Evening star., 1915-12-26
WHAT THE GOVERNMENT Is DOING

being affected by the rise Of tho auto
mobile has developed from the observa-
tons Of the survey. The streets are now
kept cleaner, and, as q result, the birds,
confirmed city dwellers as they are, are
actually perfshing in not inconsiderable
numbers rather than to take to the open
country in search Of food. The bioloeical
survey officials believe that with the con-
tinued increase in the use of automobiles
the sparrow will become much less Of q
pest.
stock taking by advocates in and out
Of Congress. of bill Considered last
year that would
Delay in Radium h We withdrawn
ro,..-.r from the govern
A A'"'1'A' ment the radium-
bearing carnotite beds Of Colorado and
Utah, has developed the fear that be-
cause of the delay in taking action one
OF the greatest humanitarian plans
ever conceived for this government has
now become impossible Of realization,
While Congress was in recess with the
question of withdrawing the worlds
richest known radium source from pri.
vate entry. the very happening which
1t was sought to prevent came about.
and all Of the claims known to contain
the valuable ore have passed without
restriction into private hands.
The plan considered in the bill last
year called Tor the creation practically
y. a government monopoly in radium
ano the use OF the rare element for the
Tree treatment of cancer through the
sWenty-one hospitals of the United
states public health service and in the
navai ana army hospitals. The radium
through experts in the bureau Of mines
IL was believed by the advocates Of the
proposed plan. including noted phy-
slcians and surgeons. that its Operation
Wouio result in relief to thousands Of
sunerfng men and women who now die
from cancer because their condition Ia
beyond the reach Of ordinary surgical
treatment. In the arguments for the
III pt.i statlstics were presented to show
tnat more than 100000 cases Of cancer
exist In the United States wear In ana
year out, the annual deaths from the
Inaiaay and the annual quota of new
victims being about 10000
Inose VINO are seeing the failure to
matertalize OF their plan for a govern-
ment controlled radium supply for COM
batting disease are receiving comfort
however. from the fact that the work
ina, snat was to have been done by the bu-
reau riaa .''. OF mines has largely been car
spite OF the failure Of legislation. with
al special expenses paid by the Ra-
oium institute of America, and only
the regular salaries falling on the bu-
reau, the latter has supplied experts
Tor working out methods of extracting
rao1um from carnotite, who have sue
ceeded in cutting the cost Of this rare
ana expensive substance from $12O, 900
a gram to less than $4,000 a gram-a
al
OF garden pea and requiring nearly
zoo tons of carnotite ore for its pro-
duction In the course OF this work the
bureaus specialists have perfected
for dedication to the public.
whether the development Of the ra-
dfum deposits Of the west. therefore
are to be carried out on commercial
product will at least be produced at a
price that will give 1t much wider use
fulness than il the work of the gov
ernment bureau had not been under.
taken. The development OF the cheap
ened radium extraction process. coming
at the time of disturbed conditions in
Europe. will, it is believed result in
the stoppage. to large extent, Of the
shipment Of carnotite ore to the old
world. which was in progress before
the beginning Of the war, and will act
as force for building up the increased
production Of the finished substance in
this country.
The radium salts that have been pro-
duced by the bureau of mines in CO.
operation with the National Radium
institute have been turned over to the
latter organization and have been put
70 use tn the treatment Of cancer.
what may be expected Of the whole
matter Of radium treatment of malig-
nant growths is a subject of much dis.
cussion in medical circles, violent diff
ferences ofcpinion being expressed.
U
radioactive element as a curative
agent. however. point to the fact that
the specialists who have the largest
amounts of radium and who have had
the most experience in it's use are en-
thusiastic over its accomplishments.
II X
Through the bureau of education the
government has just assumed complete
and direct control Of
Metlakahtla what has been perhaps
r.a:. the strangest civilized
community in the new
world-the reservation of Metlakahtla
on a group of small islands in south
eastern Alaska. There, since 1887, a
group of Indians, who emigrated from
British Columbia, have lived as the
wards of lay missionary William
Duncan, who worked for them in their
old home. was responsible for their
migration, and who since has been,
with the sanction of the United States.
practically their government"
It's hands full, because of the thou
sands of natives to be cared for with
limited funds. the Interior Department
of the United States government was
glad enough to have the Metlakahtlans
so well looked after, and made no in
reference with the plans of Mr.. Dun
can and their carrying out. Under his
guidance the community prospered
amazingly. The society was admins
tered on a communistic basis. Mr.. Dun
can Incorporated the Metlakahtla In
dustrial Company, putting into it his
personal fortune and allowing the ma
tives to earn shares.
A salmon cannery, saw mill.
warehouse, a general store and other
enterprises were put into operation
and schools and other public buildings
were erected. Progress continued un-
til the advancing age Of the commu-
nity's leader became reflected in a loss
of efficiency and the federal govern
ment felt that it was it's duty to take
charge. Two years ago. on earnest
solicitation of the residents of Met
lakahtla, who had learned Of the mod
ern schools Of neighboring communi-
ties, the federal bureau Of education
established a school in Metlakahtla and
has found the people hungry for
knowledge.
: At the time Of the establishment Of
thn echool the industrial plants were