The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1923-08-31
HERE'S MORE ABOUT
ALASKAN SITUATION
STARTS ON PAGE l3

preliminary. President Harding en-
tercd into detailed discussion OF
tho policy adopted by the depart
mcnt Of agriculture FOR the develop
mcnt and protection of Alaskan for
csts, and In the most specific terms
justified ana defended that policy
/ Speaking Of the contract the de
partmout Is offering 10 those who
wish 10 establish pulp and paper
mills IN the territory, he said. Il
venture, with some knowledge OF
conditions IN various papermnking
countries, to state that no better
contract. indeed, none 40 good. can
be secured In any OF them.
To the objection that'the contract
offered by tho department % agrl.
culture Is not sufficiently liberal TO
encourage the investment OF capital,
he called attention 70 the fact that
exactly this same type OF contract
has been In force for many years.
both In the states and IN Alaska.
and has resulted In the satisfactory
development OF timber utilization.
As matter OF fact. he found over a
dozen sawmills operating success
fully In Alaska under this contract.
Ho found that the timber from the
national forests was being largely
used By tho fishing aud mining in
dustries and By settlers and pros
pectors, He saw n large vessel az
the Juneau docks leading with lum'
Der cut from The national forests.
EXPORT TRADE
IN LUMBER
He learned OF tho expanding ex'
port trade in high grade Alaskan
] lumber 20 the states and TO foreign
countries In fact. he became not
only persuaded that the policy Of the
department Of agriculture waA sound
and helpful. but became an cnthu'
siast in its support. and gave il as
his deliberate Judgment that intcllt
gent aud sincere people cannot 70
gard this policy as In any way ham
psring the development Of the tim
Der industry, He referred 20 the
pulp mill already In operation aud
tho other contracts on the point OF
being closed. and said. we are, In
short, on tho eve OF an expansion
which. II not rapid. Will DO sound
and permanent Frankly, l DO
not look for rapid development In
Alaska. II could only be- had n the
cost OF sacrificing a few immediate
~ available resources sBG then ahan
donlng the rest. That We do not de
sire and will not knowingly permit"
At once. and Il Is 10 be hoped
for ali time, President Harding
quashed the indictment that the
natural resources Of Alaska are
under lock and key. lie found
that the withholding Of coal and
oil deposits from exploitation Is
all water that has passed over
the dam; that the present fed.
crai laws for developing these
resources now give every rra.
sonable opportunity 10 capital
and business foresight 10 develop
them as rapidly ns the markets
| Nl hAfh W wv HNff|
can use them. In the long and
imposing array OF Alaskan TO
sources the president found not
one which Is not freely avail
able to men NJ energy and cap
ital for commercial use and dc
velopment. Goal" said tho
president, rs being mined. sold
and used. 1t Is being mined
satisfactorily and profliably
under the terms Of the com
plainedagalnst coal land leasing
system"
Petroleum and water power deyel
opments are also going forward
under the federal laws which are
parts OF the general conservation
program. As in the case Of Alaskan
coal fields and the Alaskan timber
the extent OF commercial develop
ment Is in no wise limited hy federal
laws or restrictions, but governed
.r.fnf.s -, sIn hard sarfN ~ sypnu,