The Nome nugget., 1942-06-29
Rep. Magnlson Denounces Selection Of Route C for Highway to Alaska

WASHINGTON. June (AP) - Representative Warren c. Magnuson of Seattle, chairman of the Al- aska International Highway Commission warned to- day that the United States could lose Alaska if 1t cid not at once start construction of a highway west O. the Rocky Mountains to the northern territory.
 Magnuson, who has just returned to Washington after five months a lieutenant commander attached to Navy task forces the Paclc aSSailed speech prepared for delivery in the House. the selection Of Route C. to Alaska so fantastic that it had been ignored by the American and Canadian International Highway Commissions.
 Magnusons speech will be delivered to the House tomorrow or put into the Congressional Record
 The Democratic congressman said the American commission had selected Route A" and the Canadian group selected Route B.
 Stupidity and Credulty IncretIitable
 Magnuson charged that selection of Route fran Fort St. John B. C. was waste of millions and mil lions of dollars of United States money for road that would never be practicable He declared that the Stupidity and -creduty of those in poWer who se.- ected Route is incredible
 Magnuson described how the Canadian government had built two small airields along the proposed Route C, being constructed by Army engineers, at he request of the United States and charged that 4 b0 pursuit planes being flown to Alaska had crack ed up the mountains of the fields at Wat son Lake.
 q told the loss of life has been small if any" he said but many needed aViators are now in the hos ptal at Whtehorse'
 The congressman said he understood the route chosen had been selected after Army officer had flown over it and had seen level ground, NOT know ing the level ground muskeg swamp on which NO highway could be maintained. He charged the ST line route which the two airfeds were construct ed was owned by subsidiary of the Canadian Pacific Railroad (which still has, and after the war will still have the sole commercial right to use it.
 He quoted a Canadian saying that in the con- structiOn of the road and airfelds the United States was making a "Wonderul gift to the Canadian Pa cific Railroad"
 Perhaps" Magnuson continued, "the fact that the Canadian Pacific Railroad does NOT go to Prne George has something to do with the selection"
 He said arpanes could fly the A Route but pcs- mission to establish airfelds along it had been denied.
 Selection of Route Made Arbitrarily
 The congressman, asserted the selection of Route C made arbitrarily and that when it became known. members of the Canadian commission wired his com mission urging the plans be stopped. He said com mission members had been denied access to those in authority (Magnuson at this time on active duty with the Navy in the Pacific leave from COngress).
 We can easily lose Alaska unless make mighty effort to connect the territory to American bases by every possible means of transportation he said
 Conendng that either of the two western routes could be built for $50000,000 he charged that con struction on the route selected by the Army would cost NOT less than $100 000 900 if it can be built at all Magnuson said he wanted to our planes fly ing in serred ranks from the United States to Alaska and then to Russia, to China and over Japan'