A i y g e n u i n e l y c o n c e r n e d
th 't
in fa v o r of
is
th e
abolishfng^efPth& f i s h -
t a k e the f ^ i s h and a l l l w none t o go u p st re a m t o
spawn.
Put how i s
t h i s g o i n g t o t a k e p l a c e , w h e n an a b s e n t e e i n d u s t r y , w e a l t h y
and p o l i t i c a l l y p o t e n t
ces,
little
and t h w a r t s and e v a d e s e v e r y
c o n c e r n w i t h t h e morrow o f A l a s k a ' s r e s o u r ­
proposal
t h a t f i s h t r a p s be
severely
?
c o n t r o l l e d ; ' a n d when the A l a s k a n f i s h e r i e s a r e u nd er t h e a b s o l u t e management
18
there
o f a f e d e r a l b u r e a u i n W os hi ng t on and a r e k e p t ^ b y t h e ^ o n g r e - s s
O m e n i n g , u n d e r R e p u b l i c a n and D e m o c r a t i c a d m i n i s t r a t i o n s a l i k e ,
.F ^ r ,
says
t he s & o r y ha s
be e n t h e same: i n a b i l i t y t o s e c u r e a d e q u a t e a p p r o p r i a t i o n s f r o ^ t h e C o n g r e s s - a penny w i s e i n e p t i t u d e ;
i n a b i l t y t o c o n t r o l the p r e d a t o r y human f o r c e s t h a t
have made f o r a g r e a t n a t u r a l r e s o u r c e s ' s d e s t r u c t i o n ; and
in a b ility
to c a r r y ­
o u t n o t on^y t h e p r i m a r y c o n s e r v a t i o n f u n c t i o n but t o u n d e r s t a n d and s a t i s f y
t h e i m p o r t a n t s o c i a l and ec on om ic i m p l i c a t i o n s
G r u e n i n g g o e s on t o i n d i c a t e
f o r the r i g h t
agement
Congress-
that f o r t y
o f self-g o v ern m e n t in t h i s
of i t s
fisheries.A n d
of the t a s k . "
sin gle
a g a i n and a g a i n ,
by t e r r i t o r i a l l e g i s l a t u r e s ,
s i x y e a r s ago^began to p lea d
it
regard
of
c o n t r o l and man­
has b e e n p o i n t e d
b y the d e l e g a t e s ,
out to t h e
by the f e d e a l l y
a p p o i n t e d g o v e r n o r s and f i n a l l y by t h e w h o le A l a s k a n p e o p l l w h o on a r e f e r e n ­
dum i n 1952 a s k e d C o n g r e s s by a v o t e o f 2 0 , 5 4 4 t o 3 ,% 79 t o t r a n s f e r
plete
c o n t r o l o f the f i s h e r i e s
to the
k a n s would n e c e s s a r i l y be g r e a t e r ,
t e r r i t o r y ----
t h a t the
th eir a sso ciatio n closer,
the com­
concern of A l a s ­
t h e i r know led ge
more i n t i m a t e ,
h e i r u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f the p r o b le m c l ^ r a r , and t h e i r EKiKxRKX
d e v o tio n to i t s
s o l u t i o n more i n t e n s e .
