stefansson-wrangel-09-35-028

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ATTITUDE OF UNITED STATES RE WRANGEL ISLAND.

I have thought it worth while to report the substance of conversations with Mr. Winston Churchill, Colonel Edward M. House, and Mr. A. B. Roosevelt, regarding the attitude of the United States towards Wrangel Island.

Mr. Churchill asked me why it was that two prominent Americans now in London - Colonel House and Mr. Roosevelt - were apparently doing all they could to help me to get the British Empire to take over an Island which the Americans were said to covet also.

I reported this question to Colonel House and Mr. Roosevelt and both answered substantially in the same way.- Even entirely apart from their personal relations to myself, they feel it far more desirable for the United States that Wrangel Island should be under British control, than Russian or Japanese. They are in so sense spokesmen for the present American Government, but they consider it obvious that the American feeling would be especially against Japanese occupation.

From the legal point of view, the British claims seem to be strongest, the American claims second, and the Russian claims weakest. Should the British surrender their claim, the Americans would be under some embarrassment in pressing theirs, because such action would probably cause alarm and protest in Japan. This protest might be so strong that under

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present conditions the Americans would feel constrained to surrender their claims also.

ARBITRATION.

I underdstand that study by the experts of the various Government Departments has confirmed my original contention that our legal rights to the Island are stronger than those of any other country. I want, therefore, to suggest again that in case other countries protest, on alleged grounds of legal right, against our retention of Wrangel Island, we could safely submit the matter to an International Court of Arbitration.

IMMEDIATE INTRINSIC VALUE OF WRANGEL ISLAND AND FEASIBILITY OF DEVELOPMENT THROUGH LEASE

The Hudson's Bay Company have, I understand, a lease from the Soviet Government for the corner of Siberia from Kamtchatka east and round the coast towards the Kolyma River. I have discussed with them whether they would care also to lease Wrangel Island, ([distant]- 100 miles from the Soviet lease) and find that they would like to consider doing so, actual action depending on the terms of the lease. Leasing the Island will provide a form of continuous occumpation without any expense to the Government, and even, if desired, giving a slight income. I know of ther companies which would be glad to lease Wrangel Island in case the Hudson's Bay Company should not care to do so.

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URGENCY OF ACTION.

The four white men and the Eskimos of my party now in Wrangel Island have been out of all touch with the outside world since late September 1921. It is essential to send a ship to the Island this year to give those of the men in the Island who want to leave an opportunity for doing so, and to place other men on the Island to continue the occupation. The convenient way to do this is to send the new men by passenger steamer from Seattle, State of Washington, to Nome, Alaska. The last suitable passenger steamer leaves Seattle July 5th.

We are asking for no money from the Government for this enterprise, but we shall have difficulty in raising the funds privately unless we have within a few days definite assurance that the Government intends to continue considering Wrangel Island as a part of the Empire.

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