New-York tribune., 1918-12-14
Peaceful Branches
Of Government Aid
Ina War, Says Lane
Minor Bureaus in Depart
ment of Interior Came
to Rescue of the Military
Service i'm Many Wayc

Interior are described in the annual
report of Franklin *. Lane, Secretary
of the Interior, made public to- day.
These include the General Land Office,
the Indian Office, the Bureau of Pen
Sions, the Patent Office, the Bureau of
Education, the Geological Survey, the
Reclamation Service, the Bureau of
Mines and the National Park Service.
Annual reports are also incorporated
from the chairman of the Alaskan En-
glneering Commission, the Governor of
Alaska, the Governor OF Hawaii. and
various clecmosynary institutions of
Washington, d. G.
How the organizations devoted to
peace may aid the nation in time of
Alaska to Hawaii, from the Indian
reservation TO the irrigated farm, the
nations call for help was needed, and
bureaus like the Geological Survey and
Bureau OF Mines quickly marshAlled
their technical skill and information
and placed them at the service of the
government.
The Bureau of Mines also aided the
military and naval arm of the gov
crnment in solving vital war Problems
1t tested toxic gases, gas masks, flame
throwers, incendiary bombs and signal
nights. 1t organized engineers and
chemists to treat and develop ores,
acids and gases to supply needed ma
terlals, oils and metals for war work.
The Geological Survey did valuable
war work in hunting out deposits of
war materials, and locating natural re
sources needed for war work. 1t loaned
its engineers to the Engineers Officers
Reserve Corps and did much special
military and Typographical work of
great value to the nation.
The RurpSn Of E'NOro ON ct o1 tI,,,
campaign of the United States Food
Administration, assisted the War De-
partment in the instruction Of enlisted
men, organized the United States
School Garden Army and promoted the
Americanization of immigrants.
The Indian Office encouraged Indians
to enlist in the army and navy. Eight
thousand Indians Responded The
tribes subscribed $15 900 900 to the first
600 Red Cross memberships. They cul-
tivated 759,933 acres of land inten-
sively, as against 676,691 last wear.
Some of the Indian tribes are rich.
The Usage tribe sold oil leases on 90
S26 acres for $3,25S,312 Their total
receipts were about $4,000, 900 from oil
royalties and rentals. The Five Civil
lied Tribes received S4000OOO in oil
royalties and sold 3,558,165 acres of
pressing bootleggers in Usage County,
Oklahoma led to holding up quarterly
payments of $2,S00,00O to the Usage
Indians.
T. The General Land Office issued
patents to lands of 9,552,4S2 acres. col
lected $5,431, ,827 in revenue, and ap-
proved for patent 32, ,120 homestead en-
tries
The Patent Office granted 4o,52s
OF n,,tc
ceived.
The Reclamation Service continued
constructing irrigation works which
will water 100000 acres of land
actually watered 100000, or approx
mately 10000 farms, equivalent to the
cultivated acreage OF Vermont, New
Jersey or Florida, producing crops VAL
ued at nearly 60,000,000. 1t operated
forty reservoirs. power plants, pumping
plants, II 900 miles of canals, as we'll
as drainage systems.
Farmers on government projects are
prosperous. The average return per
acre was For cotton, $3.50; fruits.
and truck crops. sl276 cereals, s34;
alfalfa. $50 The average per acre
for all crops was $50 Land, three
years ago a desert, sells at $40 to
$3.50 an acre. Settlers are absorbing
ZoV'ooo acres a year OF government IT.
rigated land.
Governor Riggs of Alaska reports
that the United States mail service. on
account Of economy, is constantly being
improved. The territory is now bone
dry and the effects are said to be hene-
1iclal. The Governor says he "thinks
the employment of agents for the sup
preston of the liquor traffic should be
continued, owing to the fact that the
distillaticn of 'hootch' is not yet
lost art, and undoubtedly there are
few illicit stills and breweries scat
tered about in secret places"
Alaska is proud of her military rec
ord. "lf IN proportion to the popula-
tlon," the Governor says, "the United
States should have as many men in
military service as has the territory,
there would now be an army of ap-
proXimately 100000 men
Alaska and Hawaii as well are both
short Of man power. Tourist business
sponded nobly to the call for greater
food production, in spite of the labor
shortage.
The Alaska Engineering Commission
made progress on the conclusion of the
Alaska Railroad. 1t continued work on
the rehabilitation Of the Alaska North
ern Railway from Seward to Kern
Greek. The grading is under way on
hfty-five mile stretch. Rail has been
laid north of Anchorage a distance of
116 miles. 1t also operated coal mines
and encouraged diversified agriculture
by the farmers.
The Natural Park Service continued
to improve the management Of the ma
tional parks, to stimulate tourist travel
and recreation, to encourage automo-
bile travel, to improve roads and high
ways and generally to make the parks
accessibl to the public. The number
of visitors III 1918 was 454 .841. a slight