Seward daily gateway., 1925-11-23
ALASKA RAILWAY MUST FIGHT FOR
 VERY EXISTENCE
REPRESENTATIVE ARTHUR M. FREE OF CALIFORNIA DETER MINED TO BRING ABOUT THE ROADS ABANDONMENT.
SEC WORK OPPOSES SUCH MOVE
Free Plans Three-Way Compalgn- No Agriculture Possibilities m
 Alaska; Temporary Structure.

Much has been said in Alaskan newspapers regarding Congressman Free. since his visit to the Territory last summer. Dispatches have been Altering into Alaska from the States at freouent intervals. However, in recent issue of the Seattle Times, there appeared the following article which presents at some length, yet in a condensed form, the basis of Congressman Frees attack on The Alaska Railroad and other Alaskan matters.
 The article follows:
 WASHINGTON, D. C., Nov.-The Alaska Railroad will be put on trial for its life this winter if Represen- tative Arthur M Free of California has his way about it. In any event, it is certain that more or less bit ter fight over the appropriation ne- cessary to carry on the railroad will develop between Representative Free and Secretary of the Interior Hu- bert M Work.
 Representative Free takes the po- sition that the road should be torn up and converted into a highway. Secretary Work is of the opinion that inasmuch as the government owns virtually all of the land through which the railroad nuns and that Alaska is a pioneer country, the gov ernment should bear the cost of pioneering. He will find a good deal of support for this theory.
 On the other hand, many senators and representatives have become tir- ed of the unfulflled promises made on proponents. AS matter of fact, the enthusiasm of many who voted for the railroad in the first place and have continued to support it was never more than superficial. The railroad bill was put through at the height of President Wilson's popu- larity and many representatives and senators voted for it simply because President Wilson asked them to dc so.
 Three-Way Campaign.
 Representative Free has planned { three-way campaign to bring abou the abandonment of the road. First he proposes to go to the White House and make his recommends tions personally to President Cool idge, basing this recommendation o1 observations he made of Alaska dur ing tour last summer. If he fail! here, he will go before the Houst appropriations committee, with whicl he has considerable influence, ant ask the committee not to approve an. plan for continued operation of tn road. If unsuccessful there, he vii make a fight against the appropria tion item when the bill reaches th floor of the House.
 Tt is unfair to the taxpayers fo the government to continue to oper ate this road" Mr. Free said. q only serves 4000 people; it cost $6O, 100000 to build, and it's operation re suits in an annual deficit of fror $1,5OO,O00 to S2,000,O00. It is costin the tax payers of the United State $400 per person year for every per son living on the road.
 No Agricultural Possibilities.
 There are no agricultural posst bilities, except few vegetables an berries. The country is nearly a mountainous and boggy, and a foe or so under the top of the soil it frozen. Most of the land is of vo canic origin, so it requires very 1T tensive cultivation and fertilizatio even to grow vegetables.
 "Even though you could raise agr cultural products, the cost of tran portation back to the United State would make it impossible to compeT with the agricultural products of u United States proper.
 'The coal along the railroad is very inferior grade, mostly Hgnit and every government service h; tried to use it and failed, except u railroad which, by using special fir boxes, is able to get along with But even if it were good coal, the co