The Alaska daily empire., 1918-02-11
REASON GIVEN WHY JUNEAU IS NOT CONSIDERED MCAdoo Explains to DeIe- gate SuIzer About
 Money for Public
 Building. APPEAL TO PATRIOTISM The Secretary of Treasury Says That When Peace
 Comes Will Carry
 Forward Plans
APPEAL TO PATRIOTISM

A short time ago a brief AssO
 ciated Press dispatch said that ow ing to funds needed for war pur
 poses all plans for carrying forward the construction of government build ings, except in cases of emergency
 would be abandoned until after the war. Concerning the public build ing contemplated for Juneau, the following letter from the U. s. Treas urer to the Delegate explains the sit uation in detail:
 Washington. January 15, 1918 My Dear Mir. SulZer:
 Because of the pressing demands which are being bade upon the ii nancial, labor industrial, and trans portatiOn resources of the Nation for war purposes, I have directed that the construction of public buildings be postponed, except where the nee essity is so urgent that the public interests would suffer by such post ponment.
 Among the buildings authorized is the postoffice and customs house at Juneau, Alaska, which I know you and the people of that town desire constructed at the earliest possible date, but here is the situation:
 We are engaged in great war, war in which the very safety of America is seriously imperiled. We cannot win this war unless every re- source of the nation is carefully hus- banded and used with the utmost in telligence. The great financial opera tiOns of the government, greater than any ever undertaken by govern ment in the history of civilization, make it essential that every unneces sary expenditure of the government, of the States and municipalities, and uals be avoided while the war is in progress. Unless this is done it will be impossible for the people of the United States to furnish the money which the government must have to support the soldiers and sailors who are shedding their blood for us up on the battlefields. In my annual report to Congress I stated that it would be necessary for the govern ment. if needed, to absorb all the available capital and savings of the country if the requirements of the Army and Navy and of the other branches of the government were to be met. I am advising cities and towns throughout the country not to erect public buildings while the war is in progress. I cannot, while giving them good advice, consent to the construction by the government of the United States public buildings which are under the control of the Treasury Department. In other words, we must set an example for the country.
 l am certain there is not a patriot ic American citizen who is not will ing to submit to incOnveniences to help win this war. and l am sure that the people of Juneau, when they know the facts, will be more than willing to have the construction of their public building deferred short time so that the money which would otherwise be put into it. may be used to buy clothing and food and ammu- milton for the gallant sons of Alaska and the States, who are going out to fight and perhaps to die for their country.
 l am asking if you will be good enough to let the people of Juneau understand the situation, and be as sured had the war not come to America, there would have been no necessary delays in the construction of the building. It will be pro- gressed as rapidly as possible after the return of peace.
 Sincerely yours,
 w. G. McADOO,