The Washington times., 1917-03-31
ALASKA Is CALLED
NATIONS BULWARK
Her Coal Would Save U. S. In
Trouble With Japan,
Says Explorer.

DeTiding the idea of a yellow
peril" and adding that Alaska would
save America in the event of possible
trouble with Japan, DR.. Leonard S.
Sugden today described what the Gov
ernment has recognized as one of the
greatest assets which this country
possesses.
That the coal fields in Alaska, owned
and being operated by the Govern
ment, would save this country from
any threat OF the yellow peril" was
the explorers assertion. DR.. Sugden
was in consultation yesterday with
Secretary Lane, whose interest in the
development of the. coal fields has
been the means largely of making the
tIritory what II is today.
DR.. Sugden formerly was surgeon
OF the Northwest Mounted Police, was
at one time Government pilot in the
White Horse rapids and on the
Yukon river, and is an explorer and
big game hunter.
DerIdes "YeIIOw PERIL
THE yellow peril may be a peril
all right" he asserted, 'but it begins
and ends at being a peril Although
1 may be wrong, 1t Is nj opinion ana
the opinion of many others more ex-
pert than /, that, in the event of
trouble with Japan, the coal fields
could supply enough naval coal to
maintain a huge fleet on the Pacific.
The naval base which we could
have in Alaska would successfully
checkmate any attempt of an East
ern nation to invade the Cnita1
States.
most important are the coal fields
at Nenana, Bering river, and Mata-
nuska, owned and operated by the
Government. Remember that the rail-
road here is also Government owned.
Alaska is much nearer the Philip
pines than most people ever realize.
Alaskan ports on the Bering sea
never have been known to freeze
over in the history of the country.
Naval bases and coaling stations OF
paramount importance to the nation
in all probability will be placed there.
Americas Richest PossessiOns."
THE coal of which 1 spoke in the
three Government owned fields is
mere fraction of what this country
contains. 1 consider il Americas
richest possession. Copper abounds
there. Tin is found in quantities, and
other miHerals too numerous to men
ton"
DR.. Sugden is showing motion pic
lures of Alaska at the Belasco Thea
ter this week. He has spent seven !
teen years in the far North, and was
so imbued with the necessity of show |
ing America what a Jewel this land |
was, that he began to take pictures |
two years ago.
He is fifty-four or five. looks be- |
tween thirty-fiye and forty, and is |
just as enthusiastic about his adopt |
ed country as he was when he first |
went there. Outside of Alaska's in
dustrial and commercial value, DIR.
Sugden says it will be the Switzer-
land OF the future.
Scenery a Money Getter.
Leave everything out Of Alaska that
makes her worth while from an actual
value standpoint" he says, land leave
just her scenery. and you have a money
setter. The millions that have been
spent yearly in Switzerland and other
portions Of Europe by sightseers. is go
ing to pour into Alaska in the not dis
tant future.
European eyes are turned to US more
searchingIy than ever before. Shar
pened be- suffering. and trained by the
realization of their own shortcomings
from the standpoint OF internal re-
sources, European captains of industry
are going to know all about every bit
of land in this country before the war
is over.
They cannot miss the beauty OF Alas
ka, in the course of this survey"