The Nome Daily Nugget

Reconnaissance By Air In Alaska Is Proposed by Beach

By Rex Beach

(Editor’s Note: The following article was contributed by Mr. Beach to the Daily Alaska Empire in further amplification of his plan, outlined in the Empire of Tuesday, August 27, whereby he proposed to double the population of Alaska and at the same time materially assist in the development of the vast mineral resources of the country thru the importation to Alaska of unemployed American youth for the purpose of prospecting. Mr. Beach proposed to combine the forthcoming Alaskan Army Air Base and the National Youth Administration movement in a two-birds-with one-stone attempt to supply both a subsistence or the last generation and a speedy development of Alaskan mineral deposits. Details of the plan follow):

In this plan for a subsistence project for American youth--which would also provide a means of bringing about the development of mineral resources in Alaska and the doubling if not trebling of the population of the Territory- the significant, and, I think, the most practical procedure is to utilize, if possible, a part of the personnel and equipment of the proposed Alaskan Army and Navy Air Forces to develop the mineral resources of the country.

1 By aerial mapping, and stereoscopic photography, according to the technique developed in Canada.

2 By utilizing that personnel and equipment to transport prospecting units in and out of mining areas and to maintain a supply service therefor.

Believes It Can Be Sold

Although it is to be presumed that neither Army nor Navy will care much for the proposal, I believe it can be sold to them on the grounds of its sociological and economic importance. Both branches of the service have always been ready to discharge any duty and lend any aid in matters of emergency, and here indeed is a social and economic emergency whose solution is of supreme importance to the continent.

The United States Signal Corps in Alaska has performed a splendid public service in establishing and maintaining

ing a system of communication, nor does any one doubt
that the handling of the commercial business has resulted
in
greater efficiency than
would have come to the corps
through routine training.
Vital Enterprise
Surely the Army and Navy
air forces stationed in Alas-
ka could with equal credit
lend a portion of their time to
an equally vital enterprise
without seriously interfering
with their routine work and
at the same time greatly en-
hance their actual efficiency.
Army and Navy equipment
is not at present designed for
the precise type of service
contemplated in this plan.
Certain modifications in equip
ment would be necessary.But
they would be minor changes
involving little expense, and
would not form a serious ob-
stacle to the development of
this plan.
Alaska's Great Resources
Alaska's greatest wealth lies
and will always lie in her
mineral resources. They can-
not be greatly developed with
out a thoroughly scientific
aerial reconnaissance, follow-
ed by an efficient aerial sup-
ply service.
In Canada that assistance
was rendered by exploration
companies, privately financ-
ed, which therefore profited
at the expense of the prospec-
tor. By utilizing our Army
and Navy forces as outlined
above, however, such a pro-
cedure would be obviated,
and,
at the same time, the
taxpayers would suffer
no
greater burden than is impos-
ed upon them by the expense
of ordinary routine army and
navy training.