The Colorado statesman., 1922-03-18

that he had protested to President
Harding against the circulation of
''vicious propaganda emanating from
the Department of Agriculture" The
battle, in brief, is over legislation,
pending and prospective, which would
transfer the forest service from the
Agriculture department to the Interior
department and practically turn over
the development Of the natural re-
sources of Alaska to the Interior de-
partment, with responsibility to the
President. This battle is not n petty
quarrel between two departments. 1t
is real battle between two cabinet
members. Some of the old-timers take
1t so seriously as to predict the resig-
nation of one or the other of the
secretaries. Moreover, the battle Is
significant as Indicating the difficult
ties that lie in the way of the proposed
reorganization of all the executive
departments.
Until 1905 the Interior department
controlled all the public lands. The
national forests were then created for
the application of scientific lumber
ing and grazing and the forest service
was established to administer them.
The Interior department retained con-
troll of the remaining public lands and
the ten national parks, established for
recreatlonal purposes. In the national
forests the Interior department Is
charged with the execution of all
laws "relatlng to surveying. prospect
ing, locating, approprlating, entering,
reconveying or patenting of public
lands and to the granting of rights
of way amounting to easements" The
national forests now number 16S In 81
about 1920 square miles. The ma
tiOnal parks now number 10 and con-
tain 10S59 square miles.
The national park service was ere
ated In 1916 to administer the national
parks under the secretary of the in
terror. The Agricultural department
then began a campaign in print, and
from the platform, for the transfer of
the national park service to the Agri-
cultural department. 1t also set up
the national forests as recreational
rivals of the national parks.
Then came the proposed reorgani-
zation of the executive departments,
approved by the President. Under
this reorganization, the Interior de-
partment would become practically
public works department. One con-
templated transfer is that of the for
est service from the Agricultural de-
partment.
On top of this came the concern
about the plight of Alaska, which is
not prospering. TOO much bureau
cratic government" was one cry that
was raised. 1t is now proposed to
take Alaska out of the hands of the
many bureaus and hand 1t over to the
Interior department for administra-
tlon and development. The secretary
is already building the government
Alaskan railroad and controls the oil
and mineral deposits in the national
forests. The two big national for
ests in Alaska are the Tongass and
Chugac, containing 100000 acres. Sec
retary Fall approves this disposition
of Alaska. 1t has been announced
that President Harding will visit Alas
ka this summer to get flrst-hand infor-
tary Fall should be In the presidential
party.
Naturally the Department of Agricul-
ture Is not pleased with this program.
The American Forestry association
has sent out much literature" pro-
testing against it. Some of 1t is pret-
ty strong. The gist of 1t is that the
transfer of the national forests means
their exploitation by private inter
ests." Anyway, Secretary Fall says
he is being held up to "execration,
public abuse and private calumny."
THE United States has formally de-
l. clined the invitation of the allied
powers to participate in the European
financial and economic conference
which is now set for April 10 at Genoa.
The declination runs from Secretary
of State Hughes to the italian ambas-
sador, Senator Ricci. The document
is a gem of purest ray serene. The
language is friendly, the statements
are plain, the meaning unmistakable.
In diplomatic terms he says that the
conference is not primarily economic
but is rather a conference of politl-
cal character in which the United
States cannot helpfully participate.
Nothing doing. See you later. Wish
ing you good luck, remain, etc.
is about the way 1t would read in the
vernacular. OF course Europe is dis
appointed. 1t is generally admitted