Seward daily gateway., 1931-05-12
PULLING BACK THE CURTAIN


 Matanuska coal field suspended because the coal was found by Naval coal commission in 1921 to be unsuitable for Naval use, and therefore the Alaska Railroad unable render of the important vices for which Congress had intended It.
 A few hours before President Harding sailed from Seward for Seattle he decided to check up these presentations unknown the three apponttees of Fall and Denby On his initiative, and acting through the intermediary of newspaper correspondent with the Presidential party, and through one of the mem bers of his official family, President Harding sent for and read verified copy of the report of the Naval coal commission of 1921 Tha treport showed that the Naval coal commission had tested 5000 tons of coal from the Naval coal in the Matanuska field side by side with 5000 tons of Pocahontas coal from West Virginia in both boiler and laboratory, and had pronounced it 15 per cent higher in every point of comparison than the Pocahontas coal The Navy coal commission stated in it's nuska suitable in every particular for Naval use that there 100000 tons blocked out for immediate mining, that there 100000 tons in sight, and pro- baby total of 3$O00,00O tons in the Naval
 At the same time President Harding received and read photographic copy of private memorandum agreement between Secretary of Interior Fall and Secre tary of Navy Denby by which they bound themselves transfer the Naval coal operations in the Matanuska field from Denby to Fal together with other papers, which proved that Fall and Denby then attempting to dispose of the Naval coal in the Matanuska district precisely they did with the Naval oil in the Tea Pot Dome district of Wyoming.
 10 Ilake d lONg story SnOTt, when IfeS1ConJ HafC- ing delivered his memorable speech in Seattle after his return from Alaska only two of his official family knew these secrets knew what kind of speech he go ing to make In that speech he surprised the political world by announcing complete and radical reversal of his former views and attitude Alaskan policies and problems He came out frankly and emphaticay in fav or of the Alaska conservation laws and against all the and policies for Alaska which Secretary Fall and Denby and Weeks and their Alaskan appointees had been urging.
 Now for the climax. If all those officials including Fall and Denby and Weeks and Bone, who took partic- uar pains to keep from President Harding everybody not in the circle of their conspiracie to be told that John E. Balane founder of Seward and leader in the campaign which resulted in legislation for the build ing of the government Alaska Railroad, had been of ficaly and privately and confidentaly requested to submit written outline of the kind of speech which he thought the President ought to deliver his return to Seattle they might be incredulous they were fur ther told that President Harding followed the outlines of the speech thus requested and submitted in it's en- tirety their ncreduGty might be modified with their knowledge of the facts they actually occurred.
 All this has direct bearing on Alaska and the Alaska Railroad. Taken with other circumstances it furnished pretty good proof that the government own ed Alaska Railroad can be placed profitable and highly useful basis whenever the responsible officials choose to initiate policies that will make it profitable and useful.