The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1922-03-24

that he had protested to President !,
Harding against the circulation of |
vicious propaganda emanating from |
the Department of Agriculture" The |
battle, In brief, Is over legislation, |
pending and prospective, which would |
transfer the forest service from the
Agriculture department to the Interior
department and practically turn over
the development Of the natural re-
sources of Alaska to the Interior de-
partment, with responsibility to the
President. This battle is not a petty
quarrel between two departments. Ii
is real battle between two cabinet
members. Some of the old-timerS take
IL so seriously as to predict the resig-
nation of one or the other of the
secretaries. Moreover, the battle Is
significant as indicating the difficult
ties that lie in the way Of the proposed
reorganization Of all the executive
departments.
Until 1905 the Interior department
controlled all the public lands. The
national forests were then created for
the application of scientific lumber
ing and grazing and the forest service
was established TO administer them.
The Interior department retained con-
troll of the remaining public lands and
the ten national parks, established for
recreational purposes. In the national
forests the Interior department is
charged with the execution of all
laws relating to surveying, prospect
ing, locating, appropriating, entering,
reconveying or patenting of public
lands and to the granting of rights
of way amounting to easements" The
national forests now number 1853 In q
states and territories and contain
about 242 200 square miles. The ma
tiOnal parks now number 10 and con-
tain 10,S59 square miles.
The national park service was Gre
ated in 1916 to administer the national
parks under the secretary of the in
terror. The Agricultural department
then began campaign in print. and
from the platform, for the transfer of
the national park service to the Agri-
cultural department. 1t also set up
the national forests as recreatiOnal
rivals of the national parks.
Then came the proposed reorgani-
cation of the executive departments,
approved by the President Under
| this reorganization. the Interior de-
partment would become practically
public works department. One con-
templated transfer is that of the for
| est service from the Agricultural de-
partment.
On top of this came the concern
| about the plight of Alaska. which Is
not prospecting. Too much bureau
cratic government" was one cry that
was raised. 1t Is now proposed to
take Alaska out of the hands Of the
many bureaus and hand 1t over to the
Interior department for administra-
| ton and development. The secretary
is already building the government
| Alaskan railroad and controls the oil
| and mineral deposits In the national
forests. The two big national for
| ests in Alaska are the Tongass and
Chugac. containing 10000 acres. Sec
rotary Fall approves this disposition
| of Alaska. II has been announced
that President Harding will visit Alas
! ka this summer TO get first-hand infor
nation. 1t was planned that Secre-
| tary Fall should be In the presidential
| party.
Naturally the Department of Agricul-
| ture is not pleased with this program.
! The American Forestry association
| has sent out much literature" pro-
| testing against IL. Some Of 1t is pref
hn arfct 80 &c hn
| transfer of the national forests means
| their exploitation by private inter
| ests" Anyway. Secretary FAN says
| he is being held up TO "execration,
| public abuse and private calumHy."
| THE United States has formally de-
/ L clined the Invitation of the allied
| powers 10 participate in the European
/ financial and economic conference
which is now set for April 10 at Genoa.
| The declination runs from Secretary
| Of State Hughes TO the Italian ambas-
/ sador. Senator RIcci The document
/ is a gem of purest ray serene. The
| language is friendly. the statements
/ are plain, the meaning unmistakable
| In diplomatic terms he says that the
/ conference Is not primarily economic
| but Is rather a conference OF a politi-
| cal character in which the United
/ States cannot helpfully participate.
/ Nothing doing See you later. Wish
| Ing you good luck, l remain. ETC.
f is about the way IL would read in the
| yernacular OF course Europe is dis
| appointed. II is generally admitted