The Daily Alaska empire., 1945-08-28

are so great that they force a. very long time investment. Also, South east Alaska terrain is not suited to distribution of electricity oyer any great area, therefore concentration of users mist be obtained to make hydro electric development profit able. On the question of oil, Dr. Bain is mot discouraged by the failure, so far, to uncover important oil deposits in Alaska.
 Dr. Bain is sure that Alaska, in common with the rest of the coun- try. will have to anticipate shrink age in wages, mainly through cutting out of overtime. Many mines, he said, can operate more profitably by dropping shifts and cutting output than by continuing high produc- tion at overtime wages. Whether that can be done at the Alaska Juneau mine, Dr. Bain does not know. The Al, he said, has been the great exemplar of large scale, low cost mining
 Dr. Bain thinks that many pretty good small and middle size mines are still waiting to be found in Alaska. He sees great possibilities in the wholly new prospecting tech nique" which has been developed in the Territory-employing airplanes and power machinery right in the prospecting stage. The lone pros pector," with pick and shovel has Teen, he said, relegated to the role of scout but is still important.
 With regard to specific mineral potentials at the present time, Dr. Bain sees a future for the war de- veloped quicksilver and tungsten production in Alaska, also for plat mum.
 On his trip through the Territory, Dr. Bain went to Anchorage, Fair banks, Nome and out to the Kobuk River areas where asbestos and jade have been uncovered. Jade, he said, is a gem stone with little in- dustrial value Much of its market depends on the cutting-with de- sign and style important factors. There is now fad" in the country, he said, for colored stones, but development of a secure market is very questionable and musts be ap- preached with great care.
 From Ketchikan, Dr. Bath will go south to San Francisco and Los Angeles. He will then spend couple of weeks" on his Nevada ranch before returning to Washing to, D. c.
 He regards his present work for the Bureau of Mines as only fin terim work" before returning to his job, as Mining Advisor to the Philippines Government. He took ever his Philippine post at the re- quest of the late Philippine Presi- dent Manuel Quezon, following 23 years as Director of the U. s. Bur eau of Mines.
 At the outbreak of the Pacific war, Dr. Bain was interned in San to Tomas, by the Japanese, for two years. He was liberated as an exchange prisoner on the Grip sholm, arriving back at New York after a two-month voyage via India.
 Returning to the National Capital as consultant to the Bureau of Mines, Dr. Bain made report on the Western Steel industry before coming to Alaska.
 Not so fortunate as Dr. Bain was a former Alaskan employed by the Philippine Government at the be- ginning of the war, George Miller. Mir Miller was first a mining in- spector, then operated coal mines for the Philippine Commonwealth Government. With the U. s. Army Engineers. after Pearl Harbor, MT. Miller was on Bataan and suffered the infamous Death March" Dr. Bain learned that MT. Miller later died of mistreatment and starvation as a Japanese prisoner.
 Dr.. Bain, who was also. Secretary of the American Institute of Min ing Engineers and head of the Amer ican Copper Institute, is not sure whether he will again be able to visit Alaska, though he is very interested in the Territory. This is his third Alaska trip.
 Cecil John Rhodes. the first and