railroad facilities in British Columbia. The President is not directed to conclude an agreement through any specified channel; the bill leaves him the discretion to take the action "through such channels as he may deem proper." The second is to authorize the President, when the agreement is concluded, to have the survey made; and to authorize the necessary funds. It is intended that when the survey is to be undertaken, the President will select existing agencies of the United States to carry it on; no new agency is contemplated for this purpose.

I. THE IMPORTANCE OF ALASKA

Alaska, once regarded as "Seward's folly," is now an outpost of prime importance to the United States, militarily and economically. Strategically, Alaska is vital to the defense of the United States and Canada. At one point it is only some 50 miles from the Soviet Union; it sits astride the great circle air route to Soviet Asia.

It seems a foregone conclusion that in a future conflict, Alaska will be a prime enemy target. The United States recognizes this and has major military installations in the Territory, several near Fairbanks and at Anchorage, with other smaller ones scattered through the Territory.

Economically, Alaska also has a considerable importance both actual and potential. It supplies 85 percent of the Nation's supply of canned salmon. Its fish industry is important and can be more It has important mineral deposits and potentially vital mineral

so.

reserves.

In addition it has a large fur industry, including the Pribilof Island seal fisheries, directly controlled by the United States.

Alaska contains considerable timber reserves, a total of about 86,000,000 board feet. This timber is suitable for all types of construction and for pulp wood.

The Eighty-first Congress has already recognized the need for Alaskan economic development. Public Law 52 provided housing legislation for Alaska; H. R. 4766 and S. 2440, now pending before the Congress, will authorize approximately $130,000,000 for military housing construction; S. 855, if enacted, will provide a public works program for the Territory.

The continued defense of Alaska, and the future economic development of the Territory depends in large measure on the adequacy of the transportation system. To maintain Alaska as a defense outpost, there should be well-developed and secure routes of communication usable the year round, and able to handle military needs in time of war or emergency. To develop Alaska economically, there should be sufficient transportation to serve considerable areas of the Territory operating at rates reasonable enough to permit the fullest possible movement of goods. At the present time, the principal line of communication between Alaska and the United States is by sea, vulnerable in time of war, and costly in time of peace. The Alaska Highway is the other main line of communication. At present, there is no adequate road connection between the United States and the Alaska Highway, and its use depends on a Canadian railroad connection and upon a sea and sea-rail connection.

There are no railroad lines connecting the United States and Alaska. The present bill is a first step in determining the feasibility of filling this gap.

II. SURFACE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM OF THE NORTHWEST

Alaska is supplied from the United States primarily by sea. Ships operate between northern Pacific coast ports and supply southeastern Alaska by an inland water route to Skagway, and a sea route to Seward, the principal commercial port in Alaska. Ships also run from Skagway to Seward. The principal military ports of entry are the year round Whittier, 60 miles northeast of Seward, and Anchorage, 114 miles north of Seward. All the main Alaskan ports are open except Anchorage which is closed for about 5 months of the vear.

The water transportation system has serious disadvantages. In time of war, the sea lanes are highly vulnerable to enemy submarine activity. The inland water passage to Skagway is reasonably protected, but despite this open sea passage is required to service Seward, Anchorage, and Whittier. Maritime strikes have in the past and can in the future practically isolate the Territory. Steamship service is now far from satisfactory. Military priorities disrupt commercial traffic. The rate level is extremely high for various reasons and, in the judgment of the House Interstate and Foreign Commerce Committee of the Eightieth Congress, "is held to have stultified any prospect of substantial growth of the Territory where this is dependent entirely on water transportation."

The main highway is the Alaska Highway, running from Dawson Creek, British Columbia, to Fairbanks. It is approximately 1,660 miles long, 1,338 of which are in Canada. The Haines lateral, beginning just south of Skagway, runs 154 miles northward and joins the Alaska Highway. One hundred and thirteen miles of the Haines lateral are in Canada. In 1946 the parts of these highways in Canada were turned over to the Canadian Government which now maintains them.

Substantial improvement is required before the routes can become main transportation arteries. Operating conditions make use of the highways difficult and long commercial hauls are quite costly. The Alaska Highway was built primarily for military purposes; its economic usefulness was a secondary consideration. It is not heavily In June 1949, a total of 1,100 vehicles used the road in traveled now. both directions. About 1,000 tons of cargo per month are handled on the highway.

The railroad system consists of two segments: one serving Alaska and one in British Columbia that ties with the United States railroad system. The main railroads in Alaska are two: the United States Government-owned Alaska Railroad, a 470-mile standard gage line running from Seward to Fairbanks, and the privately owned White Pass & Yukon Railway, a 111-mile narrow gage route from Skagway to Whitehorse, Yukon territory. Only 20.4 miles of this railroad are in Alaska.

The Alaska Railroad services Seward, the principal commercial port. There is a spur line from Whittier, the chief military port, that connects to the main line, permitting military transport to Fort Richardson at Anchorage and northward to Fairbanks. At present, 80 percent of the freight carried on the Alaska Railroad is military freight. The White Pass & Yukon Railway connects the inland passage with the Alaska Highway.

