Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-10-19
BACKGROUND OF EVENTS
BY PAUL Y. COLLINS.

An empire of undeveloped land, greater
in area than all the thirteen original
colonies combined, will be given away
by the Federal Government to the re-
spective States in which it is located,
If President HooVers recommendation
be accepted by Congress. This af-
fects an area nine-tenths as large as
Texas. In includes 10000, 900 acres
unreserved land, 100000 acres now
withdrawn for stock grazing and water
ing, and the surface rights to $4,000, 900
acres Of land classified as mineral
bearing, in which the Government would
reserve the rights to all minerals
To conceive the vaStness of the area
involved, 1t is noted that it includes
TIL per cent of all of Arizona, 62.7 per
cent of all of Idaho, 89.1 per cent of all
of Nevada, 81 per cent of New Mexico,
49.3 per cent of oregon, 31.1 per cent
OF washington, 69.2 per cent of Utah
and 50.7 per cent of Wyoming.
Other States are affected in smaller
degrees, yet even Virginia would receive
public land amounting to $50, l66 acres,
equivalent to 2.3 per cent of her present
area.
OF course, this proposed gift to the
several States does not change their
State boundaries. The land concerned
eminent, and President Hoover believes
that 1t can be more advantageously
handled by local, State officials, and
that the cession to the States will re-
suit in decreasing the bureaucracy"
centralized in the National Capital.
II y
This is not new project-rather it is
more than a century old-but its re-
vival now by Mr.. Hoover puts it in line
for early action. 1t will come I'D for
congressional consideration soon after
the opening of the regular term of Con-
gress in December. The President de-
clareS that all of 1t is tentative" SO
far as details are concerned, to be
thrashed out by a commission of
or 10 members, of whom Western GOV
errors are invited to nominate about
half.
From the totals indicated, all ma
t!onal park, forest and Indian reserva-
tons are excluded, since President
Hoover considers such reservations as
having a national, rather than local,
Importance. AS for mineral lands,
while the Government reserves min
eral rights for its control, ROYALTIES ON
minerals mined are now collected by the
Government and paid to the several
states, and such royalties would con-
tinue to be so paid, hence the States
surfer no loss, while authoritative con-
troll would remain In the national
powers.
In somewhat the same line, will the
Government continue to create and con-
ssrucG permanent water-storage works
on the coded lands, but when COM
pleted, such Improvements will be turned
over to the States in which they are
located, the States obligating themselves
TO reimburse the cost out of the rev.
erueS TO come from users of the water.
IN this way, interstate interests viii
be kept from clashing and broad ma
tional interests in conserving water for
power, navigation, irrigation and flood
control will be centralized-the onIv
way In which it can be developed. IT is
proposed to give Government aid to
reclamation projects State or
private-already under way, which are
inadequately capitalized.
Millions of acres In the West are now
TOO arid for pasturage. When such
land receives the water from permanent
storage reservoirs it will produce
apundantly, not only grass for live stock.
put farm crops, for in nearly all such
cases the arid soil contains rich fertiIity
lacking only water. Such development
through private enterprise is a yerv dis
couragtng process. because 1t REQUIRES
many years of preliminary work and
vast capital.
X X X
Broadening productive acreage for
food supply, the proposal affects the in
terestS OF every consumer in America
and is quite apart from local or State
interest. Great Britain is now studying
how to develop the idle lands in her
possessions" SO as to give employment
and sustenance to her millions Of idle
workers Z
We have heard much of the need of
farm relief" and, to some observers,
the objection to developing more farm
land Will arise against adding pro-
ductive acres where, it is complained,
we already have overcompetition.
But modern inventions of labor-sav-
ing machinery for farming, together
with the increasing demands from
world markets, vitality change the sit
uation overnight. If a million acres
which might be producing food lies idle,
each year, when famine reaps its bar
vest In some parts of the world @ads
indict=as7t against roRerS tsS6 might