New Britain herald., 1925-12-02
ment's fact finding committee.

menus fact finding committee
 If this relief Is approved by congress" tho report declared, it VIII relieve farmers from indebted. ness they can not meet because of obstacles such as land Of little or no value, Whether tho loss 10 the government is S26,000,0O0 or dou. i ble that, Is not of material concern when balanced against the continu. ance of a mistaken policy"
 Two years" the secretary said, "are not enough 10 correct the er- TOTS of incxperience. lack of vision. or mistaken policy, 1t has, how 1 ever, hecn long enough to dispel the secrecy which has so long yelled tho operations of federal re- clamation. We arc now entering a new era in the history of reclama. ton. It Hes within the power of the congress to determine an equitable and economically sound policy which will remedy existing evils and make impossible tho re- currence of conditions which have demoralized the federal reclama. tion service"
 Department Is Cautious
 The secretary said that the de- partment had been cautious in be- ginning application of the s4330,- GOO for projects and extensions ap- propriated by the last congress be- cause of experiences with old pro- jects, and held up entirely the $3,- 6OO,OOO Baker project In Oregon. In this, he said, he had the ap- proval of the attorney general, and tho project will be held up until congress has had time to review tho departments former action.
 In the interest of proper re. clamation development, the secre- tary said, the government should have the active cooperation of the states to the extent that the states should tako over the project on their completion and assume re- sponsibility for their settlement. This the secretary added. the states have declined to do, and un. der the proposed revised policy, such a refusal by state would be taken as evidence against the feasibility of a proposed project.
 Alaska was described as q terri tory which Is rapidly becoming a lost province" and where oppor. tunity for expansion has been cur tailed by bureau officials "made hcsitant by limited authority" The maximum population of 75,000 whites had shrunk to 20,000 (estimatcd) and production from it's natural resources wavered and receded.
 The situation, Secretary Work declaro1, called for a prompt and sympathetic study by congress Of Alaska's natural resources, and their possibilities; of it's methods of government and their effect, and the question whether governmental control should be constructive in l type or continue to cultivate de- pendcncy, or be removed entirely. The suggestion that all the govern ments activities in Alaska be merged into one department was committed 10 the immediate atten- ton of congress.
 To abandon the Alaskan railway as has been suggested. the sccrc- | tnry said, would be a reversion of | the American policy of progress de- spite that the roads upkeep is ex- ! pcnsiVo and ont Of proportion to Its
 earnings. Suggestions that the be- of the railroad be converted into q l truck highway were characterized as impracticablc because of Alas kan weather conditions.
 The natural shrinkage of the public domain. the secretary re- ported. has made possible the clos ing of 43 of the departments S4 land offices, and the savings effect cd in administration amounted 10 more than half million dollars. Tho secretary recommended 8 change In federal policy to secure permanent preservation of grazing lands on the public domain, The gratuitous use of the public do- i main as an unrestricted range for livestock he said, had resulted in ovorgrazing and large areas were almost denudcd of native grass. Legislation authorizing establish ment of grazing districts by prcsi- dcntial proclamation was rccom- mended so that grazing can be con- trollcd by system of permits.
 Attention also was called to the present homestead laws limiting stock raising on tracts of GAO acres. This was said to be impracticable and the secretary urged repeal of the homestead stockraising act
 Cooperation of the states with the government in administering the affairs of the Indians was urged especially with regard to education and health work. Com- plcto transfer to state juris fiction ! of Indian educational facilities is in the secrctarys belief. essential to the Indians welfare and pro- gross.
 Transfer of jurisdiction over