562 INVESTIGATION OF THE FUR-SEAL INDUSTRY OF ALASKA. 



Mr. Bruckner. Did the original telegram state it as a fact, Mr. 

 Chairman ? 



The Chairman. Oh, yes; that Mr. Elliott was at the head of the 

 pelagic sealers' lobby for more than 20 years. 



Mr. Bruckner. Stated that as a fact ? 



The Chairman. Yes; and it was circulated in the House. 



Mr. Clark. Regarding that I would say this: After 12 years of 

 struggle, Dr. Jordan and I were gratified to find that a treaty had 

 been concluded with Great Britain, Japan, and Russia to end 

 pelagic sealing on the 7th of July, 1911. We thought then that the 

 fur-seal herd was saved. Within 10 days afterwards we were sur- 

 prised to find a resolution offered on the floor of the House — I believe 

 by the Hon. John H. Rothermel — to suspend land sealing for 15 

 years. The treaty suspending pelagic sealing had for its consideration 

 that we should share with Great Britain and Japan a land catch, 15 

 per cent to each. 



The Chairman. Yes. What has that to do with the matters under 

 discussion ? 



Mr. Clark. I think that it has much to do with this telegram that 

 you speak of. Now, that was 



The Chairman (interposing). Well, was that to notify Congress 

 that there should not be a closed season ? 



Mr. Clark. It was a resolution in Congress asking for a close 

 season of land sealing for 15 years, the full life of the treaty; and 

 that resolution if it had been carried through, would have nullified 

 the treaty; it would have caused the abrogation of the treaty. 



The Chairman. But do 3 t ou not know it to be a fact — and Dr. 

 Jordan knew it to be a fact — that the Committee on Foreign Rela- 

 tions had already recommended a closed season of only 2 years 

 when the telegram came? Now what is the use of bringing that in? 



Mr. Clark. It would make no difference what the source was. 

 I want to point out to you Dr. Jordan's frame of mind at the time. 



The Chairman. Yes— when that Committee had already recom- 

 mended only two years, and you thought that others did it. I thought 

 it ought to be done. 



Mr. McGuire. Was that the committee which had taken action, 

 or had Congress already taken action on the committee's report? 



The Chairman. It was up in the House for adoption. 



Mr. McGuire. But did you say that Congress had or had not 

 taken action on that committee's report ? 



The Chairman. No ; I saj- it was reported by the committee, and 

 when the matter was under discussion, I think the telegram was 

 handed around, and I believe was read by Mr. Sulzer, so there is 

 no use trying to get back to my resolution. When my resolution 

 was introduced, the Committee on Foreign Relations had taken up 

 the subject, and. that was the situation when I introduced my resolu- 

 tion. 



Mr. Clark. I wanted to explain further Dr. Jordan's position. 

 Any act to cut off the land sealing for 15 } T ears would have been a 

 repudiation of our obligations under that treaty. There could be 

 only one class of people interested or benefited by that act, and 

 that was the pelagic sealers. If the abrogation of that treaty was 

 caused through our failure to meet its obligations, pelagic sealing 

 would have been immediately resumed. 



