The Cordova daily times., 1919-09-08
RAILROAD MEN FORMULATING
 NEW DEMANDS

ernment railway project connecting tidewater with the Interior of Alaska, in another direction there has ap- peared the small cloud that indicates new storms to be encountered and new difficulties to be faced by the Alaskan engineering commission. The following editorial in a recent issue of the Anchorage Times gives a con- else statement as to the brewing storm, and it is to be hoped that the matter will be amicably settled with out further impeachment to the pro- ject:
 "The railroad workers have pre- sented a set of demands to the Alas kan engineering commission in which they ask for several concessions which if granted would have far-reaching eff fects upon the future of all Alaska, particularly that district contiguous to the government railway.
 These demands of the railway
 
 wages, the opening of the commits sary to all employees, which means the selling of goods at cost; and the institution of Panama conditions, which includes free transportation to and from Alaska, a six-Weeks vaca- tion each year including transpOrta- ton to and from the States, and free house rent for all white employees.
 ''The Times at this time has no hes itancy in stating it's position on these demands. %This matter has been brewing for weeks, and the Times has had ample opportunity to look at the matter from all angles in an impar- tial manner
 At the first instance, the Times will state that it is in favor of the highest wages to all employees com menurate with good business. If the men now are not getting enough with which to support themselves and families in a manner which will allow them to live in comfort and provide for the adequate education of their children and at the same time allow them to set aside an adequacy for their old age, then wages should be increased. The Times believes in high wages for all classes of work, and will support with a will any de- mand which has a semblance of rea- son to support it.
 F'As to the other two demands, how ever, they are questions which admit of no reason for their support
 'The government is building rail- road in Alaska in order to settle this community with Gn American popu- latiOn. The development of the coal fields is only a means to this end. By the operation of the coal mines and the transportation of coal to tide water, employment will be given to a certain number of persons who, it is hoped, will form nucleus around which will be formed a permanent population which will develop the other resources of this territory ..
 With this end in view the govern ment has laid out t0Wnsites and sold lots to business men and other citi- zens, apparently with the intention of encouraging them in their efforts and attracting people to settle along the railroad.
 With abiding faith in the good in tentions of the men at the head of the construction work merchants and other business men have settled fin Anchorage, and, it is idle to state otherwise, are dependent almost en- tirely, upon the trade of the railroad employees for support.
 Were the commissary to be opened and goods sold to all the employees at cost, it would mean that the mer- 4 chants of this city would have to go Tout of business. It would mean a general exodus from Anchorage which would deal Alaska a blow from which it never would recover until the order opening the commissary was res cinded
 "As to the demand for the same concessions which were granted the employees on the Panama canal, prac- 2 tically the same reasons must be ad- vanced for it's rejection.
 "In Panama the government was digging a canal, which was the sole reason for it's presence there. There was no desire on the part of the gov ernment to populate the country with Americans. The men were forced to work in a malarial climate; condi- +iope woro insanitarv and avarv man