The Nome nugget., 1950-02-22
ADDRESS BY DELEGATE BARLETT

ADDRESS BY DELEGATE BARLETT
 Excerpt from an Address by Delegate E. L. Bartlett before the 24th Womens District Conference on Ma tional Defense, Washington, D. C., January 28, 195O)
 'I have often been asked why Alaska has few peo pie if it has the wealth of claim for it. The easily stated In the main they may be class flied under two headings.
 'It is often said that Scandinavia lying roughty in the same attitudes as Alaska has 12 13 millions of people, and there is good why Alaska should nt have the number, more But the difference there that the Scandinavian countries utilize and ship to their several hundred million European neghbors to the south natural not elsewhere available ln western Europe. By and large, Alaska possesses the type of resources does the U 5. proper Not til there is further exhaustion of those will there be increasing demand for their counterparts in the North From the standpoint of the naon f not for the immediate benefit of Alaska that is highly desir able situation Additionally by world standards the United States is still sparSey settled country Ii the density of population anywhere the order of Begiums for example, could expect that several million Americans would be identifying them selves residents of Alaska
 In my opinion, the second reason and perhaps the important in the retarded development of Alaska is because of the policies of the federal government Out of false interpretation and twisting of the principles of conservation it has locked Alaska up tight Over 99 percent of the land is held by the federal government Dealings with government are carried on at expense ln money and temper and the patience of those who wait through to is eloquent testimonial to the fighting qualities of the American It is not in harmony with the American genius of government that rule shall be impressed from afar but AlaSkans are subjected to just that They not only have to bear up under the slaught in Washington of those who oppose construc- tive for Alaska, fail to understand them but they likewise required too often to accept the well-meanng but poorly executed ministrations of those who would be friends When Alaska incorpo rated into the Union in 192-he great act preliminary to statehood-fewer home rule privileges were beSoW ed in the organic act than had before been con- ferred upon territory That fact plus outright discri nations existing in federal law toward Alaska plus failure include Alaska in other federal laws of sup posedly general application has served to create governmental structure
 It is to that situation that population may be attracted, there may be proper resource develop ment that adequate representations may be made in respect to national defense needs that Aaskans new seek statehood They feel aside from all other consd erations that defense needs they apply not only to Alaska but to the nation as whole, can only be ex- pressed and mpemened properly by two United States Senators and voting Representative. Historys pages abound with the failures of voteess Delegates in Con- gress to act effectively We who advocate statehood were notably cheered Monday last when the House of Representatives adopted resolution making in der general debate on the Alaska statehood bill.
 If we work in unison toward common goal we shall have success efforts. That goaEthe military protection of Alaska and thus the nation, and the de-