The Daily Alaska empire., 1945-08-13
INFERIOR DEPARTMENT STATEMENT OF
 POLICY:

The Department of the Interior favors statehood for Alaska. It i' self-evident that all American: have the right of self government and it is clear that statehood 1! the only form of government appropriate to the circumstances o1 Alaska. Alaska is equipped for state. hood. Its people, white and native alike, enjoy the privilege of voting for a number of Territorial off cials, including the Alaska Dele gate to the Congress. It become: increasingly apparent that Alaskan: desire to strengthen their allegi- ance by being permitted to partici- pate fully in the responsibility oi Federal Government.
 Alaska is on the verge of g great postwar development. Il offers real possibilities for veter- ans, and for men and women who have been uprooted in the states Making Alaska one of the Federal States would link it more closely with the nation, speed the develop meht of its resources, diminish the evils of outpoStism, encourage new settlers and greater capital invest ment, give, the people of Alaska a voting voice in the Congress of the United States, and give them greater opportunity to help write their own destiny.
 "The Enabling Act should trans fer to the people of Alaska obliga- tions and responsibilities of sov- ereignty on parity with the other states of the Union. These obliga. tions include providing the facili ties which the people require fol economic and social development and the financial resources to pro cure and maintain them
 Tt should be bvrne in mind, also that statehood does not necessaril! bring with it ownership of all O the public domain within the boun daries of the Territory. The state of the Union, by federal grant were given substantial acreage fo schools, for roads, and for othel public purposes, but the rest of th' federal land was reserved to tn, federal government for disposa under appropriate congressional di rection.
 Tn view of the composition O the Alaska population. the Depart ment deems it advisable to assur, that the aboriginal rights of tn, natives be specifically delineated affirmed, or extinguished witt proper compensation and their con tinuing enjoyment be protected il the Enabling Act.
 Objections to immediate state hood for Alaska include it's rela lively small population, lack o markets for agricultural production seasonal job opportunities. made quate health service, lack of de velopment of natural resources ant supposed inability to support al efficient state government for sucl a vast area.
 All of these objections have som, basis in fact. Yet none of them collectively or singly, constitute al insurmountable obstacle to state hood.
 ''T'he department is seeking tt overcome these obstacles in it day-to-day work with Alaskan problems. It seeks. among othel things, to encourage the settlemen of the Territory and the develop ment of its resources on sounc and. permanent basis by gatherinl and disseminating the facts whicf are an essential prerequisite of sucf settlement and development. I seeks to establish year-round in dustries that will support year round homes, It is trying to rais, the standard of living of the Al askan natives, who constitute abou half the permanently rooted popu lation. It seeks to aid the Terri torial Government to assume large responsibilities in the rendition ant financing of public services to tn, people of Alaska It seeks to stimu late greater tourist traffic. It seek to encourage further prospectin, and mining. It seeks to solve tn two most difficult problems of tn frontier, transportation and com munication, by working toward re ducing shipping costs, adding ney shipping routes, lowering communi cations rates, and increasing al communication facilities to tn principal centers of Alaska. It seek to stimulate the development of ai routes within Alaska itself. It seek to utilize Alaska's strategic posi- tion on the globe by encouragin air routes through Alaska to lin the United States with the Orien, and through the back door of Asia with the great markets of Europe