The Nome nugget., 1955-09-21
Fortune Discovers Alaska
CThe Oregon JournaD

going conservative analyses of economic and social political issues has recently published penetrating study of Alaska, the last American frontier"
 Fortune Editor Richard Austin Smith declares that Alaska is in critical state of her evolution Cur tamen of federal expenditures mainstay of the ritorial economy and the likelihood of transfer of fishery canning operations to the States in coming years may arrest Alaskan progress just at the point when greater development might bring bigger rewards than ever before, Fortune believes.
 Statehood would increase AlaskaS potential which already is impressive according to Fortune Sixty mil lion acres of land are classified favorable for oil and gas development. Low rentals and reduced royalties already have brought in many of the big oil companies
 Should their operations be successful the Alaskan economy might be transformed overnight the Fortune editor points out Furthermore Alaska could supply fifth of the total S. imports of pulp And U S. mining could draw upon substantial Alaskan reserves of nickel zinc and iron the problems of high cost labor and transportation are solved Alaskas hydroeectric po tential placed by Fortune at than 5000 900 kilo watts, also is impressive
 But Fortune has discovered what The Journal has pointed up repeatedly Bureaucrats hamper the terri tOryS progress the magazine charges.
 Nowhere else under the flag has the federal gov- ernmen got such grip the lives of u S. citizens, it declares.
 "Cut tree, build house. harness stream, shoot bear or net salmon 99 percent of the land and bureaucrat will be hand to say you yea Or nay; pass territorial law and Washington appointed gov ernOr veto 1t; hire worker in any industry and the wages Will reflect the SatOSpherlc scales hurryup federal projects; enter the transportation or construction business and the government make your fortune double your competition; go mad in Alaska and bureaucrat will arrange for your commit ment in Oregon asylum, the way Fortune puts 1t.
 And what about statehood chances? Fortune says majority of the terrtorys population favors immedi- ate statehood But small and powerful group believes heavier taxes would saddle the state with unsup portable financial burdens And statehood bills either have been sidetracked by opposition from the Deep bo1co Oo Hawaiian statehood.
 The Fortune editor urges fve-phase program to insure Alaskas continued progress:
 | Transfer control of fisheries from the Fish and Wildlife Service to the territorial government
 2. Include Alaska in the federal highway aid pro- gram so the territory can build $15 900 OO0-worth of roads annually.
 3. Transfer 2OOOO,OOO acres of unreserved land to the territory for sale or lease
 Renew construction of sma-boat harbors which are essential to the fishing fleets
 5. Modernze Alaska's Organic Act of 1912 to pro- vide administrative flexibility.
 Give Fortune credit. It has discovered and tackled the Alaska problem with it's gloves off It shares concern Alaskas future And has specific sug gestons-in addition to statehood-for improving AL aska's lot.
 Alaska needs more of this kind of objective analy- sis and friendly interest in high places It has been orphan child too long already.