Evening star., 1926-01-10
ALASKAN POLICY DRAWS
SHARP FIRE In CONGRESS
Merging of Nine Agencies Now Admins
tering Affairs Generally Urged as
Solution of Difficult Problem.

lived on the route the railroad was 20
go through
Hurry up and build that railroad
he said. Il want that road through
here as quick as you can build il.
For until that railroad is built ! can
not move my family and my goods
back TO the States. That's where [
want to get as quickly as | can
1t makes rather bad picture for
Alaska, the territory Secretary Sc
ward purchased for $7,200,0 900 in golf
back in SCI and of which such lsrc4l
things were predicted. What the so
luton Will be to stop the falling OF
IN the white population, the general
decrease of Alaskan business. Iac.z
Of development Of its acknowledged
great mineral and water power re-
sources, no one has definitely said
Deficit is 5000 900.
Gov. Parks says Alaska is UP aud
doing; strictly on the up and UP.
Secretary Work produces figures
| showing that while expenditures iu
all departments handling Alaskan if-
| lars have dropped somewhat from
the peak reached three years ago,
with consequent falling off in eN-
cess of expenditures over receipts.
| a year ago there was Il deficit OF
| nearly $4,000, 900 in Alaskan admin
| IStratiOn. He adds that the Alaskan
/ railroad shows q steadily mountin-c
/ annual deficit, Notwithstanding q pro
| gram Of economy and efficiency in
| management under Il former Uperat-
| ing officer of the PENNSYLVANIA Rail
! FoaG, ana points to the decrease in
| Goid production and merchandise
! shipped 10 the United States. ANY
| reference TO the great deposits OF
/ coal in Alaska finds Secretary Work
! with this answer:
There Is great deal Of coal there
/ but they cannot compete with il in
| the markets in this country. Most Of
/ II has to be washed. That Chicksi-
| loon mine, which was opened UP dur
! ing the war to supply coal to the
navies Of the world, suddenly fault
| ed. 1t broke off; they could not lind
! the other end Of il. But they had lu
! put III washing plant 10 make il
/ marketable, and il cost $50 a ton
laid down at Seattle. They can brin5
! coal from Wales to Seattle Tor less
money than they can mine il and
| take II from ChickalUon 10 Seattle.
! using 1t as ballast.
Pulp Value Is Cited.
Gov. Parks has it that completion
! OF the Alaskan Railroad permits
I! hauling TO Fairbanks. its interior
! terminus. Of bulky gold mining ma
| Chinery that VIII rehabilitate the in
| dustry by permitting reuse of old
| gold cuts which under old methods
are not commercially profitable. Ii"
! holds great hopes OF the future when
! Alaska viii compete in the pulp mar
kets OF the United States with home
| grown and Canadian grown pulp for
news print. and places store in tht.
I development OF the Off-ShOre fish
| cries OF the Territory.
Secretary Work says that if W.
abandon the railroad We abandon
Alaska, suggestion that found echo
i'll Mr.. Treddway'S remarks. The
Massachusetts member Of Congress
said he does not believe the purchase
of Alaska was mistake, but the
building Of this railroad was Il tr,-
mendous mistake. l think Alaska is
well worth what ii cost US originally
II is well worth its retention. be
cause OF its strategic position and the
value Of it TO the Government in that
respect. / am critiZing the business
methods, or lack OF business methods,
IN carrying on the government in
Alaska"
Alaska is under the control Of nine
separate Government agencies, many
Of them coming under the Depart
ment Of the Interior. The Commerce
department controls tn" salmon fish
cries and the seal herds.
Forests Are Conserved
The Department OF Agriculture has
/ lnaugurated in the Territory a forest
conservation policy. Alaska has its ma
| uonal parks under the National Park
| Service, while up in the interior the
bureau Of education maintains a herd
of reindeer aggregating about 500, 600.
They have never been accurately
counted. but that is the official esti-
mate. And the Geological Survey op-
crates throughout the Territory map
ping and surveying, while the War
Department maintains jurisdiction
over Alaskan rivers and the Navy
looks toward Alaska for the coal sup
ply that failed
Coordination Of all these activities
under one Federal bureau. to he
known as the bureau of Alaska or
the Alaskan bureau, instead OF the
nine scattered agencies, is the remedy
most frequently advanced by those
who have given the Alaskan situation
thought. in the meantime. Alaska,
deep in the SHOWS and rigors of an
Arctic Winter, seems in for d warm
session in Congress.