The Washington herald., 1922-03-15
CHARGES FALL
DOES NOT GIVE
TRUE POSITION
Senator add Attacks
His S t and on
Forestry Bill.
WANTS SECRETARY'S
POWER DEFINED
Wallace Urges Gradual
De- elopm m en- t of
Alaskan Wealth.


OF North Dakota. has issued a state
ment declaring that the Secretary
of Interior has not revealed his
true position as regards the Curry
bill.
This bill. which provides a new
plan for the development of ALASKA.
and the transfer OF the Forest Sery-
ice TO the Department of Interior,
has been termed by conservationists
the most daring piece of legis.I-
ton of our day"
Follows Cabinet Fight.
These charges may have grown
out of the Cabinet fight between
the Secretary OF Agriculture and
the Secretary of Interior owe. the
attempt Of Secretary Fall to have
the Forest Service transferred TO
his department. The plan of the
Secretary of Interior to develop in
dustries in Alaska with governIhc Mt
funds and sell the plants TO prigSIe
capital also is said to form d bass
for the charges.
Secretary Fall. who has stated re-
peatedly that he opposed the Curry
bill. is charged. by Senator Ladd
with having sponsored the legisIa-
tion. Representative Curry. chair
man of the House Committee on
Territories, declared that Secretary
Fall favored nv bill unit the hear
ings revealed that another measure
might be better"
Authority Absolute.
The Curry bill provides a develop
ment board for Alaska. appointed
by the President. operating under
direction of the Secretary of the
Interior, and exercising the au
thority now vested in the several
departments. There is no appeal
from action taken by this board.
In the language of the bill "a
member (of the board) may be re-
moved for neglect of duty or for
usalfeasance in once, but for no
other cause"
Opposition to the Curry bill be-
came 50 strong, il is stated, that
its sponsors abandoned the at
tempt to pass IL at that time, and
a substitute. known as the new
bill" which Secretary Fall drafted,
was presented at the same hear
ing.
Speaking in support of the sub
stitute. Secretary Fall said: In
event that authority should be
vested in the Interior Department
to handle these matters in con-
nection with the various natural
resources ! may say to you. Mr..
Chairman. that my idea would be
to carry out the provisions of the
original bill"
Points TO Record.
Senator Ladd points to this
statement, on page six of the sup
Elemental ret or on hearings an
the Curry bill, as the basis of his
charge that Secretary Fall has
made statements that are at
variance
81 take it that Secretary Fall
means" Senator Ladd says. that
in an administrative way at least.
the Secretary still believes in the
policy as outlined in the Curry
bill. In an administrative way
the Secretary would follow out the
Curry plan. even though he is re-
ported to have written a friend
that he opposed the Curry bill
The two statements are at variance.
s:n not prepared to turn over
the; natural resources or the public
utilities of Alaska, at least until
the policy of the Secretary has
been clarified in his own mind"
Commenting on this bill. Secre-
| tary Wallace said. IF some one
should apply to the board to pur
chase all the lumber in Alaska at
10 cents a 900 feet and the board
should grant 1t. it would seem that
no appeal could he considered even
| though il might be made by all the
public spirited citizens OF Alaska.
| This is an extreme example, but II
reveals the sweeping. authority
| which it is proposed to grant this
board"
Gradual stages Urged.
THE needs of Alaska" Secretary
| Wallace continued, would not be
met by the enactment of this meas
ure and the establishment of this
board. We have come to a time
when economic conditions should
| bring about a gradual development
| of Alaskan industries. This devel
opment should be on a sound basis
and not the result of temporary
and reckless exploitation of public
property 1t seems to me
that enactment of this measure
would be highly prejudicial to ma
| tional interests and would remove
| wholesome checks against the eX
L
| sources"
Opponents of the proposed trans
fer of the Forest Service to the in
terror Department yesterday pointed
out that of the four bills now be-
fore Congress. only one provides for
the. transfer of at least that part
! of the forests which are in Alaska.
Revolving Fund.
Senator Ladd calls attention to
the plan recently announced by
/ Secretary Fall for developing Alas
kan Industries. Briefly the plan is
| a9 follows: Have Congress appro-
| pirate a revolving fund to be used
| by the Secretary of Interior in drill
l ing oil wells, building smelters,
fertilizer plants, railroads, etc.
| These industries will be run by the
l government until they become self
/ sustaining. at which time they will
1 be sold to private corporations.
! + During a recent interview In
which he outlined reasons for
| transferring the Forest Service 10
the Interior Department, Secretary
Fall asserted that prohibitory re-
| strictions in leasing permits have
] stified industry in Alaska. The
Il nanulokiopt of AIaska he stated