The Daily Alaska empire., 1932-07-11
ROAD TRANSFER HAS APPROVAL
 OF WICKERSHAM
Resident Alaskans Will Re- place Army Men, Dele
 gate Says

T did not object to the enact ment of the bill transferring the activities of the Alaska Road Commission from the War to the Interior Department, because in principle I was not opposed to the measure and because it was urged by every agency of the Fed eral government interested in or fa- miliar with highway construction and maintenance in the Territory" declared Judge James Wickersham, Alaska's Delegate in Congress, who returned to Juneau Saturday from on the Congressional session now drawing to a close. "All Alaskan matters of a legisla- tive nature had been attended to before I left Washington. The Ter ritory has experienced reductions in some Federal appropriations, but decreases for Alaska are not pro- portionately heavier than for other parts of the nation and, in instanc- es, not so heavy.
 Work to Go Forward
 "Our road work will go forward with the funds that have been allowed for it, and our river and harbor improvements and pub lie building projects will be taken care of just as soon as under the economy policy such activities are undertaken alaywllere. +s~sssli
 Tn explaining his attitude toward the bill transferring road work from the War to the Interior De- partment, Judge Wickersham said:
 "The measure was recommended by both Secretary of War Patrick J. Hurley and Secretary of the In- terior Ray Lyman Wilbur. It was urged by President Hoover. It was introduced into the House of Representatives by Congressman T. Taylor, Democrat of Colorado, member of the Approp- riations Committee and chairman of the subcommittee having in charge Interior Department ap- propriations. It was considered by a Democratic-contr committee, favorably reported after hearings, and passed by Democratic House. after having been first passed by a Republican Senate. The meas ure was not regarded from a par tisan standpoint.
 Home Rule Principle
 T favor the home rule principle, contained in the bill. Resident Alaskans will fill the engineering positions that have been held by Army officers. I have no criticism of the efficient work of the mili- tary men and I regard them highly personally, but am sure what they have been doing can be done just as well by resident Alaskans.
 Secretary of War Hurley fla vors returning to military duties Army officers engaged in civilian activities, particularly as a heavy reduction in the officer personnel of the Army is contemplated.
 Secretary Wilbur will expend on the road the funds that Con- gress has allotted, which is all that the War Department could do, and he is confident the results under him will be just as effective as they would be under Secretary Hurley.
 Rivers and HarbOrs Work
 ''Alaskas rivers and harbor inn provements, like all other rivers and harbors projects, were in the Garner bill. The Northern pro jects related to Dry Straits, 6tik- inc River, Wrangell Harbor, Wran- gell Narrows and Kodiak Harbor All these have been examined and approved from the engineering viewpoint, have received House committee approval and have been passed by the House. They, like other river and harbor projects, were eliminated from the Garner bill when it was in confer ence. They will be included, as matter of course, in a rivers and harbors bill whenever such meas ure' is drafted. Having been con- sidered once, they will not have to be considered again.
 Appropriations for Federal build ings at Anchorage and Ketchikan are also in the Garner bill.
 Veto Is Predicted
 If the bill is vetoed, as predict ed in news dispatches, the Alaska public building projects, like all other public building projects will fail for this session of Congress However, the Anchorage and Ketchikan projects have been
 (COr,fipts<d m paoe TWO)