Alaska, Richest Undeveloped
Territory in World, Is Big
0 Stake in War With Japanese
By Sam Jackson
AP Feature Service Staff Writer
Juneau, Alaska The largest,
richest area of undeveloped ter
ritory in the world, not even
excepting the interior of Africa
and South America, is a stake
In the war between Japan, the
United States and Great Britain.
Inhabitants of the eastern sea
board states and even of such
huge areas as Texas and Cali
fornia find it hard to grasp the
immensity of Alaska and British
Columbia and the Yukon and
northwest territories.
Here are great prizes for an
expanding, overpopulated nation
such as Japan. They rival and
possibly excel the ancient teem
tng lands of the far east to which
fthe Nippon nation so far has
directed her energies. They con
stitute a great frontier, com
parable to that which American
pioneers found when they in
vaded the west.
Nothing is so erroneous as the
general impression that Alaska
and western Canada are bleak,
inhospitable regions of perpetual
Jee and snow. The warm waters
of the Japanese current mod
erate the temperature, giving
much of the coastal area a
climate similar to that of the
northern United States.
Inland, the winters are severe.
But old-timers comment that
once the temperature drops to
rero it doesn't make much prac
tical difference if it goes to 40
or 50 below. At Fairbanks, near
the Arctic circle, life goes on
comfortably and normally the
year round,
k Difficult Defense
The riches of this land con
sists of fish, timber, various
minerals and furs. Under Amer
ican ownership the tourist at
tractions are valuable. A land
hungry nation like Japan could
President Proclaims Red Cross
Campaign for War Relief Funds
The following proclamation has been issued by President
Roosevelt setting a 50 million dollar goal for the Bed Cross
war relief campaign:
Whereas, our country hasl
been viciously attacked and
forced into a war of vast pro
portions, which will inevitably
bring grief and distress to many
and self-sacrifice to all, and
Whereas, for more than sixty
years the American National
Red Cross has played a vital
'role In binding up the wounds
of the injured, in sheltering,
feeding, and clothing the home
less, in succoring the distressed,
In rebuilding broken lives, and
in rehabilitating the victims of
catastrophes of nature and of
war, and
Whereas, in preparation for
Just such an emergency as we
are now facing, the American
National Red Cross has been
spending funds at the rate of
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develop Incalculable agricultural
and dairy resources.
Both the conquest and de
fense of Alaska and western
Canada present problems prob
ably unique in warfare.
Most of the population Is
confined to a few small, widely
separated settlements. Outside
of these is wilderness. Alaska
has about one inhabitant to
every 10 square miles and near
ly half the population is Indian.
The vast, sprawling area of
Canada's northweste territories
is virtually uninhabited.
Strategic Position
To protect key positions In
Alaska the navy has established
powerful bases at Dutch Harbor,
situated on the distant Aleutian
island of Unalaska, and at Ko
diak and Sitka. The army has
hastily constructed airfields at
Anchorage, Fairbanks and An
nette island.
This capital of Alaska, which
has a population of only 5,748,
is virtually defenseless In itself.
However, It is bulwarked by
rugged Baranof island, where
the navy has constructed a base.
Should an enemy succeed in
taking such ports as Seward,
Juneau, Skagway and Ketchi
kan, it would control Alaska.
Through them move the fish,
gold and furs that America buys
and back through them move
the food, oil and manufactured
goods that Alaska requires.
To what extent the army and
navy regard Alaska as a base
for offensive measures has never
been divulged. Dutch Harbor is
a great deal closer to Tokyo
than Tokyo is to Honolulu. The
Japanese capital is. in fact, in
easy range of a modern bombing
plane.
Whether we merely defend
Alaska or use it as a spring
board toward Japan would
seem one of the major questions
of current military strategy.
more than one million dollars
a month, which is but a small
fraction of the amount that the
organization now requires in
order to carry out effectively
its functions as an essential aux
iliary of our armed forces, par
ticularly as a friendly liaison in
welfare problems between the
man in service and his family
at home, and as a key agency
in the civil defense plans.
