Evening star., 1922-12-06

National stabIliZation and pros
perity have been insured. in great
measure. by use and development OF
the country's natural resources under
control Of the Interior Departme Mt.
Secretary Fall declared in his annual
report. made public today. The Sec
retary listed the more outstanding OF
these contributions as opportunities
for homemaking upon public lands
by returned soldiers and other cftt-
zens discovery Of new oil fields. de-
velopment of existing fields and
increasing production of oil and its
products. the exploitation OF coal de-
posits and the opening OF mines in
the western states.
The most serious situation facing
the department is the low scale of
salaries. Mr.. Fali asserted. One OF
the bureaus Of the department was
organized in 1912 and another in3".
Since those dates. he pointed out. the
salary schedule for employees has not
been revised, the only increase in
compensation having been the tenn
porary one Of $40 ; n.p per =, snnun; AM r.,, -.
clares. "the scale of wages and SAL
aries in the business world has ad-
vanced many times during the past
fifty years. and particularly during
the past decade" Because employees
can earn more in other departments
and In outside industries. the loss
and turnover has been demoralizing.
Speedy legislation to increase SAL
aries is sorely needed. he added.
Net Revenue, $3O,OOO.OOO.
The outstanding administrative ac-
e1,, ~ VII DIR
the fiscal year ended last June 80 was
declared to be the reaching. almost Of
current work in both the land Office and
the pension office. The examination Of
final homestead proofs is current In the
former office, a situation which has not
existed for many years. the Secretary
said. This, he added. has already re-
suited in placing in the hands Of the
people assets valued at more than $780,
00o,0 900 and has been done without in
crease in force Of that Office and in the
face Of greatly increasing work.
Wider extension of the reclamation
policy in former arid lands of the west
was recommended In the report. which
showed that while funds were restricted
for that work the achievements Of the
reclamation service justified tho con-
tinuation Of the reclamation policy. One
new irrigation project was started de-
spite lack Of funds. and the total value
Of crops raised on reclaimed lands was
estimated at more than $475. .ooo. 900.
The benefits in the way Of making
homes, increase Of food production and
addition to the national wealth by the
reclamation Of lands make that work of
great value in return to prosperity, the
report asserted.
Education of Indians. which falls to
the lot of the Interior Department. has
been greatly promoted. The attendance
at Indian schools for the past year was
5000 greater than In any previous year.
A special effort to provide greater
health facilities to the Indian through
more hospitals and more extensive nurs-
ing service was made.
Pension List Decreases.
More than 100000 pension. claims
were disposed of during the year by the
bureau of pensions, and $4,000 applica-
tions for pensions. the accumulation in
March. 1921. were handled. practically
bringing that work up to date. The total
number Of pensioners on the rolls at the
end Of the fiscal year was 547.016, be-
ing 1907 less than the previous year.
The amount disbursed for pensions was
s253,s07.5S3. Increasing efficiency In
this service was attested to by the de-
crease in the cost Of adjudication and
payment
A record-breaking number Of ap-
plications for patents in this country
was received by the patent Office.
more than 113.60o. This has cadsed
great need Of increased Office forces
and IL the increase in the work con-
tinues at the rate Of the past three
years. the director reported. it may
be necessary further to augment the
number of employees. The patent Of
fic is self-supporting institution,
Mr.. Fall pointed out. adding that
last year the receipts Of the office
were $4,000 greater than expenses
The Fairgrounds of the nation, its
national parks and monuments, were
visited by a record-breaking number
Of persons. More than 1,216.000 citi-
zens of every state and territory in