Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-08-01
STATEHOOD FOR
ALASKA URGED
BY COL. GREELEY
Chief Forester Warns Against
Board Rule in Far North
Province.

WASHINGTON, Aug. /. - Warning
against the development board plan for
Alaska and advising that the territory
be made a State as soon as she is
qualified Col: william b Greeley, chief
of the United States Forest Service, says
the proposal for the board plan may
we'll be challenged"
Colonel Greeley has been In Alaska ana
| made an exhaustive study of her re-
sources which he calls the greatest asset
the United States has today. The state
ment is of the most timely nature be-
cause of proposed plans for President
Harding to take his vacation in the ter
ritory this summer and publication OF
| figures showing how the white popula-
ton fell off 234 per cent in ten years.
! Colonel Greeley deplores red tape
| methods as having strangled progress In
the territory and says:
IAN effort is now being made to create
| for Alaska local commission, or
| development board, which would take
over the duties and authority of the
va rious Federal executives, together
with the administration of all public
resources in Alaska, working solely
| under the direction of the Secretary OF
the Interior. This proposal may Well
BE challenged. After all, the national
interests in Alaska are paramount.
Alaska represents, in her marine fish
cries her enormous agricultural areas
! and her resources for growing meat
producing animals. one of the great food
sources Of the United States. Iu her vast
forests lie a practical solution of our
! paper shortage.
THE United States has painstakingly,
by many years of effort, built up national
! policies for the use of publicly 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. 1t has
| build up specialized organizations han
| ling these varied resources with the best
| technical experience and skill the coun
| try affords Should it now. by one stroke.
cut off a vast region containing one
sixth of our total area from the uniform
and consistent application of these public
policies by the specialized organizations
created for the very purpose of their &C
complishment I think not
And from the standpoint Of Alaska
herself in order to bring about the most
! effective development of her resources,
II would be unwise to cut her off from the
/ direct applica ton of the energies and
I from the technical and financial resources
/ IF several great Federal organizations
which are experts in doing the very
things that Alaska needs to have done.
FOR DECENTRALIZED
ADMINISTRATIONS.
The development board plan for
Alaska is unnecessary because the same
results can be accomplished by a decen-
tralized administration Of national affairs
In Alaska. 1t is dangerous because tt
means partial break king up Of the effec-
tive and uniform execution Of vitsl pub
lie policies for dealing with natural re-
/ sources. Let US rather develop Alaska in
harmony with American policy at all
points. Make her a state as soon al she
Is qualified Give her as rapidly as
may be the local powers that go with
Statehood. At the same time handle per
manent national interests in Alaska az
they are handled elsewhere. both during
her territorial apprenticeship and after
she becomes a State. preserving the
same policies and uniform direction but
with localized administrative machinery
adanted to Alaskas isolation.
1.-THE greatest evil is long range Rc-
ministration. There is too much centra-
lizatien Of administrative authority in
Washington. too many delays in getting
things done And Alaska is subject TO
too many infexible regulations or cut
and dried rrIes which are unnecessary or
unadapted o her conditions.
"A comm on sense public policy toward
Alaska would seem to require action
along these lines. First we should an
ticipate that sooner or later Alaska win
/ he qualified for Statehood and, as rapidly
as practicable. we should give her control
[ of the local affairs which in our system
Of government come under State juris-
diction.
! SHOULD RULE
OWN STATE.
In the second place, the national in
terests in Alaska should he administered
/ by a field stat in the Territory itself.
( Each bureau or department having func-
/ tons in Alaska should place them in
! charge of resident officer. endowed with