Valdez daily prospector., 1912-09-02
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER ?, 1912.
ARMY AUTHORITIES.

The Army and Navy Journal discussing the withdrawal e troops from Alaska and the e.: taDllShmcnt of a cunSt abulai, patterned after the Canadian con. tingrnt, says:
 N perplrNinE military prob. icn Is growing out of ih.. recon. nlcndalinn in the reorganization plans or the army proposed b, tn" general sIaT for inc rrnlnva of troops from Alaska. IL is ad- nnllIrd and Srl forth in the re- port of the general stan. that on, f"Glmcnt of infantry and lw, companies of the signal corps i, mol In hH seriously considered a, sufficient force for Inc d.r,nS, "! tn" territory against an arm> thal might Dc sent by an enemy |" occupy Alaska. This regiment Is acting only as a police force and It Is r"nIcndrd by the general Siaff that the territory should furnish cnnSiabulary for ihiS pur- pose.
 "Ai the same time this qucs- lion is naturally raisrd: Is it a safe policy to leave Alaska with it's gold mines and great mineral resources unprotected? X first class power, Japan for instance might capture Alaska'S gold mines and obtain thereby sufficient funds to finance war against this country. After the coal mines of Alaska are developed they will be- come an important source of fuel for the navy and thus add |" Alaska'S importance from a military standpoint.
 ''Then an enemy. hy capturing ihr territory. would not only gel funds to carry on war, but also a valuable naval base from which naval operations could be con hurlrd against inc country.
 ''W'hrn inc military policy was formulated by which only q small fore" was sent tu Alaska In pn- lie" il. gold in great quantity had mol been discovered Ih"rr and iis other mineral resources were not known But with the dpvplOp- m"nI of in" country problem is presented. Alaska is rapidly growing into valuable prize as a naval base for any nation seek ing control nf Inc Pacific. With AlaSka'S gold and coal, Japan could become one of the great powers of the world. The territory would make her Financially inIr- pendent and place her in q posi- lion to make demands upon the great powers upon which she is now dependent on account of the condition of her finances. IL is ""n"rally recognized that Japan 1S fnrr"h into Dcacrable alti- ind" in world politics because she cannot raise money ai present t' conduct war.
 som" students nr inIrrnaliun- al politics insist That Alaska would br more valuable prIZr [, Japan in hcr present condition than the Philippines. What sh' needs is gold, and ii is to bc fOunt in Alaska.
 This being iru". il is now br- ing suggested that, instead nf rr- ducing the army in Alaska, il should be increased. More thar that, it is thought that some step. should be taken toward incrcas. ing the organization of militia ii inc territory. Alaska, if is ar. gucd, should prepare to coop. crate with the general govern. mcnt in defending itself. Slcp. should also he taken toward for. tifcation of her harbors. A fore, of coast artillery, as well as aI increased mobile army, should b. maintained in Inc country.
 'If this policy is not pursuc' in dealing with Inc Alaska situ alton, it is evident that tho lon regiment and few signal corp men now stationed in that ia northern country, will he at th mercy of the enemy, whoever i may be-"