Gov. Protests New Rote
Governor Gruening, in a state
ment issued after the notifieatio
of the 45 percent increase ii
freight and passenger rates wa
announced, said the "increas
was an outrage”, and rcveale*
that he has wired officials ii
Washington, including A aska’
Delegate Anthony J. Diinond
concerning it.
The complete statement of th<
Governor follows:
“The 45 percent increase ii
freight and passenger rates sud
denly imposed by the Alasks
Steamship Company, apparently
with tlie consent ol the Muritiim
Commissi* in, is nothing short ol
an outrage. It calls fok the mosl
vigorous protest on the part ol
every' Alaskan consumer.
l.egiKlutivr Proiest
' The legislature of 103J, in a
memorial, protested the exces
siveness of the height charges of
tlie Alaska Steamship Company
and demanded an investigation
by the federal government. A
year thereafter in the spring of
1940, the Alaska Steamship
Company imposed a further in
crease in freight rates averaging
some 25 percent. I thereupon
sought an investigation following
the indication of the 1939 Legis
lature and in summer of 1940
this investigation took place with
hearings in Seattle, Ketchikan,
Juneau and Anchorage.
“The findings of the investi
gators were wholly adverse to
the increased rate and they rc
eommended that it be denied.
Neverthe'ess the Maritime j
Commission agreed to this in
crease in a I blit a few neglible
items; thus adding substantially
to the already high cost of living
in Alaska
"That cost of living in Alaska
is a serious problem affecting the
welfare of every individual. A ic
cent study by the National Fed
eration of Federal Employees
based on conditions existing
nearly a week ago and before the
present emergency show that the
difference in the cost of living in
Alaska as contrasted with New
York and Washington was 35.52
percent higher in Ketchikan,
49.40 percent in Juneau, 59.82
percent in Sitka, 00.73 percent
in Seward, 76.59 percent in Cor
dova, 88.85 percent in Anchor
cALWAYS
USE
§
r’S
m
For General Taxi Service
or
Shopping Trips
1941 DeSolo Sedans
Johnny Ressler
Owner
' age, 109.45 in Nome and 116.16
1 percent in Fairbanks. This was,
1 as I say, of about a year ago.
5 "Since that time shortages.
3 actual or feared, have ca'ised
' certain increases in the cost of
1 essentials in addition to the fact
3 that there seems to be a slight
> rise in the cost of living through
out the country despite the gov
1 ernment’s efforts at stabilising
prices. Now on top of this the
1 people of Alaska are banded a
45 percent increase in freight
‘ and passenger rates without
notification, without h arings,
w;tho t discussion
' Th s will create an intole. ab e
state of affairs in A asku. It. will
make it difficult for most famil
ies to subsist on their piescnt
earnings. It runs diametrically
contrary to the Federal Govern
ment’s publicity declared purpose
of stabilizing prices. It militates i
heavy against the national pro-1
gram of buying defense bonds j
witli the savings of wage earners
and salaried and piofessional
people.
•'It is undoubtedly (rue that
the first four weeks of war have
d slocated the service of the A.j
aska Steamship Company. We
arc aware of the fact that there
have been delays which have
been costly, but prior to lhat,
for a year and a half, the crisis
*''so proved a great bonanza to
the Alaska Steamship Company
whose ships were laden to the
gunwales with construction ma
terial and supplies for our defense
bases, and which as a result of
RAY’S
DeLuxe
OL.DSMOBILE
Redans
»
Cor hire
by the Hour, Trip or
Special Charter
Stand opposite
Orpheum Theatre
the emergency has l*en given
virtually a year around trade in
contrast with the highly season
al traffic with which it was form
erly handicapped. There is cer
tnnly no justification whatever
for passing this burden to the
Alaskan people.
“Let it be noted that the Al
aska Steamship Company pays
no tax in Alaska, although,
with only one port of call outside
it has 10 regular ports of call in
Alaska and a far larger number
of occasional oDes.
"I have already wired an em
phatic prolett to Washington
and have communicated with
De.egate Diamond on the sub
ject Unless ths peop.e of Alaska
wish to take this crushing burden
lying down, concerted, prompt
and vigorous action appears in
d eated.
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of
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THOMPSON’S
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Erich Mueller, Mgr.
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Headquarters for
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Robert Rauen, owner
TRANSPORTATION DELUXE
a * * ^. ■*■■
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THE PLACE WHERE YOU ALWAYS FIND
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Armstrong’s Liquor Store
F. McGowan Pron.
ALASKA TRANSFER CO.
STORAGE
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GRAVEL HAULED FURNITURE MOVED
LLOYD SWAN, Owner
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We invite you to visit our
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"FUN FOR ALL - --ALL FOR FUN
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JERRY L.ODQEI, PROP.
I
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Cigars—Cigarettes
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.*■ A A A A A A .*■
Tox.y Kvi
i i t - 1 1 1 ***