Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1922-03-31
PRESIDENT IN
END
@
Location of Forestry Bureau
Promises Administration
Scandal.

WASHINGTON, March 31.-Determincd
to prevent a sequel to the famous Balm
ger controversy which nearly wrecked
the Taft Administration, President Hard
ing Is working diligently on a cOmpro-
mise to settle the controversy over the To-
cation Of the Forestry Bureau which has
brought two Of his outstanding cabinet
members to swords points.
Both Secretary of Interior FAN and
Secretary of Agriculture Wallace are
emphatically declaring to their friends
that they accept no compromise. But
the Presidents faculty for bringing
about compromises in critical situa-
lions is well known and he has indicated
he viii spare no effort to find a salts
factory solution.
BROWN ASSIGNED
To CONTROVERSY.
AS soon as the dispute reached seri-
GUS proportions President Harding dt-
rected Walter f. Brown, who was work
ing on a general plan of reorganization
for the whole executive machinery of the
Federal Government, to devote special
attention to the Fall Wallace controversy
Brown has submitted a compromise
plan to Harding which Is now being
studied by the President. 1t provides
that the Forestry Bureau shall remain
in the Department Of Agriculture, but
stripped, however, Of all administrative
functions and devoted exclusively to
'sylvacuItural' activities, that is, to the
propagation, preservation and care Of
the national forest reserve. All Admin
istrative functions would be transferred
to the Department Of Interior.
President Harding has given no ex-
preston of his views on this plan. But
he has made it known that he favors
some step which will bring unified au-
thority, especially in Alaska, where it
is claimed the division of power and
overlapping between various depart
ments is seriously hindering development
of that country.
MINERAL DEPOSITS
PRESENTS NEW PHASE.
Browns plan is designed to meet this
formula laid down by the President. He
believes that the Department of Agricul-
ture should continue in full charge of all
activities relating to the growth and care
Of the national forests. But Brown does
not think that the Department of Agri-
culture should exercise authority over the
mineral deposits beneath the national
forests nor that 1T should have control of
the disposition Of national resources. The
Department of Interior, he believes,
should have untrammeled jurisdiction.
This reaches the heart OF the contrO-
yersy. Forestry Bureau officials, natural
ly taking the side Of Secretary Wallace.
declare that they now exercise a check
upon the activities Of Secretary of In
terror Fall where~er they touch the ma
tional forests. ThN believe this check
exercises a healthy influence and safe
guards the future of the forests better
than one-man control possibly could.
CONGRESS TO GIVE
. FINAL DECISION.
It is pointed out, however, that al
though President Harding's suggestions
viii have considerable weight, the ulti-
mate decision rests with Congress, which
must pass legislation to make any
change possible. Friends of the Forestry
Bureau pin their chief hope on Congress,
believing that the weight of the agricul-
tural bloc will be sufficient to prevent any
measures distasteful to the forestry peo-
pie.
There are indications, however, that
President Harding himself Is Inclined TO
the side Of Secretary Wallace in this con
troversy though he is not expected TO
affront his old friend, Secretary Fall, by
adopting the Wallace position completely.
But he realizes, according to his friends,
the sentiment built up by the forestry
group during the Ballinger controversy
and does not intend to ignore that group.
H~arding's recommendations are ex-
pected to be based purely upon the
grounds Of Administrative efficiency and
the elimination of overlapping between
Government departments.