Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-03-07
new WAR RAGING
ON CONSERVATION
Fall Raises Cry Of "Pinchotism"
: in Counter-Attack on Wal.
lace and Aides
FORMER BATTLE RECALLED
BV n Sta0 Correspondent

Washington. March 7.-"Pinchot'
and pinchotism' and "Fall'' and
'Fallism' are threatening to become
| DywOrds in new war over the con-
Nervation of natural resources such Ms
that which nearly wrecked the Taft
Administration and split the Rcpubli-
can Party.
This question, what shall be done
with the puilic domain. the public
lands, coal, oil and water power, has
become an acute issue in the Harding
Administration, and partially explains
current reports that Secretary of the
Interior Fall will shortly leave the
! Cabinet.
1t is generally acknowledged that n
showdown is imminent between the
conservationists and those who believe
in liberalizing the land and forest laws
to permit development Of the Nation s
At present, Secretary of Agriculture
Wallace. supporting Colonel Greeley as
head of the. forest service. is leading the
conservationists. with Secretary Fall
the special object of their attacks. The
! latter in spirited interviews and other
wise has launched counter offensive
on his own account to combat what he
terms vicious propaganda unwar-
ranted by the facts of his own position.
Fall Attacks PinChOt
'Pinchot' and "Pinchotsim' recur
, frequently in Secretary Falls latest
, reply to his critics. The former chief
forester, now State Forestry. Commits
sioner for PENNSYLVANIA, is charged by
Fall with inspiring attacks against him
and making personal charges in commu
nications concerning myself and my
policy of 'wrecking the forest re-
serves
Secretary Fall declares in letter
to member of Congress that the at
tacks on him probably were due to his
recommendation before the committees
on territories of the House and Senate
that the President either be empowered
to CO. ordinate the governmental agen-
cies relating to Alaska. or enact legis-
lation vesting authority over Alaskan
affairs exclusively in the Interior De-
partment.
Among the activities which would be
affected by any change in the present
division of authority, Secretary Fall
observes, is the administration of the
forests in Alaska. now under control of
the Department of Agriculture, of which
the forest service is part.
This at once brought down upon my
devoted head the wrath of Mr.. Clifford
Pinchot and his followers, Secretary
Fall declares. land Immediately there
was issued press sheet in glaring black
headlines purporting to be sent out by
the American Forestry Association. In
the first column appears an interview
quoting from Colonel Greeley. chief Of
the United States Forest Service. In
the second column is a picture of this
very efficient official. and under the pic
ture the explanation in headlines:
Colonel w. Il. Greeley. chief of the
United States Forest Service. who chal-
lenges plan to get control over Alaska's
forests.
Il was absent on official business
when this sheet was sent out, but I'm
mediately received telegram from my
office describing it and quoting from it.
The chiefs of several of the bureaus OF
this Interior Department. whose efforts
to administer the public laws are so
frequently hampered by activities of the
Forestry Bureau and of Mr.. Pinchor,
were outraged at this vicious and un-
warranted attack upon the head of
co ordinate department of the Govern
ment l was urged to take the matter
up directly with the President.
Quotes From Lincoln
Secretary Fall goes on to explain the
basis of his earlier attack on the For
tstry Bureau. which he says grew out
Of a justitiable complaint concerning
his treatment as stock grazer, which
he declares was ignored in Washing
ton. and in conclusion, quoting from
Lincoln to show the latter's faith in
the development of the country's re-
sources, Fall expresses confidence that
his own policies if carried out would
bring results fully as great. "Pinchot
and Pinchotism and Greeley and Gree
leyism to the contrary notwithstand-
ing
Beneath the superficial controversy
over consolidation of governmental
agencies dealing with the public do
main in a single administrative unit is
the deeper and more fundamental diff
ference of ideas as to its development,
Chief Forester Greeley. belonging to the
Pinchot school, though not SO radical
as his predecessor. is II thoroughgoing
"conservationist.' and is backed by
Secretary Wallace. Secretary Fail.
while asserting he would protect the
national forests, insists conservation
has been overdone and holds there must
be 'liberaliZng of the laws" Hold
ing this view, he declared war on what