The Cordova daily times., 1921-10-13
WHAT'S THE MATTER
 WITH ALASKA? Edmund Ellsworth Sumner in Railway and Marine News

on the Pacific coast has been one of the problems ever since the Gittord Pinchot tirade beginning in 1896, which resulted in the tying up ot Alas ka's resources in the forest reserves.
 One of the strangest omissions Of Secretary Falls article is this omis- sion of mention of Clifford PinChot. He speaks of everything else, but doesn't deal with the one outstanding Tact that if it had not been for Clifford Pin chot and his successful campaign, Alaska today would lead all of the non-contiguous territories in the value of commerce and there would be no need of propounding the question, Whats the matter with Alaska"' 1t was Clifford Pinchots idea to place inflated values on the coal and timber just as today, fifteen years later Sec When Clifford Pinchot created his for est reserves. always remember it was not for the benefit of Alaska or the people at large, but it was greatly of direct benefit to Pocahontas coal, which was and is still supplying the Pacific coast with fuel But tying up those vast areas on the basis of an ab. solutely false valuation on the exist ing coal and timber not only stopped any possible development of coal and timber Gf such plans had been made at that time). but it also. with the at tending restrictions and regulations. for all time discouraged legitimate prospectors from trying to develop mineral in those great areas, which first and foremost should be regarded as mineral-bearing regions.
 Secretary Fall doesn't mention that, yet it has been the curse of Alaska, and all the talk will never change 1t. The only improvement or change that can be made will be an act of congress restoring those lands 10 entry. There is not one man in the present admins. tration or in the country who can change basic facts and the more the matter is discussed the worse it be- comes. Neither changing the laws nor vesting authority in a commission or changing the bureaus or anything else will have any perceptible influence as long as Alaska lands are withdrawn and nothing but Encouragement faces the American investor in the rich ter ritory Of the north.
 Secretary Fall deals but lightly with the government railroad. yet 1t appears to the writer that this should be the first thing to be discussed by a govern mental official when talking of Alas ka. He says that the road is com pleted, with the exception Of a 74-mile . stretch through Hurricane gulch and ilealey, aud that the completed road ' maintained an uninterrupted service !. turing the last two winters. which is ' m achievement of note when the se- ferity of Alaskan winters is Consid- . cred
 There seems to be an effort here to . indicate that a large portion of this | 'oad is in operation. when in point of ! act there is no earthly excuse for . operating any trains during the winter IS there is no freight traffic what ever and but a limited passenger movement between Seward and An ,hOrage. During the last two winters [ is true that the road was kept open Iy the movement of a limited number If trains. but there is nothing at all wonderful about this. especially in jew of the fact that the Copper River Northwestern. running through much rougher section. has been oper- Iting every winter since 1909, and the White Pass X Yukon has been operat- ng ever since 1900. Why would it not nave been better for Mir. Fall to have given out in his interview the uumher ,f train miles made by the government .ailroad during the winters of 1920 md 1919 and the revenue derived herefrom Then as long as the rail
 
 100 and is one of the most important projects now under way by the gov ,rnment, why should it not be fea- ure of this interview in place of being ! reated in a little paragraph, as above.
 Finally Secretary Fall says: An other grave feature of the problem is that of getting Alaska's products to ! market. Transportation charges are