The Alaska daily empire., 1921-10-19

few of the strings are attached. It makes some of the bureaus and commissions operating in Alaska re- port to the Secretary of the Interior rather than other Cabinet officer.
 It is true that the National Forests and water power control, which under the Department of Agriculture are so closely identified with the public
 lands which under the jurisdiction of the De partment of the Interior that both probably should have been placed in the same Department at the be- ginning However if the forests and water power matters of Alaska to be controlled rom wash ington there are many why they should be controlled through the Forestry Bureau and the Water Power Commission which controls similar matters in the States, and which becoming educated and equipped for the work. We would suggest therefore that the New Bill should be amended so that it would turn over absolutely the Forestry Bureau and the Water Power Commission intact to the Interior De- partment so that they might be, where they should have been placed in the beginning in the same De- partment with the public lands
 The Alaska Road Commission is engineering proposition There is Department of the Federal Government well prepared to carry on engineering work as the War Department. It has the rivers and harbors work of the country it's control It built the Panama Canal. It has engineers. It must nave engineers for in case of the army must have roads and other works that require engineers There fore the Government pay engineers whether they are used or Why not permit them to work for pay and get the actual experience that will be useful to them in the army is ever needed as It has been many times in the past? It might be differ ent in Alaska if it were that the Alaska Board of Road Commissioners is functioning to the sats- faction of the people who need roads We getting excellent results from the money placed at their dis posal It is working in complete cooperation and harmony with the Territorial Highway Commission created by the Territorial Legislature The Empire believes the Alaska Road Commission should be elim- mated from the provisions of the New Bill
 As for Section g. do not believe that President
 Harding or Secretary Fall would abuse the power it places in their hands We believe they would do nothing that would prevent the steamship companies operating in Alaska from giving the people the best possible service or in giving all the assurance that might be necessary raise the money to purchase ships or make any other needed improvements in their sta. us However if this section should become law the measure should be prepared that there could be no question the authority of the President to operate steamships throughout Alaska for, should the Government operate steamships between some of the rorts and the States between certain ports in the Territory the total withdrawal of private steamship companies from the field might be result. The Presidents authority to meet such contingency should be very plainly conferred.
 Criticisms of the New Bill not directed against the motives or purposes of the Administration. The New Bill was prepared after conferences which were held before any of the conferees had visited Alaska It was not offered as the last word of the Adminis tration on Alaska matters. It has been announced that there will be hearings the proposition. The Administration without question: desires to hear from
 the people of Alaska The bill in the very nature of things, is tentative,-meant to serve as baa1s for the hearings that yet to be had. No odubt if people have just criticisms to make of the measure in
 its present form the criticisms will be welcomed by all those who concerned in the matter. f'