The Washington herald., 1922-03-05
Denounces 'Vicious Pro
paganda" Aimed at
Alaskan Policy.
SCORES FORESTRY
SERVICE OFFICIALS
Statement Brings Non
committal Reply From
Secretary Wallace.

Controversy that has smouIdercd
for weeks in ;he Presidents Cabl-
net burst into flames yesterday
when Secretary of Interior Fail au-
hounced that he had appealed 40
President Harding to protect hiu
from what he. terms 'viciou. prop
aganda" emanatinR from the De-
parment Of Agriculture.
The announcement was contained
IN a letter written yesterday bv
secretary Fail 20 a Representative
whose name was not disclosed.
The trouble started with the al
legged attempt OF Secretary Fall 70
have the Forestry Service. contrJlf-5
ing approximately 10000. 600 acres
OF forest in the United States ana
Alaska, transferred to his depart
nent. Nation-w wide editorial crjti-
cism. it is said. resulted from tbis
action by Secretary Fall. and also
resulted in a breach with Official.
OF the Department Of Agriculture
Recent reports that Secretary Eau
would resign from the Cabinet are
said TO be connected with the CON-
troversy. The Secretary has denied
that he contemplates reslgning.
Wallace BIde> Time.
Declaring that his side Of The
controversy had been presented "a
the Board for Reorganization yf
Government Departments, Secretary
Wallace. Of the Department OF Agri-
culture declines to comment on the
fight.
Il have nothing to say about that
part OF IL at this time" Mr.. Wal
lace said. When the time comes
] will make statement. and there
is much to he said"
In the first interview given roIs-
tive 20 the troubles. Secretary Fall
stated yesterday that while he had
not wished 20 he drawn into publir
discussion Of the matter he felt he
could properly reply to "propagandr
sent all over the United State. bv
the Department Of Agriculture
This comment was occasioned by an
article which appeared last April.
enutled What Is Wrong With
Alaska, written by Col w a.
Greedy. chief OF tho Forestry Sery-
ice. This article stated in part:
An effort is now being made To
create for Alaska a local commits
sion or development board. which
would take over the duties and au-
thority of the various Federal eN-
ecutives. together with the admin
istration Of all public resources in
Alaska, working solely under the
direction of the Secretary Of In
terror. This proposal may well be
challenged"
This article is declared TO have
caused widespread editorial de-
nunciation Of Secretary Fall lead
ing TO charges by the "Conservs-
tionists" that an attempt was being
made to deliver natural resources
OF Alaska 10 exploitation.
Fall Defends Course.
In his letter TO the Representa-
tice yesterday. Secretary Fall SAYS:
Il appeared before the Committee
on Territories Of the House. and
later the Committee on Territories
Of the Senate. and made statements
before each concerning the pro-
posed legislation known. first. as
the Curry bill. which proposed in
short. the establishment Of com
mission form Of government. in
Alaska; second. Of a bill along lhe
line of the Overman bill. authoriz-
ing the President to allocate and
coordinate the duties of the dif-
ferent bureaus now having juris-
diction over activities and property
Of the national government in
/ AldSha' anu. lulIu. 4 NH OF SlnhaE
character. vesting in the Secretary
OF Interior the authority over most
| of such activities, by transferring
to the Interior Department uaice,
Of such bureaus operatinr fn
Alaska, and control over nron.-t,.
adminIstered undar tho rsyr' or-
acted nv CSoprro.x tn So. 80.
thore,ora g.
- o1nosea ,h0 r,,,--,. hr,,
go s OIi'
o,,t. ~ I'M ~. pe %
either the pili authorlzlng the
70 siioca'e ana co-oroi-
nA'e: vi 'he oiil NesOhg the au-
thority nltectIy IN the interior De-
| partmenI
Among these activities ar" the
administration OF lorests IN Alaska,
oy transfer OF the forests TO he
INTERIOR the administration o.
mining laws, the agricultural e"-
Try laws etc
Aroused ConserNatIonISfS.
This a, once brouyb, do,yr -,
my devoted head " Secr.,,r,, E,rr.s
letter Continues ",bo wrstb oF GO
! tord pincho, ga - ,aIra,...,.s ..
In1mediateIy thero o. iss,,;5 :
| ,-o., 49,. 1. -,