In British Columbia, the Canadian railroads operate east and west from Vancouver in the south and to Quesnel, about 60 miles from Prince George. The Pacific and Great Eastern Railroad operates from Squamish, 42 miles from Vancouver, to Quesnel. If the Vancouver-Squamish gap is closed, and the Pacific and Great Eastern improved, goods can go directly from the United States to Quesnel. The east and west Canadian railroads allow movement of goods from Canada to the west.

The two railroad chains-in Alaska and in Canada-serve each end of the gap adequately. If the gap were closed, direct rail facilities would be available from the United States to Alaska. Surveys already made indicate that terrain and climatic conditions would permit a serviceable all-weather railroad to be built.

III. PREVIOUS SURVEYS

In 1942, the Corps of Engineers made a location survey for a standard-gage railroad from Prince George up the "Rocky Mountain Trench," to Kobe, Alaska, 85 miles from Fairbanks. The survey indicated that a railroad was feasible and that it could be built for about $112,000,000. This survey, however, was made to meet the requirements of a military railroad only.

IV. CONCLUSIONS

Alaska now depends for its supply on a vulnerable sea line of communication and on a highway that needs great improvement and is difficult to maintain. These routes of communication do not adequately contribute to the economic development of the Territory, whose economic potential is considerable. The existing routes, moreover, do not contribute to the economic development of northern British Columbia and the Yukon, whose mineral resources are potentially significant.

The Corps of Engineers survey, the most recent one, was made 7 years ago and for military purposes only. The survey needs to be brought up to date. The economic feasibility of a railroad to connect the gap needs to be explored. This means examining carefully the economic resources of the area and studying the location in terms of cost as related to economic purposes. This has not yet been done. The decision on whether there shall be built a railroad to connect both ends of this gap can hardly be taken until there is a firm basis of fact and recommendation on which to proceed. This bill proposes to provide the authority and means to get these facts and recommendations.

O

CARE AND CUSTODY OF INSANE PERSONS CHARGED WITH OR CONVICTED OF OFFENSES AGAINST THE UNITED STATES

AUGUST 24, 1949.-Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed

Mr. McCULLOCH, from the Committee on the Judiciary, submitted the following

REPORT

[To accompany S. 936]

The Committee on the Judiciary, to whom was referred the bill (S. 936) to provide for the care and custody of insane persons charged with or convicted of offenses against the United States, and for other purposes, having considered the same, report favorably thereon with amendments and recommend that the bill do pass.

The amendments are as follows:

Page 5, lines 4 and 5, strike out the language "may in its discretion" and insert in lieu thereof "shall".

Page 5, line 9, strike out the word "may" and insert "shall". Page 5, line 16. after "Government." insert the following sentence: At such hearing the court may in its discretion call any other witnesses for the prisoner.

STATEMENT

The bill is the product of a long study, by a committee of the Judicial Conference of the United States working in close cooperation with representatives of the Department of Justice, of the problem of the care and custody of insane persons charged with or convicted of offenses against the United States.

In the following statement submitted by Hon. James V. Bennett, Director, Federal Bureau of Prisons, the need for this proposed legislation is set forth in detail:

This bill provides for a uniform procedure for delinquents suffering from mental disorders which exist either at the time of trial or occur during service of sentence, or continue when the prisoner has completed sentence and must be discharged.

In British Columbia, the Canadian railroads operate east and west from Vancouver in the south and to Quesnel, about 60 miles from Prince George. The Pacific and Great Eastern Railroad operates from Squamish, 42 miles from Vancouver, to Quesnel. If the Vancouver-Squamish gap is closed, and the Pacific and Great Eastern improved, goods can go directly from the United States to Quesnel. The east and west Canadian railroads allow movement of goods from Canada to the west.

The two railroad chains-in Alaska and in Canada-serve each end of the gap adequately. If the gap were closed, direct rail facilities would be available from the United States to Alaska. Surveys already made indicate that terrain and climatic conditions would permit a serviceable all-weather railroad to be built.

III. PREVIOUS SURVEYS

In 1942, the Corps of Engineers made a location survey for a standard-gage railroad from Prince George up the "Rocky Mountain Trench," to Kobe, Alaska, 85 miles from Fairbanks. The survey indicated that a railroad was feasible and that it could be built for about $112,000,000. This survey, however, was made to meet the requirements of a military railroad only.

IV. CONCLUSIONS

Alaska now depends for its supply on a vulnerable sea line of communication and on a highway that needs great improvement and is difficult to maintain. These routes of communication do not adequately contribute to the economic development of the Territory, whose economic potential is considerable. The existing routes, moreover, do not contribute to the economic development of northern British Columbia and the Yukon, whose mineral resources are potentially significant.

The Corps of Engineers survey, the most recent one, was made 7 years ago and for military purposes only. The survey needs to be brought up to date. The economic feasibility of a railroad to connect the gap needs to be explored. This means examining carefully the economic resources of the area and studying the location in terms of cost as related to economic purposes. This has not yet been done. The decision on whether there shall be built a railroad to connect both ends of this gap can hardly be taken until there is a firm basis of fact and recommendation on which to proceed. This bill proposes to provide the authority and means to get these facts and recommendations.

O