The Cordova daily times., 1920-05-13
M(JSrDEVELOP GREAT RICHES
 OF TERRITORY

mittee composed of Otto Praeger, sec assistant postmaster general; Harry Y Saint, a member of the Shipping Board, and Alfred H. Brooks, chair man, to call hearings in Seattle on Alaska conditions, the Alaska and transportation bureaus of the Seattle Chamber of Commerce prepared a re- poxt and trustees of the chamber gave unanimous approval to it. The report states that Alaska is the proper place 10 study Alaska conditions, urges ade- quate and Iow-cost water transpOrta- 1ion, pleads that mail be carried as mail, and not as freight, suggests coast surveys, and reimbursement by the government to steamship lines for the excess rate demanded because of per ills of Northern waters, due to lack of coast surveys.
 The report also urges development of Alaska, and careful attention to transportation problems of the terri tory. The report of the Alaska and transportation bureaus was approved yesterday, and as it will be submitted to the advisory committee when it opens hearings in the Federal build ing, May 7, says:
 Alaska conditions can only be sat 1sfactorily studied by visiting the Alaska centers of population and learn ing the views of the Alaskans whose interest is paramount, and it is hoped that the advisory committee will so provide.
 Water transportation to and from Alaska and between Alaska ports should be at the lowest possible cost, and adequate service should always be assured During the last few years this service has been contending against a heavy increase in operating costs with decrease of business, re- svlting in increased cost and decreased service to the Alaskans.
 "A policy looking to future of great traffic at lower cost is imperatively necessary. The policy of higher cost and less traffic is ruinous. One will make the country, the other will break it These conditions will be righted only through a decrease of operating cost and increase of business.
 This is the problem that affects both the people of Alaska and the peo- oIe of the entire country, for any con- dition that tends to retard the devel- ,opment of Alaska is of national i'm portance There is much that the gov ,ernment can do toward improving these conditions.
 Mails to and from Alaska are now handled as freight, and we are ad- vised that the steamship companies prefer this arrangement to any con- tract our postoffice department is will ing to offer. This is probably the only mail service in the world handled on such a basis. Something is radically WTOQR, duu IL 4S HI LnC pO"CA OA C4AO government to remedy this condition and pay a proper compensation for the service Any apparent saving to the government in the handling of Alaska mail under present methods is being paid for by the citizens of Alaska and at the cost of Alaska's develop nspt
 There is an imperative need flor coast surveys and aids to navigation, the lack of which has been responsible for great loss of life and property, which has resulted in heavy loss for Insurance and which has had to be borne by Alaska commerce. AS a re- suit of the lack of coast surveys and aids to navigation, steamship lines op- erating in Alaska now pay for insur- .ance of their vessels premiums amount ing to approximately 10 per cent of their gross operating revenues derived from that traffic. It would assist to- ward reducing operating costs if the government would assume the cost of marine insurance in excess of normal rates applicable to vessels operating in other waters.
 Local freight and passenger service should be provided for outlying locali- ties not served by the local carriers, and all necessary aid should be ex- tended by the government in securing an adequate service for such locali- ties,
 Fuel oil for the Alaska service is now transported from California at great cost, despite the fact that in Alaska is the finest steaming coal on the Pacific coast. A solution of this uneconomic condition should be found