The Cordova daily times., 1923-01-22
Mining Man From Inter for Says: ,.2 Japan i is Cast a: ing Covetous Eyes at Defenseless Territory.

NEWt:Y0RK,u Jan. 22so -- Frederick Zorn of, aSusitna station, and Anchor, age' Alaska now sojourning. in New York City while laying plans. for. the development of his mining properties on large scale: and while also spon- soring project for the colonization Of the richest and most temperate part of Central; Alaska, sounded warning regarding Japanese penetra- tion in the Territory, ..
 Seen at his temporary quarters with seafaring friends at No. 25 South street, he declared the two Gibraltars of Alaska, Cordova harbor and Prince William sound, and the sides of Cooks Inlet from Cape Elizabeth to the Alas ka peninsula, should be strongly forti- fled by the United States Government He said:
 q am no alarmist, but I have be- lieved for years, and time will dis close that I have been right, that the United States should take positive steps to protect the maritime portals which lead to wealth in minerals so vast that they would stagger human ity if realized
 Billions in Wealth
 "Very few people, possibly except ing some of the experts in the Depart ment of the Interior, and former Alas ka mining men, understand here in the United States, the parent co1n- try, that Alaska's mineral wealth can only be estimated in the billions
 'It is the treasure house of the world in platinum and gold and coal. You hear some folk, even some in of ficial positions, deprecate the coal of Alaska, but am in a position to know that it is there in vast quantities.
 Also there is a wealth of free water power to be turned into cleo tricity and with the billions in gold and platinum available there and only waiting for the development of power and capital the country would make the major territorial prize of the world
 "From personal knowledge and ob- servations, I warned President Will son when he went into office of the situation I know that Japan has had secret agents in Alaska in the last ten years, studying it by the most scientific methods, and making com prehensive maps and surveys I have seen the maps.
 Japan would give almost her na- tional soul to possess Alaska. If war should ever develop between the two countries, and probably such a contest may be years distant, you may be sure the first move Japan would make would be to seize defenseless, unguarded, remote Alaska.
 of she ever got there with her hardy troops, and dug in to hold that wonderful wilderness, it would be a mighty tough job to dislodge her. Only those who know Alaska as I do can understand that,
 "The safest thing for America to do in the estimation of many men who have studied the situation for years and who have watched the signs and seen actualities, is for the gov ernment to safeguard the harbors and coasts. New York is fortified, San Francisco is fortified. All the vaunt- ed wealth of both cities is only baga- telle compared to what lies in the mountainsides and streams of that vast imperial domain of Alaska.
 "New York is a wonderful state. Because of it's wealth and resources and grandeur and GOd-giyen benefits it is, called the Empire State. But compared to Alaska, both in scenery, agricultural possibilities, water power wealth in the earth and potentialities as to general development, it is nigmv. Alaska would make twelve states the size of New York to start with.'
 Torn then went on to describe his exnariences with the famous JuJlra Wada, internationally known explorer mineral prospector and mining engl- noor who bncame known all over Alas ka. For years he had been thrown with the Japanese, had travelled long and dangerous trails with him and stopped with him at inns in settle ments.
 zorn went on to say;
 "Some years ago in company Wi'h my son, Otto, who is now in Calitorhia' stopped for some days at road house kept by my friend, Frank Can
 Tvn.1r on rpply'c Tplnt. Waud