The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1909-10-06
MAY TRANSFER
FORESTY BUREAU

Interior. Such a change can only be
made by act of Congress, and it prob
ably would call for considerable pres
sure from the President in order to
get the necessary authority, especially
if Clifford Pinchot is permitted to re-
main as Chief Forester
The Forest Service, in the opinion
of most western men in Congress, is
misplaced in the Department OF Agri-
culture. 1t has nothing in common
with the other bureaus of that Depart
ment, but has much in common with
the General Land Office and Geological
Survey both of which are bureaus of
the Department of the Interior. In
it's present situation, the Forest Ser
vice is, or until recently was in effect
an Independent bureau, subject to only
nominal supervision by cabinet Off
Ger. That is why the Forest Service
was allowed to grow up in the Agri-.
cultural Department, and that is why
Mr.. Pinchot has always opposed trans
fer to the Interior Department.
On several occasions the suggestion
has been made that the Forest Service
should be transferred to that Depart
ment with which it's work is most in
timately associated, but during the last
administration Mr.. Pinchot had sutfi-
cient influence with the President to
get the support of the administration
in his objection to the change, and
nothing ever came of the suggestion.
Now, however especially in the light
of recent developments, Mr.. Pinchot
may not receive the same hearty sup
port from the President, but may find
the President himself leading in the
demand for the transfer.
AS a matter of fact there is division
of authority over forest reserves as
matters now stand. The Interior De-
partment, through the General Land
Office, has control over all questions OF
title to lands in the reserves, and also
has sole control over the enlargement
or diminution of reserve areas. The
management of reserves, on the other
hand, is solely vested in the Forest
Service, under the Secretary of Agri-
culture. Naturally, there is much cor
repondence between the Forest Ser
vice and the Land Office, and under
prevailing systems, this correspondence
must pass through the hands of both
the Secretary of Agriculture and Secre-
tary of Interior before reaching the
Office where action is to be taken, or
reply made. This is cumbersome, as
well as dilatory.
If the Forest Service was made
bureau Of the Interior Department, it
would be on equal footing with the
Land Office, and under the control OF
the same cabinet officer. The Secre-
tary of the Interior then would have
a say not only as to questions of title
to forest reserve lands, but as to all
questions of forestry administration.
The two lines or work are naturally
closely allied; the Land Office and For
est Service naturally belong under a
single jurisdiction, and common sense
demands that they be in the same de-
partment of the government.
But the minute move is made to
transfer the Forest Service, Clifford
Pinchot will let out howl-provided
he is still at the head Of the Forest
Service. He will set up the cry that
he is to be handicapped; that the
hands of the Forest Service are to be
tied, and that the real work Of man
aging the government forests is to be
placed in the hands of men who do not
understand forestry.
The views of Secretary Ballinger on
this question of transfer are likely to
carry much weight with the President.
If he recommends consolidation, 1t will
be because he believes the change
would be in the interest of better adj
ministration, and he will be prepared
to give his reasons. Whether or not
it is the intention of Secretary BAL
Finger to make such a recommendation
can not now be learned. He may make
no such move unless his opinion is
solicited by the President. But it he
believes in the transfer and says so,
it is a reasonably safe guess that the
President will urge Congress to au-
thorize the change.
With legislation of this sort pending
before Congress, the little army of
'conservationists'' may be looked to
him from his purpose. The cutlery
The conservationists have no use for
Ballinger; they regard him as the de-
vii, incarnate, so far as their fads and
fancies are concerned, and could fore
see the abolition Of the Forest Service.
and the assembling of the forest re-
services If he should be given control.
But President Taft has so far shown
that he is not to be fooled by the
hue and cry of a lot Of theorists, and
any such clamor against legislation
xubfob ha ,,,fo,bk tt,soa mould ,,nk c,uoxy