The Wrangell sentinel., 1921-08-18
EDITORIAL
The Astounding Ignorance of J. J. Underwood Concerning the Timber Resources of Alaska
By ]. w. PRITCHETT


 ngon G. in the interest of the City Seattle Washington, and the Territory of Alaska.
 This that in the future when and and members the Presidents cabinet working prob ems affecting the welfare of Alaska seeking reliable formation about this Northern territory they will Mr. Underwood for enlightenment only natural that Mr. Under wood should be regarded Washington reliable formation all matters pertaining to Alaska. He is only supposed be Alaskan is well of book entitled Alaska An Empire in the Making Further has been announced the world that he special representative of the Seattle Chamber of Commerce whose for has been Develop Alaska" But Aaskas chances for development anything but encouraging with special resentave in Washington like Mr. Underwood whose scant knowledge and conceptions of of Aakas chief natural render him than The appointment of Mr. Underwood head of the bureau was prompted by good motives but it nevertheless supen dous bunder
 Commerce realizes that whatever helps Alaska helps Seattle During the past years who the head the Alaska branch the of Commerce has aboed constantly and conscenous promote Aaskas welfare He knows Alaska intimately has of disseminating much reliable information about Alaska The seeds he has sown have been good seeds. Several weeks announced that the of Commerce considering plan for widening its une the esabhmento much needed bureau capital THE SENTINEL heartily endorsed the stroke of good business And still considers plan cannot be too highly but does @ not ny of M @ astounding ignorance of of Aaskas chief natural renders him utterly unfit for such responsible position Read the following the Juyissue of the Raiay and Ma Nes
 l. l. Underwood a Washington correspondent for the Seattle Times, Raikyay 6 Marine NeaS
 follows:
 q note in the column of the Sumner ar. tice During the it [Alaska spruce] was found
 suitable for airplane lumber' etc.
 "rhis must be typographical error 1,r Alaska Alaska
 purposes. know positively, for investigated
 the subject very thoroughly during the Aipne Jan.
 stock must be feet long without knot This
 means a have length of at least 10
 feet without limb In the Alaska spruce ,S the 1s limbs @
 remember that eet without knot is the minimum
 Good arplane lumber is IS feet to 30 feet without
 q am not saying this to be critical draw
 your a mistake in otherwise splendid
 The editor Raaoay Ma,iur New accepted Mr. Un- derwoods correction without question and inserted the follow ing note bottom of his letter.
 The correction is appreciated. This
 was made owing o the amount Of press matter
 given covering the value of Alaska spruce for war
 purposes. As this was the only use as lumber sug-
 gested in the article. it more apparent than
 that the spruce is only good tor grinding
 into pup
 Does the foregoing cause one to gasp! Every one that there has been much given various but THE SENTINEL doubts the above been equaled It is surely masterpiece o mis- information. . The records the Department will show that during the World War Alaska furnished much high class lumber for use the manufacture of airpanes The Alaska mills also shipped arpane lumber of Grade to Great Britain The the British were handled through NC" York brokers. . Mr. Underwood the reader that in possible find log ten feet Tn length that This alone shows that he does not know what he is talking about , Spruce tall and from 75 100 feet to the first limb are by uncommon in Alaska.
 The timber obtanabe for the construction ot ar Alaska The Alaska is of closer gram than the of other section Of the American continent specifications for aplane lumber call for straight grained lumber eight annual rings to the men