The Cordova daily times., 1922-11-29

set by those formulating the Federal Aid High way program which calls for the construction |of about 180,O0O miles of roads It is the pur- bose of the good roads advocates to have in the Unlted States highway facilities surpass- ing that of any other nation, past or present. Even the famed highways of ancient Rome, it Is claimed, will pale by comparison.
 Alaska as a whole has not yet benefited di- |recty from this class of Federal aid It has received special Federal assistance and recog- milton from two sources. One by direct appro- |priation through the War Department for the Alaska Road Commission. The other from al lotments from the Forest Fund section of the Federal Highways Act, which is just now the national good roads law. Money obtained through the first channel can be and is ex- pended in any part of Alaska at the discretion of the Alaska Road Commission but the funds allotted through the Forest Service for ex- penditure by, the Bureau of Public Roads can only be expended, and rightly so, in the Ga- tional forest districts of the Territory on roads within the forests or directly adjacent to them for the development either of the forests them selves CT of communities dependent in whole or in part on forest development for prosperity.
 There is third source from which Federal aid can and should be made available, al- though it might result, though not necessarily so, in the first source being discontinued, and that is through extension of the general pro visions and principles of the Federal Aid Act of the Territory. It is fully extended to all of the States and special recognition is given to States in which there are unappropriated public lands, extra allotments being given them in proportion to the ratio of the area of unappropriated public lands to the total area of the State Despite the hundreds of thous- ands of acres of similar land in Alaska no recognition is given. Yet unless roads are first constructed there is little chance of most of this land being opened up for settlement or development.
 Almost everyone who has given time and study to the Alaska situation comedies the need for roads and trails to be paramount. It surpasses every other material consideration and is even more important just now than the need for governmental reform. But we go along wasting time and energy in efforts to get special legislation enacted for appropria- tions for roadwork that of it's own weight can not hope to be successful. As long as the Ter ritory is to be the sole beneficiary of such leg islation it cannot be expected that any deep in terest will be taken by the average member Iof Congress at least not enough to justify con- tnuation of the policy. It is manifest that the Territory will stand better chances for sue cess by making common cause with all of the States than by standing alone. and that the wise procedure is to get in on the omnibus bill rather than "to go it alone.'
 Delegate Sutherland recently stated to a representative of Tie Empire that he will make determined effort to get the Federal Aid Highway Act amended so as to include Alaska in all of it's provisions. For about 20 months The Empire has urged that this be done. It called attention to the fact on sev- eral occasions before the bill became law that Alaska was not included and since it's en- actmcnt, when the matter of the extension of it's provisions came up several months ago, urged an amendment at that time. The dele gate may have difficulty in getting hearing but all the facts are in his favor; logically there is no reason why the extension should not be approved by Congress. He deserves and should have the undivided support of every Alaskan commercial and civic organiza- tion and of all individuals regardless of poli- tics in this undertaking Empire
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