The Washington herald., 1922-06-16
FALL ASSAILED
m FOREST DEAL
:BYIA TOILETTE
secretary's Record in Sen
ate Indicative of Ex-
ploit ltion, He Says.

Ut At ohNdthfS VI la
ploit ltion, He Says.
secretsfy of Interior Fall has
launched a ampaign OF public land
exploitation unequalled in the his
tory Of the United States. and the
proposed transfer of the Forest
Service from the Department of
Agriculture TO the Interior Departs
ment Is a part of this campaign,
assertedN SENATOR La Toilette yes
terday. 4
The present ,Czbinet controversy.
In the opinioni of Senator La Fol-
Iette. Involves not only the break
ing up OF the Department of Agri-
culture. but turning over to IA
vored interests tthe entire natural
resources of thernation. Transfer
OF the Forest Service to the Interior
Department Is only one phase OF
colossal land grabP he stated.
Secretary Fall is. working on a
who have followed his actions re-
slize what is being DONE" Senator
La Toilette declared. His move to
gain control of the 17O, 1000 900 acres
of mineral and timber lands in the
Forest Service is only one instance
Of his operations. Add to this the
coal mines of Alaska, which he got
from the Navy Department, and
the naval oil reserves in Wyoming
and California. already leased to
private corporations. and his pur-
pose begins TO make itself clear.
Never in our history has such an
effort been made to turn over to-
private interests the natural wealth
OF the nation"
Successful So Far.
The Secretary of Interior has sue
ceeded to a large degree in his
plans of exploitation. in the opinion
of Senator La Toilette. While the
Senate Investigation of the naval oil
reserves leasing may expose the
methods used by Fall. II is not cer-
taimthat the millions of dollars In
wealth can be recovered for the
govtrpment.
S4euId Secretary Fall obtain the
chatEe, Senator La Toilette made
II HRin that he would be among
thoSs who have promised to support
Sectetary Wallace in any hgk. he
mad undertake. He is quite will
ing,be stated, that the forest trans
fer DE made the issue upon which
to itttle the controversy over ex-
ploitAtion of natural resources.
Tfst this is an issue affecting
evetY part of the country Senator
Ia FolIette believes IS not to be
doubted. This is shown. he indicat-
ed. b. hundreds of protests received
frortl organizations and individuals
in 4t sections of the United states.
MOREOVER. the Senator points out.
the hssue Is made plain by the sand
SenJs:ary Of Agriculture wallace
hasitaken.
Says Issue Is Plain.
when the handling of natural
resosirces involves the position OF a
meraber of the Cabinet there is no
d6Hkt that the issue is plain. 1t Is
tin'afor the country to know wheth-
er the President is to permit the
natsonaI wealth of the nation to
pass into the hands of certain ia
v0rsd groups?-
-SSnatsr La Toilette ridicules the
position taken by the Interior Sec
retaSy that, his motive in asking
for ,the forests is to promote eff
ciercy Sponsoring four bills in
Congress- and creating a Cabinet
breach, Senator La Toilette said.
hardly can be accounted for by
desire to promote efficiency in the
department of another Cabinet
member.
DECLARING that the natural re-
souices so far acquired by the Sec
retaFy of Interior have been turned
over to private corporations as soon
as leases could be prepared, Sena-
tor La Toilette charges the same
fate is in store for all national
wealth which may be placed in
Falls control
Points to senate Record.
Secretary Fall not only has an
noupced his intentions, Senator La
Folktte said. but in every instance
he has carried them out. Calling
attehtion to the record of the In
teripr head while he was a member
of Che Senate. he pointed out that
SECRETARY Fall opposed every piece
of legislation designed to protect
Senator La Toilette does not be-
lieve il Is possible to have Congress
approve the forest transfer. Even
with assistance OF the President
he predicted. IL will be impossible
to sffect the change However, the
danker In the present controversy.
a. Emphasized by Senator La Fol-
letts. is that the Cabinet night may
foroe the resignation of Secretary
Wallace. " -
Should the President side With
sec5etary Fall and force the resig-
nation of Secretary Wallace, he
pointed out. a new Secretary of
Agriculture. whose policies con-
formed with administration plans,
would he appointed "
Renewing charges made by Sena-
tor Edwin F. Ladd last spring. SEN
atoI La Toilette declares that the
motives behind the move to take
thet forests from the Agriculture
Department and place them with
Secretary Fall have not been re-
veafd In view of the universal
indqrsement by agricultural and
forestry ORGANIZATIONS of the work
OF the Forest Service. he stated. the
chatEe ~ inefficiency will not
serye as reason for making the
change. II there Is any other mo-
tive, behind the proposal. Senator
La Toilette says, IL should be made
pIaih-