Senator BARTLETT. Seven were sleeping in one room? Senator BARTLETT. Was there any way for them to get out of the attic? Mr. MERCULIEFF. No, Mr. Chairman. There was only one stairway leading to the attic bedroom. This was built due to the lack of the housing shortage. They had to have a bedroom up there in order to have a little more room downstairs. Senator BARTLETT. There were no windows? Mr. MERCULIEFF. There were no windows. Senator BARTLETT. Going back to the figure which is now $100,000, do you still feel, especially following the testimony of Mr. Wade, that this should come from the State government? Mr. MERCULIEFF. Mr. Chairman, we feel that it should come from any source, since we have been denied our privileges all these years. I think we, so to speak, should have some kind of an income there. Inasmuch as the Bureau of Commercial Fisheries is not going to consider our prior services-prior to 1950-I think we are entitled to some kind of funds. Senator BARTLETT. I think the Bureau of Commercial Fisheries, if I understand the testimony correctly, is very, should I say, friendly to that provision in the bill. It is other agencies in the Federal Government that express reluctance. That doesn't mean that the Congress has to be bound by any continuing interpretation of the Civil Service Commission, for example. At the present time I infer you wouldn't be negative to the arrangements which might have the money coming from the Federal Government rather than the State government? Mr. MERCULIEFF. No, Mr. Chairman. Senator BARTLETT. I am concerned about that constitutional provision that Mr. Wade mentioned as precluding the State from supplying the money, although Governor Egan stated, as Mr. Wade told us, that he believes the community should have it. In view of this, in view of the Constitution, and, of course, the Governor can't alter the Constitution, I would like to express a very sincere hope that the Department of the Interior, out of the richness of the values that have accrued to the Federal Government, would be willing to return some of it to the people of the community. We will inquire further into the attitude of the Interior Department relating to this. I think that both of you, in testifying and appearing here and at St. Paul, have done splendid service for your community. I think it is very important that you came here. We appreciate your presence. Frankly, I for one would not have wanted to go further unless you had this opportunity to be in Washington, as we discussed up there in September, to present your further views, to hear the other witnesses, to make your own conclusions regarding their testimony, and then to have further opportunity-as you will have to examine their testimony in written form and base your recommendations upon that. Mr. Foster? Mr. FOSTER. No questions, Mr. Chairman. Thank you. Mr. MERCULIEFF. You are welcome, Mr. Chairman. And thank you for giving us the opportunity to appear here before your committee. Senator BARTLETT. The committee will be in recess, subject to the call of the Chair. (Whereupon, at 12:20 p.m., the committee was recessed, subject to the call of the Chair.) The following letters were received to be made a part of the record:) STATE OF ALASKA, Hon. WARREN G. MAGNUSON, Chairman, Committee on Commerce, U.S. Senate, Washington, D.C. DEAR SENATOR MAGNUSON: It was not until after I had an opportunity to review the report of the proceedings of the hearings held before the Commerce Committee on S. 2102, a bill to protect and conserve the North Pacific fur seals, dated February 18, 1966, that I learned there was any objection to section 209 of this proposed legislation. As you know, section 209 proposes to grant civil service retirement credit for services performed by natives of the Pribilof Islands prior to January 1, 1950, in the taking and curing of fur sealskins and in other activities connected with administration of the islands, as determined by the Secretary of the Interior from records available to him. Had I known that the Civil Service Commission was raising any objection to this section, I would have commented on this section in the statement which I presented at the February 18 meeting. I want to vigorously object to the Civil Service's position on this section of this fine bill, S. 2102. Certainly the natives who have contributed so much to this natural resource of the Pribilof Islands should have their services recognized to this extent; particularly after the services recognized to this extent; particularly after the treatment they received by the agency of the Government that was administering the program. I strongly urge that section 209 remain in the bill over any objection by the Civil Service Commission and that every native of the Pribilof Islands who contributed services prior to 1950 be given service retirement credit for such services. Sincerely, WILLIAM A. EGAN, Governor. WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT INSTITUTE, Hon. WARREN G. MAGNUSON, Chairman, Committee on Commerce, Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. DEAR SENATOR MAGNUSON: Conservationists are concerned about the fact that S. 2102, if enacted without amendment, would terminate Federal protection of sea otters on the high seas. As recent testimony before the committee made clear, sea otters now have high seas protection under the 1944 Fur Seal Act which S. 2102 would repeal. Although sea otters occur principally within the 3-mile limits of Alaska and California, there is mounting evidence that the animals are reestablishing colonies within their historic range in international waters. There is very reason to believe that the animals will continue to increase under extension of the current protection. S. 2102 challenges this outlook, however, Certainly, the conservationists have no objection to taking necessary steps toward improving the well-being of natives of the Pribilof Islands. We see no logic, however, for ending Federal protection of sea otters on the high seas as a condition of this new legislation. It is hoped that the committee will amend S. 2102 so as to provide for continued protection of the sea otters in international waters. I would appreciate having this letter made a part of the hearing record. Sincerely, C. R. GUTERMUTH, Vice President. Hon. WARREN MAGNUSON, Chairman, Senate Commerce Committee, NATIONAL AUDUBON SOCIETY, DEAR SENATOR MAGNUSON: The National Audubon Society wishes to be recorded as favoring enactment of S. 2102, the bill to protect and conserve the North Pacific fur seals, and to administer the Pribilof Islands for the conservation of fur seals and other wildlife and for other purposes. Will you please see that this letter is included in the printed transcript of hearings on this legislation. We also favor and urge adoption of the amendments to S. 2102 as recommended by Assistant Secretary of the Interior Stanley A. Cain in his letter to you of February 17, 1966. It is especially important that the sea otter not be left without Federal protection in North American coastal waters beyond the 3-mile limit, within which this rare animal is safeguard by State law and patrol. Therefore, we call the attention of the committee respectfully to the proposed "Title III: Protection of Sea Otters on the High Seas," as recommended in Secretary Cain's letter. We hope that S. 2102, with the recommended amendments, will soon receive a favorable report by your committee. Sincerely yours, CHARLES H. CALLISON, |