Even w i t h s t a t e h o o d , b e l i e v e
it
or
not,
A l a s k a ^ i s n o t g o i n g t o be g i v e n )
c o n t r o l and management o f i t s f i s h e r i e s and w i l d l i f e ^ r i g h t awa^. At l e a s t
there
the
i s an amendment i n t h e JLaw'c^^ce^^ing A l a s k a n s t a t e h o o d , p a s s e d by
S e n a t e and s i g n e d
by P r e s i d e n t E i s e n h o w e r , w h i c h p r o v i d e s t h a t management
o f A l a s k a f i s h and w i l d l i f e s h a l l be continued by the f e d e r a l government un­
til
the S e c r e t a r y o f t he i R t t r i o ^ c e r t i f i e s
State L egislatu re
to c o n g r e e s s t h a t
the A lask a
h a s made a d e q u a t e p r o v i s i o n f o r t h e management and c o n s e r v a ­
t i o n o f t h o s e r e s o u r c e s i n t he br ao d ggnsriE n a t i o n a l i n t e r e s t . " Bob B a r t l e t t ,
-f;,
v i g o r o u s l y dpoed t h i s amendment,
A l a s k a ms n o n v o t i n g d e l e g a t e t o C n g r e s s ,
s a y i n g 'mong o t h e r t h i n g s , " H u n t i n g and f i s h i n g mean a l o t t o u s . T h e y are
fa v o r ite recreation s
t he s t a t e
i t w ill
is
and i m p o r t a n t ec o no m ic a s s e t s . I ' m
perm itted
to take
aver c o n t r o l o f
game and ^ i n h r e s o u r c e s ,
be a c o n s c i e n t i o u s g u a r d i a n o f t h e m . " A^d l i k e w s i e , V i c t o r
an A nch ora ge e n g i n e e r who h a s s e r v e d
voiced p r o te s t
in the t e r r i t o r i a l
, s a y i n g " B y g i v i n g the s e c r e t a r y o f t h e
d e c i d e when A l a s k a
f i s h and w i l d l i f e
a state
its
con vnnced t h a t when
s h a l l be p e r m i t t e d
the
statehood
till
senate
t o t a k e o v e r the management o f i t s
w i t h h o l d s one
o f t he b a s i c r i g h t s o f
so&Rpe o f f r i c t i o n ,
statehood for Alaska
of its
w ithin i t s
is
it
w ill
It
is
if
its
'
*
in d ic a t iv e of
not gong t o b r i n g immed iate and e a s y
numerous d i f f i c u l t i e s and p r o h l e m s . l t w i l l
problems f ro m th e p a s t ,
h e a d a c h e s ha s
p a rticu arly
/<!>**^*<^
***** y
pr oT sia &A s e x t e n d e r o v e r a ny c o n s i d e r a b l e l e n g t h o f t i m e .
solution
20 y e a r s
and g a m e . . . . "
T h i s amendment can be a r e a l
the f a c t t h a t
for
I ^ t rioKP a u t h o r i t y t o
g o v e r n m e n t . F r f o r t y y e a r s one o f A l a s k a ' s b i g g e s t
be e n f e d e r a l management o f f i s h
C .R ivers,
s t i l l have
own l e g i s l a t u r e , i t w i l l s t i l l
still
t r i l
many
sharp d i f f e r e n c e s o f opinion
have t o w r e s t l e w i t h an economy t h a t
r e s t s h e a v i l y ;.nd u n c e r t a i n l y on f e d e r a l m i l i t a r y e x p e n d i t u r e s
20
Y <st A l a s k a h a s much i n i t s
favor—
a g r o w i n g number o f p e o p l e who l o o k upon
A l a s k a a s t h e i r home and want t o h e l p a.nd. se e i t grow i n i t s
'*'rr
y e t r e m a i n i n g abundance of many n a t u r a l r e s o u r c e s ,
inner l i f e ;
some o f w h i c h such a s
p u l p h a s s c a r c e l y be en t o u c h e d b e c a u s e o f f e d e r a l r e s t r i c t i o n s
t h a t have b e e n s t a t i c
is
la n d
j u s t b e g i n n i n g to be t a p p e d ; and i t h a s
p e o p l e who a r e n o t l o o k i n g f o r an o v e r - n i g h t
t o work and e v e n t o work h a r d ;
that
upon the
and u n i m a g i n a t i v e and no t e v e n good c o n s e r ^ a t i n,and
soms'e such a s o i l which i s p o s s i b l y
room f o r
a
and i t
s t r i k e bu t a r e w i l l i n g
h a s s c e n e r y o f v a r i e t y amd m a gni t u de
u n s u r p a s s e d anywhere i n t h e w o r l d .
^ l a s k a t o me i s n o t so much the f o r t y - n i n t h s t a t e
stxxiHEXxsHBt
as a people,
b o t h n a t i v e and w h i t e ,
who now a l l
have f i n n a l y been e x t e n d e d what t h e y s o l o n g h a v - e
o f o p p o r t u n i t y w i t h o t h e r Arneric-.ns
i n the
,xsn$&xxsxii!Xxx[^yxxn$3tx3KX
too b e l a t e d l y .
d e s i r e d , n a m e l y an e q u a l i t y
exercize
o f s e l f - g o v e r n m e n t and
—
a d ig n it y of f a i r
and m u t u a l c o n t r i b u t i o n
in
a true
u n ity of s t a t e s .
)'
.
/As . A