The Alaska daily empire., 1918-07-03

not now offer By careful at tention and watchfuness we have been able to retain upon our rolls majority of the workmen, and are now employ ing over a force of 2,500 men. If the figures now carried in the bill be maintained we fear that dispersal of our working force may result. This would be very unfortunate, since the most of these men would leave the Territory for the Out side, and for some years to come, it would probably be impossible to again assemble a similar force. In our judg- ment the work should pro- ceed to completion as speed fly as possible without break ing the present organization.
 "It is true that we suffer in common with all other builders from the increase of cost of labor and supplies, but we feel that the loss to the Government by disruption of this organized force and de- layed completion, involving in evitable deterioration of all ready completed work, would be infinitely greater. We sin cerely hope that the approp- riations Committee may assent to a restoration of the approp- ration to the original figures submitted by me.
 Cordially and sincerely,
 Alexander T. Vogelsang" In arguing to the House the nee essity of building the road through to the Interior of Alaska, to reduce the cost of mining operations, that the production of gold might be and to show that the pro- duction of the gold does have a di- war, Delegate Sulzer asked the clerk Q read the following letter which he received from MT. McAdoo, the Secretary of the Treasury:
 Treasury Department.
 Washington, June 10, 1918. Hon Charles A. Sulzer,
 House of Representatives,
 Washington, D. C. "Mr. Dear MT. Sulzer: I beg leave to acknowledge receipt of your letter of June l, in relation to the present condi- tions surrounding the produc- tion of gold in Alaska I full 1y appreciate that, with the rising cost of raw material and labor and with a fixed value for their output the gold miners of the world are fac ing difficult conditions. should be sorry, however, if for this reason there were any relaxation in the effort to pro- duce gold. At no time has this country so much required the largest possible production of gold as at present Next to food and ammunition, gold is one of the most needed war essentials. In order to place the enormous amount of Gov ernment bonds required to fi- nance our war expenditures a large credit structure will in- evitably be erected on our gold reserves, and it is neces- sary that those reserves, which are the foundation of the struc- ture, shall be maintained on the broadest possible basis.
 "The United States and it's associates in the war are heavy purchasers of raw ma terials and other commodities for the war in many neutral countries, and our war re- quirements make 1t impossible for us to pay our bills in those neutral countries as we have been in the habit of paying them in times of peace, viz: through the shipment of man. ufactured goods and commodi- ties which those countries are eager to buy from us. This means that . certain amount of debt to those countries must be paid for in credits or in gold.
 "This brief statement will, l hope, make clear to your constituents the great neces. sity that exists for the main tenance of gold production at the maximum point. The man or the community that main- tains or increases its produc- tion of gold in the face of diff faculties and Encouragement is performing a patriotic ser vice which deserves recogni- tion no less than the more ob- vious but not less useful ser vices that are more in the pub. lie eye.
 q remain with best wishes,
 Very sincerely yours,
 "W. G. McADOO,