The Daily Alaska empire., 1936-10-07
DIR. GRUENING ON ALASKA

At various times we have had occasion to poi 1t the friendly attitude of the present administr on toward the Territory of Alaska, a condit hich becomes more evident from year to year. B is not alone friendly attitude that exists amo lose in Washington who can do the most for AasR here is definite knowledge among our leaders e national capital of the Territory's needs and ace in the national picture.
 Last summer it was the Territory's privilege we as it's guest Dr. Ernest Gruening Director of u vision of Territories and Island Possessions for u terior Department The Director covered much e Territory and gleaned first hand knowledge Id to the remarkable store he already had Thus ore recent remarks relative to the Territory, al airing in special article he has written for the Ne ork Times, are of particular interest to Alaskan his article, dealing with the various Territori Id Island possessions, Dr. Gruening has this y about Alaska:
 We have no troubles in Alaska. We have few problems" These words a distinguished Alaskan President Charles E. Bunnell of the University of Alaska, addressed recently to a group of ellow-citizens at Fairbanks.
 This optimism this implicit self lf-reance is characteristic of Alaskans. Imbued with the pioneer psychology which for three centuries has been the motive force in forging great nation from the wilderness, they attack their problems with initiative though some of these require Federal cooperation.
 One of Alaskas problems is underpopula- ton. In its approximately 100000 square miles live some 5000 sous-fewer than ore inhabi- tant to ten square miles. Underpopuation in itself is scarcely to be deplored. For the in dividual Alaskan the shortage of man-power makes Alaska only more of land of op- portunity, and during the Summer season from May to Oetober-unemploymen is un- known It is only in terms of the development of the whole Territory, for which every Alas kan is eager that the desire for more popula- ton is expressed
 Alaska is great geographic empire filled with untouched natural mineral resources for estS that could yield billion board feet an- nually without depletion, a fantastic abun- dance of game and fish, A wise conservation policy established by President Theodore Roosevelt and affirmed by successive admin istrations will prevent any reckless or waste ful despoliation of these Alaskan resources But their development to satisfy many cur rent needs, to take care of surplus population in sections of the United States that can no longer support it. seems clearly opportune Two and half billion dollars worth of min erals, furs and fisheries has been shipped out of Alaska in the last thirty years This wealth has gone to other parts of the United States and contributed greatly to our national econo- my. Alaska does not receive even bookkeep- ing credit therefor on the Federal ledgers and 1t IS often alleged, in discussing Alaska prob lems before Congressional committees and elsewhere that Alaska is an expense" to the American taxpayer Yet in receiving Congress slonal appropriations Alaska is not different rom any of our former Territories before Statehood. The undeveloped wealth is, of course incomparably greater
 Appropriations for Alaska are modest in- deeu when stripped of those items which con- cern the United States as a. whole It is no more correct to debit Alaska with the cost of supervising the salmon industry which plays so important part in the stocking of the na- tons food basket than it would be to charge Maryland with Federal expenditures which nave aided oyster cultivation. Similarly it is no more proper to charge Alaska with the op- eration of the Light House Coast Guard and Coast and Geodetic Survey Services than to charge Florida or any coastal State with her proportionate share of these activities It is also fair to assert that expenditures of such agencies as the Geological Survey the Bu- reau of Mines and the Forest Service are in vestments upon which the entire nation may expect substantial and increasing returns With these should be included the Alaska Rail- road an enterprise often singled out for spec ial comment
 The rallroad without costing the public a single copper in the form of land grants de- valuated stock, or other scandals common to early American railroading has opened up Central Alaska with singular success AL though 1925 showed operating deficit of $l,575000 and the average annual deficit from 1925 through 1892 was over $900 00O the pres ent efficient management has reduced the deficits to S154000, S183,O00 and S830OO in 1883, 1884 and 1885, respectively. Indications are that in the near future the railroad will be operating with no deficit
 After eliminating from the ledger the im- proper charge against Alaska for the various Federal agencies which operate variously throughout the forty-eight States and Ter ritories, the regular appropriations made for Alaska as Territory last year simmer down to less than $9O0000.
 The administration has made start in program to increase the population of Alaska In the late Spring of 1935 it moved some POO #