The Daily Alaska empire., 1950-03-03
Statehood Would Unlock Handtuffs from Alaska,
 Enable Growth: Bartlett

the resources upon which they will be based" Bartlett said. And those resources, I do not have to remind you, constitute a vital addition to the real wealth of this country"
 Bartletts plea for the statehood legislation followed brief remarks by Rep. Peterson CD-FlO, chair man of the House Public Lands | Committee.
 Peterson described what he said would be the advantages to come from granting the Territory state- hood and said its contribution to the economy of the United States already has reached immense amounts.
 A population is required to de- velop the resources of Alaska, he said, asserting that the needed pop ulation is certain to follow state hood
 Aid Own Defense
 Alaska, Peterson continued, is the nations last frontier, and needs statehood and more population to aid in it's own defense and that of the nation.
 Bartlett said statehood will not solve all of the problems confront ing Alaska but that statehood will help more than any other one thing to solve them.
 He reviewed the status of Alaska since it was purchased from Russia in 1867 for $7,20O,OO0. If admitted to the union, Alaska with it's 586.O00 square miles of land would be the largest state.
 The Delegate said that through the years. governmentally speak ing. "handcuffs were placed or Alaska and were locked tighter than in the case of other Terri | tories"
 And the opening of those hand l cuffs, which can only be brought about by statehood he continued ought to. and in fact would, en- able the pioneer hands of those in Alaska and those who will go there. to carve mighty new state for this union from our last western fron- tier"
 Rapid Growth | He blamed government regulations for slow development of the Ter ritory.
 Statehood brought rapid develop ment of other Territories, he said and predicted similar growth would follow with Alaska.
 Alaska has greater population now than did Is Territories when they were admitted to the union he added
 The Delegate said that the Ter ritory is the closest United States land to Rusisa, with only three miles separating them at one point.
 If Alaska had two United States Senators and Representative in the Congress there would be vot- ing strength in behalf of adequate security measures for that region and for the United States, that simply does not exist now" Bartlett said.
 ITO build up Alaska so it's popu- lation will increase. so that its busi- ness will expand and it's industry will grow, will be to strengthen our defensive position.
 Then and then only will it bt unnecessary for our armed force! to ship from the United State proper practically everything the! need"
 Bartlett said that at other time. in the past statehood has beer granted because the nations in terests demanded such action. That. he said, is the case of Alaska now.
 To-day 100000 Alaskans il Alaska await your verdict on state hood" he said.
 Seek Justice"
 Our fate is in your hands. Bu it is not altogether alone our tatt which you are considering. It i: the fate which is intertwined witt the welfare of the entire nation"
 He said residents of Alaska comt from every state and seek justice at your hands"
 "They need statehood" he con tinued, They need it for their owr sakes. They need it for the childrer who come after them. They need i for the other Americans who vii join them.
 'They need it so Alaska may b. set up as a great defense bastior against any enemy from Asia. They need it so all the peopl' of the world may know that Ameri . ] xxx,o at;aae urIoe |