The Daily Alaska empire., 1932-06-27
RECOURSE IN FEDERAL AID HIGH
 WAY ACT.

Long ago Gen Richardson urged the Territory of Alaska to form highway organization because he said the time would come when the proper method to build roads in Alaska would be by local organization with the Federal Government furnishing a large part of the revenue for that purpose through an extension to the Territory Of the Federal Aid Highway Act.
 Cash Cole, Territorial Auditor has now taken up that idea and is urging the commercial bodies of Alaska to unite in campaign to nave the Federal Aid Highway Act extended to Alaska.
 Why not? The Empire believes the suggestion is timely. Hawaii had the Federal Aid Highway Act extended to that Territory and a wonderful system of highways on all the Hawaiian Islands is far advanced and work is continuing The Federal GOV ernment has spent millions here on highways and the Territory has handled the funds to good results
 Former Highway Engineer R. J. Sommers has advocated that policy for Alaska. In fact it has been in the back of the heads of many thinking Alaskans for a long time Its active advocacy was retarded because through the occupatonal tax, the direct Congressional Appropriations and the Forestry money from the Federal Aid Highway appropriations we are getting money for highways and there was reluctance to disturb the situation for fear that the moneys already being received would be cut off before the Federal Aid Highway Act could be made operative.
 If the Federal Aid Highway Act were extended to Alaska the Federal occupational tax could be repealed and the funds paid into the Alaska fund could be collected by the Territory and counted as part of it's contribution to the general highway fund, if the people should so will.
 Until recently Congress mas not based its direct appropriations for road and trail construction in Alaska on the sum made available by the Territorial Legislature for the same purpose Nor has it, until this year. nterfered with the Terrtory's allotment from the Forest Highway Fund for National Forest roads and trails. During the present term of Con- gress it has done both One of the main reasons advanced by the House Subcommittee Military Appropriations for a drastic reduction in the Alaska Road Commissions estimates that the Territory itself had cut it's road expenditures. And the Sub committee on Agricultural Appropriations put an arbitrary limit the that could be expended from the Forest Highway Fund on the ground that Alaska not participating in either construction or maintenance of Forest Highways in Alaska, which incorrect assumption.
 If Congress is going to require cooperative road moneys from the Territory, then it should be upon the basis that they required of the western public land States which come under the Federal Highway Act. That would be satisfactory to Alaska and Congress ought not to have any objection to such system.
 There is, however, possibility that certain technical features of the Federal act cannot be met by the Territory One is requirement. that Federal funds cannot be expended within State unless it is part of an interstate highway or will become one in the future, is a feeder to it. Hawaii, apparently has not found this a handicap There may be others that would make it impossible to put the act into operation here even if it were extended, There should be a thorough study of the entire subject before any legislation is sought from Congress that any bill introduced to bring Alaska under the Federal Highway Act will be sound and workable.
 The time has come when move should be made along the line suggested