Evening star., 1913-11-01
CEDES To BRITAIN
STRIP OF ALASKA
Sale or Exchange Proposed by
Representative Smith of
Maryland.
SAYS TRANSFER WILL AID
UNIVERSAL PEACE PLAN
Resolution introduced in House Has
Far-Reaching Purpose of In
ternational Importance.

| One Of the greatest practical move
mcnts to effect universal peace and at
the same time to bind the heart of Can
ada to the United States with hooks
stronger than those of steel in the opin-
| ion of the peace advocates in Congress.
/ is the plan OF Representative Smith OF
the fifth Maryland district, as outlined
/ by him to Star reporter, and which
contemplates ceding to the Dominion of
Canada the entire panhandle of Alaska.
which is the southeastern strip.
| Representative Smith explained the
meaning of the resolution which he intro
duced yesterday. which resolution would
empower the President to negotiate with
| the British and Canadian governments re-
garding the transfer of this strip of ter
ritory.
! The resolution states that the strip is
/ an unnatural boundary created in re-
sponse TO conditions which long ago
ceased to exist, hampers the development
OF the adjoining lands and gives rise to
irritation. 1t also states that nothing
could accomplish the purposes of univer-
sal peace better than this model con-
ccssion.' as it would set an example to
| the rest OF the world.
Other Results Probable.
Although the aim of Representative
| Smith is to foster a union which will
/ insure universal peace, there are several
| interesting international developments
which might arise from a sale or gift of
| the Alaska strip to Canada. One of
| these, -as suggested by Representative
! Smith. would involve t. aiding the strip to
Great Bi itain for British Honduras: then
British Honduras could be traded to Mex
| leo for Lower California and part of the
Sonora desert. The desert. it is repre-
sented, could be made to blossom like a
fertile Egyptian valley by the aid of irri-
cation furnished by the Colorado river
Along with Lower California the United
States would acquire Magdalena bay. d
nally soaring the United States because
of rumors that some other power is about
to acquire it.
The Smith resolution is the third at
tempt made in Congress within the past
few months to bring about some diplo-
matte negotiation looking toward the ced-
ing of this strip to Canada. or binding
Canada and Alaska and the United States
very closely together by the means OF a
great railroad the latter being the rather
warlike proposition of Albert Johnson of
the state of Washington, who believes
railroad running from Alaska to Canada
| Is the only strategic method of repelling
the ASiatic invasion il the yellow peril
should be reduced to a war between the
| Aryans of Canada and the United States
! and the hordes of yellow men from across
| the Pacific.
| Suggestion of Peace Trust.
| Along with the ceding of this ''vermi-
/ form appendix as the peace union
| terms the Alaskan strip. Representative
Smith and the peace advocates in Con-
| gress agitating q peace trust, to be
formed of the four great powers, Great
| Britain. Germany, France and the United
States. This is the Andrew Carnegie idea
| also.
| Not one of the four nations can be
| omitted said Representative Smith in
| his statement prepared for the House of
| Representatives today. Britain will not
unite with Germany If this involves the
| giving up Of her present virtual alliance
! with France. If you try to exclude Ger
many the German Americans will veto
any closer approach between the United
| States and Great Britain
| Further. Representative Smith and
every other peace advocate recognizes
the coming yellow invasion and warns
the American Congress that Britain and
| the United States must join hands in this
coming conflict. and the idea of cedinS
| the strip of .Alaakan land carries with il
the understanding that by thus generous
| ly opening a great northwestern terri
| tory to seaports and water power Great
| Britain and Canada will be of Il better
| disposition to Join in white alliance
against the yellow.
Would Strengthen Bonds of Amity.
"The idea of ceding this strip. SAYS
Representative Smith. lis the best that
has ever. been offered to strengthen the
bonds between this country and Canada
| II will do more to silence thc iingoes than
tl,.. ;rrIL
We can make II model concession and
electrify the world
Mr.. Smith spoke of the i'll feeling in
Canada existing ten years ago over the
Alaskan boundary dispute. He said the
strip III question is a mere fringe run
ming south. 536 miles long and only from
eight to thirty-tive miles wide, shutting
| off the Yukon territory, the northern
half of British Columbia, the, entire Mac
kenzie basin from free access to the Pa
ciiic. He said the, Canadian area thus
| shut off is iOOi:N square miles, capable
of housing 2:',0U.C0O people.
This imprisoned Canadian country is
immensely wealthy in timber, farm and
| mineral lands. but il has no port except
cities on American soil. The factories Of
| the reservoirs containing their water
power are in Canadian rivers.
Benefit to American Cities.
| THE .5,oooC0o captive Canadians who
J will eventually live behind this panhandle
will be forced to contribute to the enrich
ment of half IL dozen American cities
while these cities Will not contribute one
cent to Canadian taxes. Reverse the
situation and imagine our northeastern
states cut off from the Atlantic by "A
Canadian panhandle so that Boston.
/ Providence. Newport New York and
| Newark were Canadian cities.
This concession concluded Represent
ative Smith, would grapple the heart of
/ Canada TO us with hooks of steel. Soon
! er or later Canadians will complain bit
| tcrly of the situation there, which will de-
| tract from the generosity of the model
gift. as we would probably be forced to
| yield
DECORATE CONVENTION HALL.
Place Is Being Made Ready for Ma
finno1 Food cho,ry