Now, therefore, I, Franklin
D. Roosevelt, president of the
United States of America, and
president of the American Ha-
tional Red Cross, do hereby pro
claim the beginning, as of this
date, of a Red Cross War Fund
campaign for the raising of a
minimum sum of 50 million dol
MEDFORD MAIL
lars, and I appeal to the Amer
ican people to make this cam
paign an overwhelming success.
Realizing the desire of every
American to participate in the
national war effort, I confident
ly anticipate an immediate and
spontaneous response to this ap
peal.
In witness whereof, I nave
hereunto set my hand and
caused the seal of the United
States qf America to be affixed.
Done at tne wiiy or wasmng-
ton this 12th day of December
in the year of our Lord nine
teen hundred and forty-one, and
of the independence of the
United States of America, the
one hundred and sixty-sixth.
Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Home Garden Guide
Made Available at
Extension Offices
Corvallis (Spl) Issued 1 n
time to aid In plans for next
year's home gardens is exten
sion circular No. 877, entitled
A Monthly Schedule of Sug
gested Operations in Growing
Vegetables for Home Use." This
mimeographed circular, by A.
G. B. Bouquet, head of vege
table crops work at Oregon
State college, is a revision of
a previous circular and takes
up operations in a vegetable
garden month by month.
In view of the wide variations
in climatic conditions prevailing
in different parts of the state.
Professor Bouquet has grouped
all vegetables into three gen
eral classifications with refer
ence to their hardiness to frost.
He also shows the approximate
number of days between the
time of seeding and the first
harvest. With this information
it is possible for a gardener In
any part of the state to adapt
the schedule to his own local
conditions If he knows about
the time when frost-free weather
may be expected in the spring.
As Oregon is being asked to
increase Its number of farm
gardens by some 16,000 this
year as a part of the food-for-defense
program. It is believed
that this circular will be much
In demand. It may be had free
from any county extension of
fice or direct from the college.
Births
FOUST To Mr. and Mrs.
Fred, Route 2, December 19,
a boy, 7V4 lbs., at Stanley Ma
ternity Home.
PATRIOTIC MOTHER
Newberg, Ore., Dec. 19. (JP)
"If I had 10 sons I would
willingly send them all Into the
service of their country, Mrs.
Fred Bryant said today. She had
five sons, all in military serv
ice. Yesterday she was told that
her youngest, Harvey Rushford,
18, had been killed December 7.
SERVICE FLAG
Los Angeles, Dec. 19. WV
Remember the service flags of
world war days? A Los Ang
eles bank proudly unfurled one
with 124 stars yesterday one
for each former employe now In
military service.
TRIBUNE. MEDFORD.
SEAL PURCHASERS
PROMPT THIS YEAR
CHAIRMANAVERS
Generous Response in Jack
son County Shows Need
Realized Says Miss Bullis
Most of the people in Jack
son county have been very
prompt this year in sending in
their checks for Christmas
seals. Miss Helen Bullis, chair
man of the annual anti-tuber
culosis campaign, announced
yesterday. Their generous sup
port is greatly appreciated in
such trying times, she added,
and it is hoped that those, who
have not yet responded to the
letters placed in the mail at
Thanksgiving time, will do so
before Christmas, which is just
a few days away.
The generous response of the
general public. Miss Bullis
srami.v i s ,v. a - i
MA b v .S&IMiift A
KENTUCKY STRAIGHT BOURBON WHISKEY
OREGON, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 19, 1941.
stated, shows that Jackson
county people realize the need
to carry on a campaign for
health against disease during all
times.
Mlnbters Aid
The sum of $41.88 donated
by the Medford Ministerial as
sociation from the special
Thanksgiving collection in the
local churches, has been bank
ed, Miss Bullis stated, and rep
resents the largest offering from
this source in many years.
The campaign ends Christmas
and the committee hopes all re
sponses will be in by then. The
letter sale was enlarged this
year to Include many more Med
ford people.
