The Daily Alaska empire., 1931-07-30
WHITE EXPLAINS HIS PARK IDEA I Q C H A M B E R
Brown Bear Is Merely Men toned and Tourist
 Travel Stressed

Mentioning only incidentally the Alaska Brown bear, whose pro- lection he has ardently advocated for several years, Stewart Edward White, famous author and sports man, today urged upon the local Chamber of Commerce the eco- homie wisdom of obtaining from the federal government the crea- ton of a National Park in South east Alaska He spoke at some length, advancing his theories and submitting supporting data to sub stantiate his claim that such a park would act as tremendous stimulus to the Alaska tourist traffic.
 T have suggested Chichagof Is- land for the site, made it a talk ing point, but I am not welded to it. However, I still think it is the most desirable" He said he would favor any other suitable locality in Southeast Alaska and cooperate with Alaskans in bringing about its establishment.
 Can Be Obtained
 MT. White, who said he had had a great deal of correspondence with Secretary Wilbur of the In- terior Department relative to the proposal, declared: If you want such a park you can have it" He asserted that Secretary Wilbur was willing to give to Alaskans what ever they wanted if 1t was practi- cable.
 He cited many figures to prove his contention that National Parks draw the crowd where privately owned enterprises, possessing equal merit, would only be small time stuff" He reiterated the argu- ments he has used on many occa- sions, in articles and in interviews and talks.
 Reasons for Chichagof
 In some detail he enumerated his reasons for picking Chichagof Island for national park purposes. It has scenery, hunting in season, salmon runs, which, he said, could be featured as a tourist drawing card, a wonderful back country easily opened up by trails, water communication facilities for excur- sions, salmon fishing, salmon can- neries which would attract tour ists, was centrally located in re- spect to the principal towns of the district, and within convenient dis tance of many large glaciers.
 Admitting that at present the Na- tional Park Board has rigid regu- lations restricting development by private capital within national park areas, he said it would be feasible to have these relaxed, or new ones made, for Chichagof to permit mining, fishing and cannery oper- ations. He did not touch upon the utilization of the vast timber resources of the island upon which the development of the local pulp and paper industry is partly based
 Compensate the Indians
 Tn answer to a question from Dr w w. Council, President of the Chamber as to what the Indian residents of the island would dc for hunting and other privileges which would be taken away from them in the establishment of a park, MT. White said the Federal government would have to compen- sate them in some manner or fur nish them with facilities to hunt elsewhere.
 He conceded there were other valid objections raised that would have to be met. Transportation problems was one which, he claim ed. would gradually evaporate as tourist traffic increased, enabling steamship companies :. to increase their fleets. The projected In ternational Highway, which, he de clared, would certainly have a Jul neau connection, would bring g
 tContinued on Page Eight)