The Cordova daily times., 1923-02-19
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 1923
FIGHTING AN ALASKAN INDUSTRY

Certain Washington and Oregon timber land owners have set themselves in, opposition to the dispasal of Alaska timber by the Govern ment-partcularly for pulp and paper manu- facture They represent that the pulp timber in those States is largely by-product, and that loggers sell 1t to manufacturers without taking stumpage value into account. They say that in logging fir and cedar great deal o1 hemlock is destroyed. It has to be cut, they assert to make roads and permit logging oper- !ations and they contend that vast amount of it is destroyed by falling trees In addl- tion. it is contended, the limbs and debns left behind by the loggers soon become dry and constitute fire traps for what timber IS left standing. They assert, on the other hand' that the hemlock can be logged at the same time the fir, or other marketable timber, IS logged for less than half the cost that would follow if it were left standing for separate operation Therefore, they assert, Alaska tml- Der should not be permitted to come into com petition with it.
 They admit, however, that if competition can be dispensed with for few years they hope to get enough paper mills to consume their entire hemlock production and then they would get as much stumpage money for hem- lock as they now get for fir They declare that the Government would get large stump ace nrice for it's Alaska timber If 1t would hold it for some years
 The contention is plausible, but 1t IS not sound It would have greater weight II 1t were not for the fact that an industry IS at stake and that is of far more importance than the nrice the Government gets for its stumpage If Alaska timber should be withdrawn from the market the pulp and paper manu1acturlhS industry of the Pacific Coast would be settled in the south It would be long time before Alaska could hope to have mills. On the other hand if Alaska's timber were made immediate 7v available and as a result a large manufac- +urinp industry established in this country It would mean the development of new secton of the country It would provide local mar kets for our fisheries, farms and other ln- dustries It would mean settlement and de ve1onment in many lines in addition to that directly connected with the industry, and the development of Alaska is worth far more to the United States and the American people than additional profits for Washington and Oregon timber land owners. It would m short time add another star to the American flag.
 The fact that pulp timber is offered for low prices in Washington and Oregon IS rather an argument for low stumpaee prices m Alas ka than anything else. Alaska timber should be available on terms that would meet com nettion from other sections. That done ano the rest would be a matter for capital to de eide. If Washington and Oregon could offe' greater inducement to pulp and paper manu facturers than could Alaska thev would ge1 the major part of the manufacturing industry On the other hand if Alaska, with her water transportation and available hydro-electrit power. could offer the better opportunities then Alaska would get the major part of the industry. All Alaska asks is an open fielc and fair fight without favor for either con testant in the race for supremacy.-Junear Empire