The Cordova daily times., 1922-05-09
OUTLINES FOREST POLICY
 FOR ALASKA

The following by w. B. Greeley, chief of the U. s. Forest Service, re- gently appeared in many papers throughout the east and was the means of attracting considerable at tention to the Territory:
 Two things about Alaska should be clearly understood: That her re- sources form one of the greatest un- developed assets of the United States; and that 9S per cent of those resources are publicly owned. On both counts the development of Alaska is mat ter of public concern and, in no small measure, of public responsibility. The "problem" of Alaska is now to apply common sense and efficiency to pub lie business.
 The groundwork for the develop ment of Alaska has been laid Exist ing laws provide for the utilization of her timber, her fisheries, her agricul- tural lands, her metals, her coal and oil deposits and her waterpowers. Ad- ditional legislation on certain re- sources is needed, particularly to en- courage the fur and reindeer indus tries to perpetuate the supply of valu- able fish products and to protect the interior forests. Certain wrinkles of obsolete or inadequate laws need iron ing out.
 NEED OF UNIFIED POLICY
 But we lack unified policy for Alaska as a whole. "There is gov ernment of the forests, government of the fisheries, one of the reindeer and natives, another of the cables and telegraphs," said Secretary Lane. Something is needed to bring these things together, to correlate the hand ling of different groups of resources. At the same time, Alaska is part of the United States. flask is a fu- ture state in her own right Alaska contains per cent of our national timber supply. Her enormous food re- sources and her power and mineral resources are part, an important part, of our national equipment. These sov- eral resources ought to be developed in accord with national aims and poli- cies.
 sc hn rotJh of h. lem, to handle public business in Alas ka with efficiency and teamwork, without cutting Alaska off from our national scheme of things.
 TWO METHODS
 Two simple business principles will do it. In the first place, let each fed eral bureau or department place it's business in Alaska under a resident of ficer with authority to act on the ground and with large discretion in applying federal laws to Alaska condi- tions.
 Let only transactions of special i'm portance, large questions of policy, and appeals from local decisions come to Washington. In other words, cut out long range administration and red tape.
 In the second place, provide for constant and direct contact between the different federal agencies by es- tablishing an Alaskan cabinet. Put in it the governor of the territory, the officer responsible for each ma jor division Of nation business, and one or two representative citizens. | DIRECT SETTLEMENT
 Make it the duty of the cabinet to correlate the different federal activi- ties, to straighten out conflicts or overlaps, and to collaborate in de- veloping the best means for all-round development of Alaska. Many every day questions in handling public busi- ness could be settled directly by the cabinet.
 We should not cut Alaska off from effective help by each federal agency in developing the resurces in which that particular outfit represents the organized experience and technical skill of the country.
 We should not risk breakdown in Alaska of fundamental policies which the United States has adopted for the conservation of national resources.
 Without doing either, we can run the public business of Alaska eff