Seward daily gateway., 1927-08-22
MORE O|N WILLIS
(Continued from Page Twol

(Continued from Page Twol
 ed a committee of correspondents and these kept in touch with one another and made plans for the Union, not for the colony or for any individual state. So am wondering if a similar organ ization in Alaska would not be help full. At least such a plan would be useful for deliberation at Washing ton. I have met your delegate to
 Congress and my personal relations
 with him have been pleasant and I
 believe in his integrity. However, l do not hold to all of his views Con- siderable opposition generally always eminates on practically all Alaska's problems, regardless of what it may
 be and to the friends of Alaska this is very disconcerting. You need more of the spirit of unity. The men and
 women of Alaska are real empire builders and here I would like to pause long enough to sayAhere is one government department, the Alaska Road Commission which is doing re- markable work I know of no other bureau in the United States giving such service on appropriations made as is this wonderful organization. have spent much time with them recently,
 been on the trail with them, and when l get back to Washington I am going
 to unroll a picture before my broth
 CTS, picture of these men plunging
 into the wilderness to mark out new
 roadways, working all night through, clearing out wash-outs, on the road caused by glacial waters, in order
 that the roads be passable. That's
 the way empires are built!
 "The average member of Congress
 doesn't know much about Alaska for
 generally he has enough trouble at
 home, if not with state matters, the
 matter of being reelected, for perhaps
 if they were not reelected, it would be
 a great calamity. So perhaps many
 of them do not understand the situa-
 tion as perhaps they should
 1 Let's get some of the fundamental
 things together and help Washington
 work out the solution of the problem.
 Before I take my chair I must say
 greatly appreciate the evidence of
 friendliness and the honor of this din
 ner. As chairman of the Senate Ter
 ritorial Committee your problems will
 have my very best thought and atten-
 tion. I am always ready to give ear
 to you. The committee has a prodi
 gous expanse to legislate, for in addi tion to Alaska, the committee has the ss Hawaiian Islands, Philippines, Porto 3 Rico, and the Virgin Islands. To show 5 that Alaska is not discriminated against, let me say that for 10 years $ after the United States had purchased , the Virgin Islands, the people of that country did not know of which coun } try they were citizens of. A prepos terous condition, but true. Why, even ! United States money was not legal tender in those islands. This simply .. by way of illustration. Finally, the } committee was able to get through ] Congress a little bill which now per mits United States gold as medium s of exchange. I believe there is a ,, steady increasing interest throughout 2 the country in Alaska. So far as , have the power to do I will endeav , or to exert legislation for this Terri z tory. I shall think of the problems q !, Alaska not only from the standpoin 2 of the people who live here but a: , we'll from the standpoint of the people : of the, National Republic and, as Capt
 'Nord said, let us '.pitch and roll' to