The Nome nugget., 1922-01-28

though 1t has engaged the attention of practical minds for months. The Alaska Advisory Committee as step toward solution. proposed a merger of the two American steamship com
 panles in order to reduce the heavy
 overhead expenses of management and operation. and control as to
 rates by the United States Shipping
 Board. This proposition provoked
 immediate opposition on the theory
 that removal of competition would
 tend to aggravate rather than relieve the situation. A Territorial Shipping
 Board. created in 1919. for an ex- haustive study of conditions and hearings. evolved through its counsel a plan to meet the emergencies by a tonnage tax on all vessels. privately owned and common carriers alike. the fund derived therefrom to be used in the creation and support of Q mosquito fleet ih inside passage waters. thus relieving the bigger ships from the necessity of unprofit- able calls at smaller ports. but pro- viding for these much-needed facili- ties of local transportation and in- creased mail service. Such mos quito fleet unquestionably would simplify the situation and contribute largely to the solution of the general transportation problem. But the plan proposed. regardless of the practical merits 1t possessed. met with no general favor and at the en- suing session of the Legislature the Territorial Shipping Board was abolished. And so no progress has been made toward the solution of Alaska's transportation problem, either through Federal or Territorial agencies.
 To the casual student Of the situation the solution is simple in deed. It involves no difficulties whatever and may be solved in jiffy. Every American port today presents the spectacle of idle vessels of the United States Shipping Board. out of commission and going to waste. Why not, it is asked. put some of these on the Alaska runs and have an end to high rates and difficulties? It is simplic- ity itself. this solution. on it's face. but the cost of it and how it would work out ultimately constitute Il problem. not for the casual student, but sor practical, economic and con- minds. If government op- erated steamship lines served to put companies out of bus.- ness. which might naturally happen. since the aggregate of Alaska's ton mage is today not of vast magnitude, it is conceivable that the proposed and, in the end. might make the situation worse. Certainly goverL- ment operated railroads during and d fter the war did not result in re- duced rates or improved service. Quite the contrary. The thought of high-knotted, direct-going steam ships plying between westward Alas kan ports and Seattle and San Fran cisco-a Twentieth Century iine-is possible of ultimate realization. but manifestly cannot be realized until tonnage has been created by the de- velopment of. the Territory.
 Unless Congress is ready to sanc- tion and embark upon a policy of un- limited paternalism for Alaska and prepared to pay the bills, the Gov ernment may well keep out of the steamship business-at least until private capital and individual enter prise have demonstrated conclusively their inability under proper regu- lation and control, to give the rates and service which Alaska requires and must have in order to grow and pro- 7.
 The pending measure for the con- solidation of Government Bureaus, operating in Alaska, under one de- partmental head at Washington and the concentration of authority and
 responsibility. authorizes the use of
 United States Shipping Board ves- sels. ia the Presidents discretion. to
 meet Alaska's needs. This is wise
 and prudent authorization and it
 should and doubtless will hasten the
 solution of Alaska's transportation
 problems That there has been no
 solution to date. with attendant re-
 lief. is due plainly to the chaotic and scattering system of government un-
 der which the Territory has been re-