The Wrangell sentinel., 1944-12-15
THROUGH THE SENTINEL PERISCOPE

ing on November i when FlesLuehe Roosevelt presented the Speaker ot the House of Representatives with Q communication asking for an ap- nropriation of $3,86O,0O0 for the development of Alaska. The Presi- dents communication with the ac- eompanying letter of Harold D. Smith, Director of the Bureau or the Budget follows:
 The Speaker of the
 House of Representative
 Sir. have the honor to trans nit herewith for the consideration of Congress supplemental estimate of appropriation for the Depart ment of the Interior, for the fiscal year 1945, in the amount of $5'- 86O,O00.
 The details of this estimate, the necessity therefor, and the reason for it's transmission at this time are set forth in the letter of the Director of the Bureau of the Bud. et transmitted herewith, in whose comments and observations l con cur.
 Respectfully,
 Franklin D. Roosevelt. The President
 The White House ..
 Sir: have the honor to submit herewith for your consideration supplemental estimate of approprl- ation for the Department of the Interior. for the fiscal year lS4o' amounting to $3,860,OO0 as fol- lows:
 Development of Alaska
 For expenses necessary to enable the Secretary of the Interior lnde- pendently or in cooperation with public and private agencies, ln- cluding individuals, to prepare ana put into execution a program Tor the development of the Territory or Alaska. including personal services in the District of Columbia and not to exceed $4O,OO0 for personal serV- ices without regard to the ciVll-ser- vice and classification laws; prlhN- ing and binding; purchase of books and periodicals; purchase or pas senger automobiles, watercratt ana three airplanes, and maintenance operation. and repair of same; ifs cal year 1945. to remain available until June 30, 1946, $3,86O, ,OOO, ot which amount $245,000 shall be transferred to the Secretary or Agriculture for conducting tnde- pendently or cooperating as afore- said, surveys and investigations re- lating to the agricultural develop ment of Alaska.
 Military activity in Alaska has resulted in a growing interest onl the part of the armed forces ci- williams who have been employed on numerous construction projects, and many citizens of continental United States, in the settlement possibilities in the Territory. The Department of the Interior has been receiving ever-increasing numbers of inquiries as to what the Terri tory has to offer in the way of re- sources the exploitation of which would permit individuals and fami- lies to establish homes and to live on a self-sustaining basis. Numer- ous inquiries have also been re- ceived from those interested in es- tablishing industries of one kind or another in the Territory.
 Alaska has much to offer in the way of undeveloped resources - minerals, timber, fish, agricultural lands and scenic and recreational features. There are about 225,0OO,- 900 acres of vacant, unreserved, and unappropriated public land in the Territory subject to entry un- der the public-land laws. These lands offer very great settlement opportunities.
 While the Territory has been in the possession of the United States since 1867 its population growth has been far from phenomenal. The last decennial census indicated 0, population of 72,524 of which about 32,45O were Indians, Eskimos and Aleuts These natives live in villages scattered throughout the Territory. Village populations range, from around 50 to about $50.
 A number of the bureaus and agencies of the Department of the Interior have interests and respon- sibilities in the Territory, but no single agency or group of agencies has undertaken comprehensive survey of it's resources with the view of encouraging settlement. The situation now is that with a widespread interest in the possibil- ity of settlement there is a woeful lack of essential information, the absence of which will serve to re- tard settlement and development. The purpose of this estimate is to finance an intensive, comprehensive and unified study designed to pro- duce basic information which will be useful to individuals or indus