The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1921-06-09
Chase OUT
POLITICIANS
In ALASKA
Secretary Of Interior Fall
Would Like to Do Il With
Shotgun, He Says
by II. II. HUNT

WASHINGTON. June .. -what
are the plans expectations ard hopes
OF the administration with respect TO
Alaskan" Is the question | put 10
Secretary OF the Interior Fan.
"The first thing I'D like TO do" he
said. would be TO go up there with
a shotgun and chase out n bunch OF
politicians
"But the big questions are outside
and above politics. They have to do
with policies that will make Alaska
more accessible. that viii open the
way to the development OF resources
now locked up and that VIII invite
settlement.
'Bctwcen 1910 and 1890 the popu'
lation of the territory decreased 10
per cent. The population today Is
only $1,000 against $4,000 In 1910.
and the decline has been in the pho
neering white settlers"
Unlocking Alaska Is recognized as
one OF the major numbers on Presi-
dent Harding's program The whole
future of that territory, therefore, Is
most likely to be shaped by steps
taken within the next four years.
Harding hopes to pay personal
visit TO Alaska and has been plan
ming, tentatively. to make the trip
this year II congress adJourns In
time
For the presidents guidance the
department OF the interior, under
Secretary Fall. has been collecting a
mass OF information covering every
angle Of Alaskan affairs.
.Difficulties OF transportation form
one OF the biggest barriers against
Alaskan development" FAN said
1--WE are now dependent wholly on
boats operating out OF Seattle. The
result was that the recent ship strike
left Alaska absolutely cut off.
'Inside Alaska, transportation con
dItions are no better. We are build
ing a railroad up there. but 1t begins
nowhere and ends nowhere. In my
Judgment Alaska should be connected
with the United States by an allrail
route thru Canada.
"One OF the big possibilities Tor
Alaska is the development of pa
per industry. Properly safeguarded.
Alaska could supply us indefinitely
with an amount OF paper equal to
that which we now import from Can
ada. But there again the transpor.
tation barrier controls
"Alaska's coal fields are another
source Of great possible wealth We
are now developing mines there for
the production Of coal for the Pacific
I1eet
But perhaps the greatest barrier
to getting anywhere with Alaska Is
the fact that at present half dozen
different government departments
and bureaus have charge OF various
functions there and there Is no co
ordination and cooperation in plans
FOR development
~As secretary Of the interior am
building q railroad there. But can
not build highway to connect with
that road or even q trail over which
90 bring up supplies. Neither can I
build a telephone or telegraph line
to help communications. Those func-
tions lie solely In the war depart.
ment.
The interior department patents
grants Of land, whereupon its control
e for forest or grazing purposes
moves at once to the department of
agriculture.
Before Alaska's future can be
planned for and effective steps taken
to tap her rich resources and open
them to the people. there must be
some central authority in control.
Personally. believe that should be
vested directly in the president"