Evening star., 1921-05-30
SECRETARY FALL
TELLS Of HOPE TO
DEVELOP ALASKA
Territory Suffering From
Lack of Well Formulated
Policy, He Declares.
ADVOCATES BANISHMENT
OF ALL WASTES IN U. S.
Urges Need of Bureau to Control
Water Power Development on
Public Domain,

Greater use of the public domain
but more intelligent use. commen-
surate with conservation and abso-
eral policy under which Secretary AL
bert w. Fall Of the Department Of the
interior is formulating his plans for
the administration of that branch Of
the government.
1t is a great amount of territory
riches which the new Interior Sec
reary has to administer. He governs
the mineral and oil lands of the pub
lie domain, exercise joint control of
the water power resources on them
with two other cabinet officers. and
handles problems of grazing. though
he does not regulate the latter. for
there is no law now which would
permit him to protect these lands,
reaching into hundreds of thousands
of acres. and conserve them. and the
control of the great northwest ter
ritory of Alaska
Familiar With Country.
Secretary Fall knows the country
over which he reigns. He comes from
New Mexico. where men meet men
and look them square in the eye, and
where they do not hide behind sub
terfuges. That is the way the new
Secretary of the Interior meets his
visitors.
That is the way he met the repre-
sentative of The Star and discussed
with him the work of the depart
ment. He. of course, has a private of
fee. big, light and airy. like the great
section of the country from which
he comes. and in which the greater
part of his governmental control lies
And. TOO. like that country. his office
door is wide open all the time. when
|, ict nd ha, he ic M
He has not gone far enough yet to
formulate into the presentation stage
any drastic change of policy with re-
lation to the national domain. But he
discussed some Of the needs.
Alaska. he said is one of the great
problems. and. perhaps. the most i'm
portant. which the new administra-
ton must settle. That country has
been suffering, in his opinion. from
the lack Of any well formulated pol
icy for its development. and he is CIV.
ing much study to this rich section
with the idea uppermost of determin-
ing some scheme whereby its riches
may be developed and bring the
greatest results.
VIII Make Recommendations.
He said that he is giving to this
territory, the richest in natural re-
sources. much study. He is gather
ing data from every available source.
he will make recommendations to the
President and Congress. The Secre-
tary said that he wants d plan where
by it can be put 20 greatest use. con-
Sistent with the elimination OF any
waste whatsoever.
OF its government he has no COM
rlaint, but in its DEVELOPMENT to the
full extent of its possibilities. he said.
there is great need for improve
ment. and along these lines he is
working.
Need of a better organization or
special bureau for the control OF the
water-power development on the pub
lie domain. Secretary Fall said. was
ore of the most urgent requirements
ct the present time. The Secretary
of the Interior is one of a commits
sion. of which the Secretary of Agri-
culture and the Secretary Of War are
the other two members. which con-
trolls this important work which has
to do with the granting OF water
power permits on 18th navIgabie and
try.
Of the country.
But Congress in its wisdom. failed
to provide personnel to assist in
the work. To carry on the admins
tration of this important function. 1t
',as been necessary to detail thirty
three employees from the three DEPART
ments. each department contributing
eleven employees. These people have
had TO be taken from the regular
work and have cut down the person.
mel in other bureaus where they are
needed.
ORGANIZATION Left Incomplete.
Until this condition is corrected the
Secretary pointed out, this important
work cannot he carried on effectively
He said that Congress left the organl-
cation incomplete. ana expressed IL
as his opinion that the congress
should provide d separate bureau with
the necessary personnel, placing II IN
either of the three departments now
exercising a joint control.
There is now great waste on the
pubic domain of the grazing lands.
said the Secretary. Lack OF lcslSia- :
ton by which il can be controlled IS
cause OF this waste. and at the
proper time he will make recommend
ationS to correct the conditions. ne
indicated. Under the present order
Of things. Secretary Fall went on to
explain. IA man who takes a portion OF
the public domain and sinks a wei!
controls it for grazing. Sinking Of
the we'll gives him control of the
water rights and permits him to
grazc his cattle. But he cannot fence
it = =. prevent some one else who
n11.1 uisposed to do so from COM
ing on his land with their cattle.
The result: To insure the first
GraZer his privileges cattle are per-
mitted 20 go on the land in great
herds and eat the grasses. with no
plan for conservation for the rainy
day. When there is a drouth there is
a shortage and suffering, for there is
nothing to fall back on.
Tnere is we'll defined but unwrit-
ten code among the men of a section
, that one mans cattle Will not Craze
on the lands of another. but those
who come from outside the section
mary times fail to recognize this code
Of men and turn their cattle loose on
anothers grazing lands. Then there
is trouble and consequent waste OF
4 the lands by denuding them
This condition the Secretary would
have regulated by law. so that a
stock raiser who uses the public do
main for grazing would be able to de
termine the limits of his grazing and
would be assured of sufficient pasture
to protect him and his cattle in time
Of drouth. 1t would conserve these
valuab bic and necessary lands for the
benefit of all.