The Daily Alaska empire., 1939-12-11
WAR SPEEDS
 DEVELOPING OF ALASKA
Teritory's Resources Are Needed by Nation, Says
 Monitor Article


 speeded materially by a virtual war time demand at present for the Ter Sritory's resources, according to an article by Royal Arch Gunnison pub lished recently in the Christian Science Monitor. The complete ar ticle is as follows;
 Alaskas development along an "intelligeptly planned" program is said to be unfolding more rapidly these days because of wartime de- mands on Alaska's rich basic re- sources. a, sn
 Business concerns dealing with Alaska and handling Alaska pro- ducts-fish, minerals, and timber principally report an increase in demand for these Alaska resources. A check-up with Anthony J. Di- mond, Alaska's Delegate to Congress, confirmed the business ''up-trend" report.
 It has long been held by those familiar with the Alaska develop ment scene that first steps in the planned-but unregimented-rdeyel- opment of the Territory must lie in increasing the activity of the already established industries; fish, fur, tim Der, minerals-an their by-pro- ducts, This is happening today
 Look For Quick Results
 By beginning here and planning the development region by region according to resources, accessibility to transportation means, and to de- mand and supply, it is enyisioned that new industries and an increased population-to include agriculturists will before too long be an actual ity. This war economy stimulus ap- pears to be setting the stage sooner than had been considered.
 1 For instance, it is reported that the 1889 canned salmon pack-and Alaska is the /rld's greatest sal- mon packing area-h has nearly been disposed of. The pack was some what smaller than the 1888 pack. Furthermore, the surpluses of 1888 are being taken care of, says the report This clears the deck for a bigger pack for 1940,
 Timber people from Alaska show where war demand has resulted in the sale abroad 'of all the airplane spruce we can produce in Alaska "
 Must Be Other Uses
 It is pointed out, however, that it is not practicable to cut the timber 1 just for the airplane spruce that can be obtained from it, as the percent age of Alaska spruce converted into airplane construction has been, up to this time, only about 2. per cent of the entire timber business. It is on the upswing, nevertheless.
 As regards another timber pro duct-pulp = unfortunately, Alaska is not in a position to profit from the increased demand which stems from the drop in import from Fin land and Sweden. Pulp mills are included in the Alaska rplan as the timber, particularly in Southeastern Alaska, is considered especially good for pulp and paper manufacture.
 The war has also speeded up min eral investigation for the develop ment of strategic and critical min erals-in this instance tin and nickel both important in war or peace time. The United States imports most of it's tin.
 Funds For Research
 Forty thousand dollars is available at this time for the investigation of the tin and nickel deposits ir the Territory. The as yet unprobed tin area is known to be strip about 100 miles wide and perhaps 800 miles long reaching from the Bering Ses at the Alaska Peninsula across tc the Canadian border to the East. Oil and coal are already mined 1T the Territory, and in any develop, ment plan further enlargement ol the availability of these resources for use in Alaska itself, not shipmen to the Outside-is forseen. This i felt of great importance in any na ticnal defense program in which Al aska participates.
 The new national defanse nlan