The Cordova daily times., 1922-04-26

pute which has arisen in President Harding's cabinet between Secretary of Agriculture Wallace and Secretary of the Interior Fall. Throughout all discussion of this dispute runs a thread of Alaskan affairs, which at times assumes such proportions that it would look as if Alaska was really the bone of contention between the two. It is to be sincerely hoped that the smoke screen caused by this dis pute, which has grown to such size that it is now reliably reported that Secretary Fall has had a break with the President and may resign from the cabinet, will not be allowed to obscure the real issue, which is the centralization of the various govern mental bureaus operating in Alaska.
 The forces of Pinchotism have rallied to repel the threatened assault on Alaskan forests by Secretary Fall, and it is openly charged in a nation wide propaganda that the head of the Interior Department is attempting to turn over Alaska to the greed of pri- vate interest. To an Alaskan, having the real interests of the Territory at heart, it is somewhat disheartening to discover that at this day, and after the experience of the past twelve or fourteen years, people and newspapers are found who still get excited and worried over such talk.
 The writer of this article is an avowed friend of the U. s. Forestry :. Service and an often expressed ad- mirer of the generally high type of public servant which this service has succeeded in attracting. No real criti- cism is offered herein as to the admin istration of the Alaska forests by the Forestry Service. That there have been inconsistencies and room for criticism is undoubtedly true. That such would have happened in any event is equally as true. That there is still room for improvement must also be admitted, nor is the writer directly concerned with the merits of the controversy as to whether the Interior Department or the Agricul- for looking after the nations forests as a whole.
 On the need of standardization of the Alaska bureaus it is safe to assert that Alaska opinion is practically unani- mously in favor of standardization. The people who live here, who have made their homes here, who have brought their children into the world here, and who have their all invested in Alaska, are entitled to be heard. They have spoken often and in no uncertain language. Throught their Chambers of Commerce, their town governments, their Territorial representatives, and their past and present governors, the call has gone forth to centralize these many bureaus under one head, with headquarters in Alaska, instead of in the city of Washington.
 Alaskans are not primarily con- cerned with which department of the Government these bureaus shall be centralized under. They hesitate to express an opinion in order that they may not be drawn into the fight be- tween Messrs. Wallace and Fall. They Would all be pleased if it were turned over to Hoover, if personalities are to be considered, but aside from that, they are in favor of standardization They do not want Hoover in order to put more power in the Department of Commerce, but solely because of their belief in the man himself and the thought that Hoover could do much if given a free hand to remedy the crying evils of the present situation. In fact, the greatest argument in favor of centralization is the present some what unsavory spectacle of two great departments of the government en- gagged in an unnecessary quarrel for power and influence in Alaska, the natural result of which can only be loss to the Territory. While the sur geons argue over who shall operate and tha nronar coursa of treatment the patient is dying, and to the un- prejudiced observer it looks as if the disputants were more interested in their own selfish interests than in the needs of the sick And Alaska is sick at present
 It is not necessary to recapitulate here the many conflicts of authority, ridiculous jealousies, Implications of