Evening star., 1951-08-13
|Our Alaskan Defenses
By WiIliom l Boxer
North American Newspaper AIIoncs


One notable difference in the
worker on Alaskan defense bases
today is his age and his attitude,
when compared with the man who
helped fortify the Aleutian islands
or the Alaska rail belt during
World War II.
In those days the average de-
fense worker had no thought of
Second Of Two Articles by the Editor Of
the Ketehikon tAIoskol Chronicle.
remaining in Alaska he wanted
to help get the job done, fulfill the
terms of military deferment and
return to his family in the States.
This years crop of newcomers,
however, is largely made up Of
middle-aged persons from all over
the United States, their children
grown up or in college cor else
brought along for a vacation) and
their roots back home less binding.
Many of them came here in the
family car, with house trailer
behind, and instead of making a
nest egg on which to go back to
Missouri or Florida and spend the
winter, many are stalking home
steadS or buying suburban lands
to develop into resorts or ranches.
Many Living in Trailers.
An Anchorage editor estimated
that $500 families are living in
trailer camps or semi transient
housing this summer, most of
them working on the expanding
Fort Richardson project around
Anchorage, whose population
seems to grow several thousand
each year. Fairbanks may have
another 1000 or 1900 transient
families, most of them in their
own trailers. Some of them stuck
1t out last winter, though that city
had more than a week of 50-beloW
weather.
These modern-day pioneers are
craftsmen who draw SO an
hour and better, with lots of over
time UnSkilled labor starts at
$2.70 this year in either defense
area. Plumbers in non-urban
camps are guaranteed $500 per
week and $40 weekly for living eX-
penSes. Alaska Road Commission
one sees cars from a
dozen States in the roadside camps
are guaranteed nine hours per
day, or they wouldn't stay. They're
working night shifts in the road
side gravel pits. rushing surfacing
on 700 miles of primary highway
in interior Alaska - designated
roads by the Alaska COM
mand at Fort Richardson.
No Family AccOmmodat tiOnS.
At remote radio, radar and anti
aircraft installations, no family
accommodations are available but
some of the families are holding
down the homeSteads or the newly
opened ranches in the Matanuska
Valley near Palmer. the Tanana
River valley around Fairbanks or
on the scenic Kenai Peninsula
which is being opened up by new
roads.
1t. Gen. Nathan F. Twining, now
assistant chief of staff of the Air
Force in Washington and until
last year head Of the Alaska COM
mand, adopted the policy of link
ing military operations in Alaska
to civilian development. 1t. Gen.
William E. Kepner, his successor,
has followed the same policy.
Transportation, communications
and industries needed for the
Army have benefited civilians.
Thus the Army buys all surplus
food from the Matanuska colony,
Federally sponsored "duSt-bowl
refugee" experimentation Is years
old and growing Justify. 1t buys
Alaska salmon and other seafoods.
1t consumes thousands of tons of
Alaska mined coal. 1t has encour-
aged Alaskans to form construction
companies to bid on defense con-