The Cordova daily times., 1922-12-09

WASHINGTON, Dec. 9-Use an6 development of the country's natura resources under control of the Interior Department have contributed in great measure to national stabilization and prosperity, Secretary Fall declared in his annual report. The Secretary l listed the more outstanding of these ! contributions as opportunities for home-making upon public lands by returned soldiers and other citizens; the discovery of new oil fields; devel opment of existing fields and increas- ing production of oil and it's products the exploitation of coal deposits, and the opening of mines in the Western ! states.
 Incidentally, the Interior Secretary declared, these developments have re suited in very substantial cash re. turns to the Federal Treasury and to the various states in which these min. eral resources have been developed under leasing laws.
 The outstanding administrative ec- complishment of the department dur. ing the fiscal year ended last June 30, was declared to be the reaching almost of current work in both the Land Of flee and the Pension Office. The examination of final homestead proofs is current in the former office, sit uation which has not existed for many years, the Secretary said. This, he added, has already resulted in placing in the hands of the people assets val ued at more than $3o,o00,0O0 and has been done without increase in force of that office and in the face of great ly increasing work.
 Wider extension of the reclamation policy in former arid lands of the West was recommended in the re- port, which showed that while funds were restricted for that work the achievements of the Reclamation Ser vice justified the continuation of the reclamation policy One new irriga- tion project was started despite lack of funds, and the total value of crops raised on reclaimed lands was esti- mated at more than $475, 100000. The benefits in the way of making homes increase of food production and addi- tion 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 atten- dance at Indian schools for the past year was 5000 greater than in any previous year. A special effort to pro vide greater health facilities to the Indian through more hospitals and more extensive nursing service was made.
 More than 190,000 pensions claims were disposed of during the year by the Bureau of Pensions, and 99OOt applications for pensions, the accum ulation in March, 1921, were handled practically bringing that work up tt date. The total number of pensioners on the rolls at the end of the fisca year was 547,016, being 19,037 less than the previous year. The amount
 disbursed for pensions was $353,807, 5S3. Increasing efficiency in this ser
 vice was attested to by the decrease
 in the cost of adjudication and pay
 ment .ra
 A record-breaking number of appli
 cations for patients in this county was
 received by the Patent Office, more
 than 113,5O0 This has caused rgea
 need of increased office forces, ane
 if the increase in the work continue!
 at the rate of the past three years
 the Director reported, it may be neces
 sary further to augment the number of employees. The Patent Office is
 selfsupporting institution, MT. Fal
 pointed out, added that last year thf
 receipts of the office were $172,0O( greater than expenses.
 The playgrounds of the nation, its national parks and monuments. were
 visited by record breaking number
 of persons More than 1,216,O00 citi zens of every state and territory 1T
 the union, it's possessions and many
 foreign countries viewed the wonders
 of nature preserved in these parks Provision for storage of oil drawI
 from Government oil wells in tht
 West, to allow for keeping greater quantities of crude oil, was recon