The Washington times., 1921-07-11
Warns AGAINST
BOARD PLAN FOR
ruling ALASKA
Chief Forester Urges Territory
Be Admitted to Statehood
as Soon as Possible.

Warning against the development
board plan for Alaska and advising
that the Territory be made a State as
soon as she 10 qualified. Col William
r. Greeley, chief OF the United States
Forest Service. says the proposal for
the board plan may well be chal-
lenged."
Colonel Greeley has been In Alaska
and made an exhaustive study of her
resources, which he calls the greatest
asset the United States has today
The statement is of the most timely
nature because of proposed plans for
President Hafding to take his vaca-
ton in the Territory this summer and
publication OF figures showing how
the white population fell Off 23.4 per
cent In ten years. Colonel Greeley de-
plores red tape methods as having
strangled progress in the Territory,
and says:
can effort Is now being made to
create for Alaska a local commission,
or development board, which would
take over the duties and authority of
the various Federal executives. to-
gether with the administration of all
public resources in Alaska, working
solely under the direction of the Sec
retary of the Interior. This proposal
may well be challenged. After all, the
national interests In Alaska are para
mount. Alaska represents, In her ma
rine fisheries, her enormous agricul-
tural areas, and her resources for
growing meat-producing animals. one
OF the great food sources OF the United
States. In her vast forests lie a. prac-
tical solution Of our paper shortage.
MEANS UNDoING BIG WORK.
The United States has painstakins-
" ms NV Uss Of "a m
national policies for the use of public
ly owned timber, publicly owned
sources of food. coal and oil resources,
water power and migratory birds from
the standpoint of public welfare in
the long run. II has built up special
ized organizations handling these var
led resources with the best technical
experience and skill the country af-
fords. Should IL now, by one stroke,
cut on a vast region containing one
sixth of our total area from the uni
form and consistent application of
these public policies by the specialized
organizations created for the very
purpose of their accomplishment i
think not.
The greatest evil Is lonE-range ad-
ministration. There Is too much CEN
tralixation of administrative authority
in Washington, too many delays in
getting things done. And Alaska is
subject to toe many infiexible regu-
lations or cut-and-dried rules which
are unnecessary or unadapted to her
conditions.
WHAT GREELEY URGES.
"a common sense public policy to-
ward Alaska would seem to require
action along three lines. First. we
should anticipate that sooner or later
Alaska will be qualified for Statehood
should give her control OF the local
affairs which in our system of gov
ernment come under State Jurisdic-
tion.
"In the second place, the national
interests in Alaska should be admin
istered by a field star in the 1erritory
itself Each bureau or department
having functions in Alaska should
place them in charge of a resident
officer. endowed with the maximum
authority possible to act on the
ground and with large discretion Ia
applying Federal statutes in Alaskan
conditions.
Then let these responsible Federal
officers, together with the governor
of the Territory and two or more
representing her commercial
interests, form a sort of alaskan
cabinet charged with the duty OF
tying together the different Federal
activities ironing out conflicts, over
laps. or emissions. and working
out tho best measures for the all
around deyelopment of Alaska