The Wilmington morning star., 1944-01-30
Films And Alaska Timber

The paper shortage and the growing scar
citv of lumber present continuing problems.
Neither can be wholly solved with the restora-
ton of seace. 1t will take time to return
wood cutters to their familiar forests and
star. flow of logs to mills in the quantity
needed to restore normel production OF paper
But this is the lesser Of the two problems
The production of lumber to meet the post
war demand is much more serious, not only
because the demand will be extraordinarily
heavy but also because the forests of the
United States have been shamelessly. depleted
"a process started long before the war erner-
gency arrived. The great forests of the north
west began to disappear fully two decades
ago. The woodsman's axe and flames have
wrought havoc in one of the nations most
valuable assets. We cannot hope to produce
enough lumber from standing timber in the
states to fill the requirements for building
construction during half a decade
The virgin timber Of Alaska appears to offer
the best solution Millions of square miles
of Alaskan soil contain such stand of timber
as Washington and Oregon and northern Cali
fornia never possessed before white men pene-
trated their Businesses. And a large per-
centage of it is near streams Tor floating to
tidewater The timber is there. It is ours
a national treasure. Cut with an eye to its
economic value, and not destroyed as so much
other virgin timber was within United States
boundaries in past years, we coulo supply
the domestic market for lumber for an IN
definite period Of time.
But we might have some trouble finding
Americans in sufficient numbers to cut 1t,
and move it. Our lumberjacks are limited,
and most of those available and now doing war
service will be reclaimed by former employ
ers. A new crew of large proportions would
difficult thing to do, but little forethought
and effort could accomplish it,
. If we devoted a conscientious effort TO COL
onizing Films in Alaska, the problem OF utlllz-
ing Alaskan timber could be Solved. Finland
will never be the same again. Russia's war
upon the nation and Finlands subsequent al
lance with Hitler will leave the people in a
restless state. Many Films, especially Of the
younger generation, will not easily submit to
conditions that must prevail in their land for
wears to come. 1t is believable that they
would welcome chance to carve out a new
life for themselves in pioneer region. That
Alaska would make an especial appeal to
them is to be assumed on the ground that
its climate closely approximates that OF their
native land. That they would do well there
is also foregone conclusion because of their
inherent hardihood and thriftiness. They are,
to a large extent, forest people. They know
timber as an American farmer knows
pumpkins And Films are, above everything
else, good citizens.
While we are giving so much thought to
meeting the needs of war-impoverished Eu-
rope. it would be well worth our while to
consider our own lumber needs and invite
Films to colonize Alaska under terms that
would not make them wards Of the nation,
but afford them opportunity to earn COM
Portable living There would be mutual ad-
vantage in such program.