Pilgrim Holiness to
Enjoy Yule Program
The Pilgrim Holiness church
Sunday school will enjoy a
Christmas program at the
church Saturday, starting at
7:45 p. m. The program has
been arranged by a committee
of the church.
All In the community are in
vited to attend. The church is
located at the comer of Jackson
l and Bessie streets, near the
Roosevelt school.
ANNUAL PAGEANT
IT
Saint Mark's Episcopal church
Is preserving the traditional
Christmas pageant of the Holy
Nativity, Sunday at 7:30 p. m.
The service Is an ambitious
undertaking with special light
ing effects and costuming. The
committee In charge Includes
Mrs. Herald G. Gardner, Mrs.
J. A. McDougall, Mrs. Carl Nor
ris, Mr. Ralph Burgess, Mrs. V.
W. Hammond, Mrs. Joseph File
gel, Mrs. Horatio Gates and Mrs.
T. V. Williams.
At the organ Mrs. E. A. Con
rad will preside and Miss Ber
nice Reames will direct choral
parts.
The cast consists of:
Reader, Rev. Herald G. Gard
ner; Joseph, Gilbert Tumy;
Mary, Virginia Hammond; Sim
eon, the innkeeper, Fritz Nissen;
Anna, his wife, Mrs. John T.
Barr.
Centurions, Hob Deuel, Jerry
McDougall, Arnold Johnson,
Chris Barker.
Shepherds, Harry Van der
Mark, Jim Elliott, Joe Fliegel,
Donald Nissen.
Kings, Ralph L. Burgess, Jr.,
Fritz Nissen, John T. Barr.
Pages, Justin Smith, Jr., Ken
neth Brown, Max Pierce, Alec
Hamilton, Sandy Degman, Mar
vin Neff; leading angel, June
Williams.
Choir, Susan Drummond, Bet
ty Drummond, Phyllis Merrick,
Patty Roberts, Jane Ray, Dor
othy Ray, Jackie Klrtley, Bar
bara Green, Nancy Lageson,
Gwen Young, Jocelyn Bauer,
Barbara Barr, Anne Gentle,
Patsy Mashburn, JoAnne Gard
ner, Mary Virginia Wait, Char
ity Williams, Marlyn Murphy.
Treave Neff, Bruce Baxter, Ward
Bebb, Dick Runyard.
After the pageant the annual
Christmas tree party will be
held in the parish house, with
Santa Claus scheduled to make
an appearance.
A short program will be pre
sented consisting of: Recitation,
Jay Walker and Margaret Selby;
song, Don and Nancy Norris;
recitation, Bobby Goldsmith;
wfwn not
In Kentucky, birthplace of fin bourbons,
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appreciate fin whiskey have given preference
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Today, whan you remember a friend with
Watertill & Frasier, you are presenting him the
richness and quality of a whiskey acclaimed
"The Beat Buy in 130 Years!"
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PAGE NINE
song, Leon McDougall; recita
tion, Barbara Bauer; song, Nancy
Hamilton, recitation, Marlyn
Olsen and David Drummond.
All friends of Saint Mark's
church are invited to both the
pageant and the party.
HONOR ALASKAN
Ketchikan, Alaska, Dec. IB.
IP) Sunday has been desig
nated by Gov. Ernest Gruening
as Ervin Thompson memorial
day throughout Alaska, as a
memorial to the first son of the
far north to fall in the second
world war. Thompson, an en
sign, was from Ketchikan and
a graduate of the University of
Washington and Annapolis
naval academy. He was killed
at Pearl Harbor December 7.
HONGKONG CASUALTY
Chungking, Dec. 19. (JP)
Word was received here today
of the first American casualty
in the Japanese attack on Hong
kong Mrs. Florence Webb of
Shanghai, who was killed by
shrapnel. The United States em
bassy here was advised of her
death. Where she came from
In the. United States was not
learned.
In the earth's "normal" weath
er periods, says some scientists,
the polar seas are free of ice.
a
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