The Daily Alaska empire., 1940-08-10
ARMY PLANS HUGE OUTLAY
 FOR ALASkh
Strdte gie Importance of
 North Emphasized by Congressman
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 wise, they'd visualize that this Army base is going to- be there for long, long time and if they'd cooperate with the Army the pay roll that would be spent in Anchorage would mean the future life and growth of Anchorage" .t j.
 Runway Laid
 The Chairman said with reference to the Anchorage base work that it was almost unbelievable that in 60 days the Army could do so much
 Bulldozers have in that. period cleared l,7OO acres of roughs land by simply tearing away the Aer- tire surface. including shrubhery undergrowth and trees, Snyder said.
 One mile-long runway is already laid and the foundation is down for barracks which will hotise 500 soldiers. By October l, the Con grcSsman said, barracks should pc ready for 1000 troops and by De ccmber 1 for 1900 more.
 5000 Troops t.f
 The Anchorage Army force by December l will consist of approXi mately 5000 officers and men, he declared.
 At Fairbanks 700 feet of concrete runway is being laid per day, a figure which engineers expect to raise to 1000 feet per day short ly, Snyder said. Planes will be able to land on the main prevailing wind runway in 25 days Two other runways will be added, each mile long.
 An experimental apron of concrete laid last fall proves the technical problem of building an airfield on frozen Subsoil has been solved the Congressman declared. The slab stood up through the winter without a crack
 Work is proceeding satisfactorily at Fairbanks. he said, on the power house, officers quarters and the gymnasium and recreational center.
 First Line Defense
 Snyder said he believed the first line of defense of America must continue to be the home, the school and the church, but that these ip- stitutions must be backed by a strong Army.
 The veneer of civilization pver barbalIsm and inhumanitys is prob ably thinner today than it ever was before in history" Snyder said. He spoke of the war in Europe as being the most inhuman ever" pointing out that in the daily battle reports mention is not made of how many men were killed, but only of how many planes. tanks or ships were | lost
 Annette Island will furnish the Army fine airfield, being one 2of the very few places in Southeast Alaska accessible to military planes, according to the Congressman.
 Widely Travelled Snyder brides himself on being one of the few members of Congress who stood for big Army appropria- tions before the shooting started in Europe" As Chairman of the Sub committee, he has visited more Army posts, manufacturing plants and bases than any other man ever in Congress.
 Alaska is the only part of the United States which Snyder had not visited previously. He has viewed all Army installations in Puerto . Rico, Panama, Hawaii and thea 4S States. .s4ssF
 Other members of the Subcom- mittee are Reps. George Mahon ol Texas. Joseph 'Starnes of Alabama and Dave Terry of Arkansas.
 Quick Trip
 Terry and Starnes flew from Jul neau last Tuesday evening to Fair banks, while their colleagues went to, Seward on the Coast Guard cut ter Haida. Terry and Starnes in- speoted the Fairbanks work all day "Wednesday, then flew to Anchorage and had a full day to inspect the base there before the Haida party arrived.
 Yesterday afternoon all four Ccngressmen and Col. Sherrill flew with Joe Crosson from Anchorage to Fairbanks and in the evening from Fairbanks to Juneau
 Starnes echoed Chairman Sny- der's observations, saying the Army was doing remarkable work in Al aska Concerning the U. S Army in general, Conlressman Starnes said it was the largest, most ef- fective and best equipped in the peacetime history of the nation.
 Fishing Luck
 This morning the Congressmen went fishing at Aux Bay with Sec retary of Alaska E. L. Bartlett and Joe Crosson. Representative Ma hon caught salmon and others in the party caught halibut. (, After they reach Seattle tomor- row, the Subcommittee members will fly on to Hamilton Field and March Field, California, and on around the perimeter of the ma