The Washington times., 1920-09-14
LOOKS TO ALASKA
TO SUPPLY PAPER
Timber There Could Produce
Ample Pulp at Low Price,
Says Forestry Chief.

Col. W. u. Greeley. chief Of the
Forest Service. who has just returned
from a months inspection or the
timber and water-power resources
OF the Tongasas national forest IN
Alaska, predicted last night that the
shortage OF newsprint paper would
be overcome by new paper mills In
Alaska. He said that the national
forests in Alaska contained resources
sufficient to produce l,ooO,OOO tons
OF paper annually 'in perpetulty
and that a paper industry In Alaska
was assured.
Colonel Greeley expressed the opln-
ION that administration OF the umper
resources OF Alaska should be put u
the hands OF men on the ground. lie
8 opposed TO the transfer OF Federa'
interests to n local commission. ne
said that a sale of 100000, 600 rect OF
pulp tinber has been made ana Una
a second sale OF 1000 OOO'OoO rect
which will supply a large paper plant
for thirty years, ID now pelhs N
ranged.
PLENTY OF PULP TIMBER
"The national forests OF Alaska,
said Colonel Greeley, offer paper
manufacturers an ample supply oi
pulp timber, available under loL 8
term contracts at low prices and sNa
ject to very simple and ressonabI-
cutting requirements. The forest ser
vice is doing its utmost to deVelo
this resource OF the territory. W
will not only make Alaska one OF the
great resources of paper for the
United States but we will make tn
industry permanent, as il Is in Nor
way, by keeping the cut OF timber
within what our forests are growing.
Paper manufacturers who go TO Alas
ka can count upon an assured supply
OF raw material indefinitely"
Colonel Greeley said also that ma
tional forest timber had supplied all
the saw mills on the coast OF Alaska a
for the last fifteen years. furnishing
large quantities of lumber and mine
timbers for local use. salmon cases
by the hundred thousand, and high
grade spruce for shipment for the
Eastern states.
FORESTS NOT "sHACKLED."
such facts" he said. "show that
the national forests in Alaska arc no;
locked up or shackled with burden
some restrictions as has been fire.
quently alleged"
The development OF Alaska, he said,
had not been held back by over-con-
servation as many claim. but mainly
by business conditions which have
prevented capital from exploiting her
resources.
Alaska" said Colonel Greeley.
Cannot be made prosperous over
night by passing some new law. IL
is going to take time and hard work
and favorable conditions in the
worlds markets. At the same time
~ lp, ,ict nndnnht l.
edly be improved and we owe it to
Alaska to aid her development In
every practicable way. The first step
in my judgment, should be to decen-
tralize the handling of Federal mat
ters by putting authority to transact
it's business on the ground.
DO AWAY WITH RED TAPE.
Ninety per cent of the work of the
forest service in Alaska Is dispatched
by our resident supervisors and only
matters of the greatest importance
come to Washington. This sort OF
organization is the cure for long
range administration and red tape.
"These responsible Federal officers
might we'll form an Alaskan cabinet,
acting as unit in working out tft
best means for developing her re-
sourccs. Furthermore, the Territory
should be given more se!f-government
in local matters and should be aided
by LIBERAL Federal appropriations to
develop transportation.
Il seriously question the proposal
that a local commiss on in Alaska
take over the administration of all
Federal laws and public resources
After all, the national interests in
Alaska are uppermost. Alaska is one
of the great food sources of the coun-
try. Her vast forests should meet
acute needs arising from the deple-
tion of our timber. The national In
terests in public timber. food supply.
coal and oil, water power and migra~
tory birds are exactly the, same II
Alaska as elsewhere. These resources
should. l believe, be handled in
Alaska by the same experienced
agencies and under the same uniform
national policies as in the States
themselves. Nor would 1t seem wise
to cut Alaska Off from the energies
and technical skill Of great Federal
departments which are experts in