The Washington herald., 1922-03-05

Continued From Page Onc)
vast wealth Of the great empire of
Alaska WAS to be turned over to an
absolutely. irresponsible, body, from
which the: people Of the United
States and the people of Alaska
would have no appeal whatever
81 was absent upon official busi-
ness when this sheet appeared"
Secretary Falls letter continues.
but Immediately received a tele-
gram from my office quoting from
II. The chiefs of several of the
bureaus of this department, whose
efforts to administer the public
laws are SO frequently hampered
by activities Of the Forest Bu-
reau and OF Mr.. Clifford Pinchot.
were outraged at this vicious and
unwarranted attack. was
urged to take the matter up d.
rectly with the President. and to
call his attention to the improperly
Ito say the leasD of such prac-
tice. l replied by wire to the ad-
ministrative secretaries of this de-
partment that it would be all right
to call the attention of the Presi-
dent to the matter"
The matter was placed before
President Harding but 1t has not
been announced what action he has
taken In the controversy.
Not content with such ridiculous
and plainly vicious efforts, propa-
ganda has continued" Secretary
Fall asserts.
Declaring he is aware that his
ideas of developing natural re-
sources do not meet with the ap-
proval of certain narrow minded
and biased bureaucratic government
officials and their followers" Sec
retary Fall asserts that because Of
this he is being held up to "execra-
tion. public abuse, and private
calumny."
Secretary Fall declared that
when he appeared before legisla-
tive committees in Congress advo-
eating passage OF the bills referred
to above. he was charged by Gift
ford Pinchot with being engaged. In
an attempt to destroy the Forest
Service and deliver it over to pri-
vate exploitation.
Referring to an article written bv
William A. Babbitt. Secretary Fail
quotes the following extract In his
letter to the Congressman whose
name is withheld.
Q1otes Babbitt Article,
Tho menace of Fslism is the
menace Of a political demagogue in
a high place. There is no imag-
mary menace; Fall has succeeded in
having bills introduced in Congress,
which. IL passed, will turh over to
exploitation our forest reserves,
and permanently cripple, If not can
Gel the usefulness of the Forest
Service. Every patriot who has a
vision of the economic necessity of
permanent policy of forest con-
servation will not neglect to bring
every possible influence to thwart
Falls campaign for forest exploita-
tion, and defeat the designs of the
interests which promoted. and are
now promoting this ccheme.'
"Of course" Secretary Fall COM
ments. this statement is so unfair
that 1t is hardly worth notice"
Declaring in favor of using for
mer soldiers in the development of
natural resources in Alaska, Secre-
tary Fall points to the effort made
by Lincoln to have civil war vet-
Grams develop mining industries in
the Western part of the United
States directly after the civil war.
Firmly believing as l do" Secre-
tary Fall concludes, that the Amer
ican spirit still animates our young
American citizens. / am convinced
that similar appeal to our returned
soldiers would meet with as prompt
response as this appeal uttered with
Lincoln's last breath. / am equally
well convinced, Pinchot and Pinchot-
ism. Greeley and Greeleyism to the
contrary notwithstanding, that re-
suits fully as great would be at
tanned"