The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1919-02-03
MIR. PINCHOT DENOUNCES
| SENATE LEASING BILL
Corporations Seek to Grab Coal, Oil,
Fertilizer. And Water Power
Remedy is TO Write to Senators
Smith And France.
Editor Daily Banner

Editor Daily Banner.
Dear Sir.-The end of fighting in
france opens many question at
home. During the war the hearts
and minds of the men and women of
America were overseas, but with the
coming of victory we can turn again
to home affairs. 1t is right and fit
ting, therefore, that the friends of
Conservation should inquire once
more as to the status of tho conser-
walton movement. 1t is particularly
right and fitting at the moment
when Theodore Roosevelt, the man
to whom this movement was most in
debted, has left us conservationists
as heirs to the task which he began.
The people of the United States
own natural resources of enormous
value-lands that contain more than
six hundred million barrels of oil,
four hundred and fifty billion tons of
coal, two million acres of phosphate
lands, and more than fifty million I'm
developed water horsepower
Legislation is now pending in Con-
gress to trade Or give all this away.
While public attention was absorb
ed by the war, measures to dispose
of these resources quietly passed
both the House and Senate. AS US
ual the House bills are mainly sound,
the Senate bills thoroughly bad.
There is serious danger that the lat
ter will be damned through in the
dying hours of the present session.
The Senate. on January z, 1918,
after very brief consideration, pass
ed bill Is. 2S12), dealing with the
coal, oil, gas, and phosphate resour-
ces now in public ownership. This
measure, masquerading as leasing
bill, would surrender. with the title,
all control of waste, output, price,
and labor conditions. 1t fosters
speculation in coal, oil, gas, and phos
phate, and gives no assurance of
prompt development. Even the leas-
ing provisions afford no protection
to the public against extortion or mo
nopoly. Still worse, it gives title to
fraudulent oil claimants, many of
whom have already had their claims
denied by the courts. Finally, there
is joker which would overthrow the
present lease law for coal lands in
Alaska, for which we fought so long,
and would turn them over forever to
private hands.
A bill for the leasing of these
same resources was passed by the
House on May 25, 1918. This meas
ure Oh. R. 3232) is much fairer to
the public interests than the indie
fensible companion bill passed by
the Senate.
On December IA, 1917, the Senate
passed bill IS. 1439) providing for
the granting of franchises for water
power on navigable streams. 1t is
substantially the notorious and dis
reputable Shields Bill of the previous
Congress, which was defeated by
public condemnation. Tho House
did not approve it, but passed in
stead an entirely new bill, drawn by
the Administration and covering wa
terpower not only on navigable
streams, but also upon public lands
and national forests, and information
al waterways.
When this Administration bill was
first introduced S endorsed it hearth
ly. The House Committee on Water
Power later wrote in a new clause,
the most vital in the bill, which was
very properly opposed by the Presi-
dent. Nevertheless, on September
5, 1918, the measure passed the
House with this clause included.
The two sets of bills are now in
conference. The Senate measures
both on minerals and on WATERFOWL
ers are worse than the notorious Bal
linger bills-more hostile to the pub
lie interest and more helpful to cor
pOl dlO ulOuOpOllS0. hO A1SooO OAAAS
are entirely different and vastly bet
ter. AS you know, bill reported
from conference cannot be substan-
TALLY amended in the House or Sen
ate, but must be accepted or rejec-
ted as it stands. The danger is that
the bills reported by the conference,
both on minerals and ON waterpower,
may be like the Senate bills, and I'M
like those of the House, and that in
the confusion of the closing hours
out regard to party, strive to defeat
the passage of the Senate measures,
or any measures like them, will de-
serve well of their country.
The vast natural resources which
are still held by the people can be
made to supply a sound and solid ba-
sis for reconstruction. Properly con-
served and administered, they might
almost wipe out our gigantic nation
al debt. There is no good reason
why they shop. go to make more
millionairese ,tead of helping our
people tcs for the War.
In .ublic interest I ask you to
giY Sc facts the widest publicity
at :, Lr command.
Sincerely yours,
CLIFFORD PINCHOT.
Auto supplies of all kinds. Phil
Inns Hdw CO-Adv