The Daily Alaska empire., 1939-10-27
NEW SLATTERY EXPLANATION BY
 INTERIOR DEPT.
Summary of Alaska Devel. opmenf Plan Issued
 by Government

First preference in employing workers on any project set up under the charter company plan envis- toned in the Slattery report would go to residents of Alaska and other citizens of the United States, ac- cording to new Interior Depart ment explanation being distributed here
 Entitled "A Brief Summary of Under Secretary Slattery's Report on the Problem of Alaskan Develop ment," the six-page mimeographed release says that where the number of jobs established by charter com pany development exceeded the number of qualified available citi- zens, it is suggested that special immigration visas be allowed to qualified persons in foreign coun- tries who wish to immigrate to AL aska.
 The new statement in full, is as follows:
 "The problem of Alaskan develop ment has become increasingly a sub feet of national interest. At this time it is important to bring to- gether the results of past studies. On the basis of information sup piled by various Departments of the Government and individual scien- lists, it is possible to chart the long range potentialities of Alaskan de- velopment.
 Scandinavian Analogy
 "The combined area and resources of Sweden, Norway and Finland, all lying in the same latitude and sub feet to similar climatic conditions, are less than those of Alaska, yet these countries support total popU- lation of 12,748,154, as compared with Alaska's population, according to the 1930 census, of 59,278 per sons.
 Many reasons for the low popu- lation of Alaska may be given the tradition of get-rich-and -get-out, the World War and the flu epidem- ic. the unequal sex distribution and low birth date, the high cost of living, the immigration laws of 1921 and 1924 which cut down foreign immigration to Alaska by 83 per cent. the absentee ownership which Siphons off AlaSka's raw materials, the seasonal character of 95 percent of the employment (fishing and mining), the lack of local capital for investment, the widespread myth that Alaska is land of wolves and icebergs which frightens away po- tential settlers, the mistaken view that conservation is equivalent to nonuse of resources, the tendency to postpone positive action pending further researches and studies, which always show the need for more studies and researches.
 UnderpopulatiOn Blamed
 Fundamentally, underpopulation is not only result of various eco homie difficulties but also cause of these difficulties. Underpopula- tion over a large area leads to ex- cessively high transportation costs. High transportation costs result m a high cost of living. High living costs result in high costs of produc- tion. High costs of production and transportation make most industries unprofitable. Lack of industrial de- velopment results in seasonal unem- ployment. High living costs and sea- sonal unemployment discourage inn migration and encourage emigra- ton. All of which results in under population.
 'The ordinary lone immigrant to Alaska cannot buck this vicious cycle. Unplanned, uncoordinated, inadequately financed immigration is, therefore, no solution to the eco homie problems of Alaska. Indeed, such immigration may aggravate those problems by augmenting the population on local relief rolls in winter months. In order to meet the basic economic problem of Alaska program of settlement must aim simultaneously to increase local population, reduce transportation costs, reduce the high cost of liv- ing, reduce costs of production (without reducing real wages) es- tablish new industries, eliminate seasonal unemployment and thus encourage still further immigration An adequate plan of settlement must combine agricultural and industrial expansion. Increased agricultural production in Alaska will reduce the cost of food which is now so great a factor in the high cost of living in Alaska. On the other hand, in- creased industrial. activity will in crease the market for local agricul- tural produce.