The Washington herald., 1922-03-09
Secretary Fall Denounces
Alleged Accuser in
Alaskan Dispute.
CONGRESS TO SAY
AS TO TRANSFER
Convenience Is Explained
In Change Proposed
By King Bill.

Col. W. B. Greeley. chief of the
Forest Service, having control of
approximately 156.OOO.00 acres OF
forest land in the United States and
Alaska, will be removed from his
position il Secretary Fall succeeds
in having the service transferred
from the Agriculture to the Interior
Department.
II think that any man who is al
ways ready to accuse another of
some Interior motive in a public
business is not the proper man to
run a greaS public enterprise" said
Secretary Fall.
The Secretary charges that propa-
ganda emanating from the Depart
n:ent of Agriculture has its source
ic the Forest Service. The alleged
propaganda caused him to appeal to
the President for protection from
what he terms "a vicious and un-
warranted attack" As a result of
his effort to effect the transfer, Sec
retary Fall said he is being held up
to "execration, public abuse and
private calumny."
Denial by Greeley.
DeniaIs that the Forest Service
is in any way connected with its
activities were issued yesterday by
the American Forestry Magazine,
which published an article written
by Col. Greeley, and referred to by
Secretary Fall as the source of the
alleged propaganda.
1T will be of interest to know"
said Charles L. Peck, president of
the American Forestry Association,
which publishes the magazine.
that the article by Col. Greeley, to
which Secretary Fall takes excep-
tion as vicious propaganda against
him. was written before President
Harding announced the makeup of
his Cabinet"
Declaring that efforts of the
American Forestry Association TO
defeat the proposed transfer of the
Forest Service were In no way in
fluenced by Secretary Wallace or
anyone connected with the Depart
ment of Agriculture. Mr.. Peck said.
the association is willing to rest
the charges OF propaganda against
the public. TT has at no time con-
suited Secretary Wallace as to its
policies. nor did he know what Il
was doing. unless he saw 1t in the
newspapers" he said.
Secretary Wallace I'm Iowa.
1t was announced yesterday that
Secretary Falls charges against the
Department of Agriculture had
been forwarded to Mr.. Wallace, who
Is in Iowa. He is expected to re-
turn to Washington Saturday, at
which time, it Is said. he will re-
ply to the Secretary OF Interior.
Referring to editorial charges
that he Is engaged in an attempt
to deliver the natural resources of
Alaska to exploitation by predatory
interests, Secretary Fall said YES
terday: Il do not like to be ac-
cused Of having Interior motives
when my cards are on the table.
] have made statements that any
one can read They are public
printed by the Congressional COM
mittees. I am not going to say /
am not standing in with the Gug-
genheims or the predatory inter
ests- I am not in the habit of re-
futinE statements or accusations of
that kind 1t has never been nee
essary so far in my career for me
to make any such statements, and
am not going to now. My own
conscience acquits me-"
Other Proposed Changes.
Referring to a retaliatory bill IN
trOduced in Congress placing the
public domain. now in the Depart
ment of Interior, under the admin
istrstion OF the Forest Service. Sec
retary Fall said in this event IL
would be necessary to transfer
other bureaus. Among those that
would be effected, he said. are the
Land Ofice. Geological Survey, ard
the Bureau of Mines In view Of
The weak condition in which this
would leave the Department of In
terror. Secretary Fall does not be-
ieve this will be done.
Criticizing what he regards as a
duplication of work, Secretary FaiI
said, 1T Is a question whether the
Forestry Bureau. which deals only
with public lands withdrawn for
forestry purposes, should handle all
OF the matters with reference to
public lands, or whether the other
dllO"eu 10 CO.
operate with the Forest Service and
avoid unnecessary conflicts. The
Land ONCE in the Interior Depart
ment has Jurisdiction over the
mines and homesteads entries on
forestry lands. The Forest Service
Is in the other department. II the
Forest Service were here II would
have access to all the information
In each OF the bureaus. and would
coordinate without much difficulty
they would IL were here as Sec
retary. But so long as Il Is In
another department the informa-
tion must be exchanged from ole
department to another. In max
Ing surveys they won't accept our
surveys OF homesteads. or oil claims
or mining claims. They must du-
plicate our surveys. That is du.
DlicaGiOn of eyerv hind