The Daily Alaska empire., 1948-07-08
An Issue to Keep Before Public Eye
Seattle Post-Intelligencer,

Seattle Post-Inteligencer)
 It is unfortunate that the concurrent resolution authorizing negotiations for the construction of rail- road through Canada to Alaska failed to reach the House of Representatives in time for passage.
 No one was particularly surprised however as there many important questions to be decided during the closing hours of the session that it inevitable that action should be postponed many of them
 What is important is that the resolution did carry in the Senate. That brings the matter ou into the open, which provides the proponents of the project with better opportunity than they have ever had before to appeal for nationwide support Of their efforts
 The language of the concurrent resolution is mod crate the extreme, but it brings out the reasons why the railroad is necessary to the maintenance of both economic welfare in times of peace and na- tional security in the event of
 In the first place the resolution points out that the defense of Alaska essential to national security the light of wartime experiences and even more recent international developments this is scarcely de- batabe question.
 Secondly, the resolution cites the fact that the further development of mineral timber and other resources Alaska necessary to both the defense of the Territory and the welfare and security of the United States Again there is no room for argument.
 And finally, it is urged that existing transporta- ton facilities, both within the Territory and between Alaska and the United States inadequate for either the development of the resources or the defense of Alaska This, too, is statement which cannot be refuted.
 Congress recognized the urgent need for making Alaska nvulnerabe to attack when it recently in creased appropriations substantially for the Territory defense establishments. But what Congress failed to take into consfdera- tion is the point that the defense establishments are absolutely dependent adequate transportation faci- lities.
 The ost-Intelligencer has repeatedly called at- tention to the statements of high British Columbia officials that the Alaska Military Highway is incapable of supplying than single division Of troops m Alaska
 Water transportation is subject to so many inter- rlptions in times of peace and is vulnerable, in times of war that cannot place full dependence on it.
 And air transportation is too costly for general use at any tme-wtness the fact that single train, with of only five men, carries as much freight as a fleet If 90 of our largest cargo planes It necessarily follows that railroad must be built with as little delay as possible. Our own Army Engineers have made a survey for such railroad and actual construction could start as soon the necessary atonsprovided for in the concurrent resolution are concluded between the United States and Canadian governments.
 It becomes evident, therefore, that the concurrent resolution should be adopted at the earliest possible moment
 If the present Congress should be called into ses- sion again the House will have opportunity to pass lon the matter at once-and is imperative that 1t should do
 If there is not another session. will be neces- sary for resolution to be introduced all over again .and in such event this should be one of the very first orders of business of the 8lst Congress.