Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-12-07
SAYS FAR SIGHTED
POLICY IS !. S. need
Lack Of Definite Aim Ham,
pers Administration, Ayers
Payne, in Report.

needed with respect to many OF the
nations internal affairs, Secretary
Payne Of the Interior Department
lie today at the Interior Department.
Lack Of definite aim was said to at
feet particularly the administration
of activities in Alaska, in dealing
with Indian tribes, in preservation Of
the national parks and forests and
in handling the greater reconstruc-
ton problem of maintaining htgh
agricultural production.
While Mr.. Payne criticised the un-
certainty which he said surrounded
many activities, he comm nded as
strong constructive step the action
Of Congress in making possible the
'superpower survey OF the region
view to the development of q uni
fed system of power generation ana
distribution. This investigation. made
under the direction of the Interior
Department, will be completed and
the committees report given to the
public about next June. the Secretary
said, adding that he believed 1t would
deserve public confidence.
Hsspitals Satisfactory.
Conditions at st. Elizabeth's Hos
pital, Freedmen's Hospital. Howard
University. Gallaudet College and
other institutions in and about
Washington under the Department OF
the Interior are in satisfactory con-
dition. the report says.
A bill amending the code Of laws
for the District Of Columbia featur-
ing voluntary commitment for per
sons needing mental treatment at st.
Elixabeth's Hospital is now pending
with the House District committee.
tary said the primal problem was
transportation and advocated the op..
Grafton of a government-owned
steamship lnie in order to insure de-
velopment of the territory's, resources.
Two lines nov serve e. the region, p put
not satisfactory. He suggested their
consolidation as q means Of improv-
ing the service, but this apparently
was impossible.
+ or internal problems In the United
States, Secretary Payne mentions as
one Of greatest importance the Ques-
ton Of domestic reconstruction as re-
lated to farming. The Secretary cited
census figures showing that the rate
of increase Of population on farms
was only one-fifth as great as that Of
the nation as a whole. He believed
this foreshadowed q dangerous condi-
ton in the future.
Along with the farm life question.
the Secretary took UP the activities
OF the reclamation service Of his de-
mites on the land, he said, has great
ly increased with the demo biiization
of the lighting forces. The depart
ment, although handicapped by lack
of funds, has been assembling -
large amount Of valuable informa-
ton Which viii be Of use TO the
niscuSsing the M tionAI park system.
MI. Payne said that q number Of
projects involving the use Of national
park lakes as storage places had been
pressed. but that he had opposed them
sss sss ssos q, that Il mssnt the ss
would eventually lead to the COM
mercialization Of the national parks
IF this principle 10 not recognized"
he said. land coinmercialixation is
allowed to creep In. It will be only .
question of time until pur wild west
viii he. only q memory. and the big
game Of our country will be extinct,
and these places and, objects. nov 20
wonderful, Will he seriously and per-
rhanently injured. p.
bans Co0mePeinIiau.
THE conflict between the demands
Of commerce and the preservation OF
tne6e Won0er places 1nv0lve9 constant
vigilance. In my view. their preser-
walton h Of first importance. It should
be q settled policy Of the country,
regardless OF any question Of utility.
that when. in the wisdom Of Congress.
national parks or monuments are den.
nitely set apart. they must be pre-
from any form of commerciaiism."
Work Of the bureau Of mines during
the year included the extension Of
assistance to twenty-seven mine ac-
cidents-seventeen At coal mines and
ten at metal mines. The bureau also
trained 10,177 miners in first aid and
mine rescue work In the twelve
months. as compared with 9.781 In
the previous year. The bureau con.
tinued its Investigations Of ventilation
in metal mines Of the west with .
view to eliminating dangers from rock
dust and humidity.