Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-10-20
REINDEER CONTROL
GIVEN GOV. PARKS
1000, 900 Animals to Be
=
= Taken From Jurisdiction of
Education Commissioner.

which now Craze upon the tundra of
Alaska, where this animal was unknown
except by hearsay SO years ago, will
be transferred November from the
jurisdiction of DR.. william John Cooper,
commissioner Of education. to the con-
troll of Gov. Parks of Alaska, &C.
cording to an announcement by Secre-
tary of the Interior Wilbur. DR..
Cooper, upon whose recommendation
the change has been ordered, said
today:
THE commissioner of education In no
longer the valet to Santa Claus"
From a little herd of Is transported
over 900 miles Of stormy sea from
Siberia in 1891, the reindeer has been
developed in Alaska to a point where
it supplies much OF the food, clothing
and transportation of whole people
which half century ago did not
know of its existence.
The reindeer are increasing so rapidly
that IL has become necessary to nnd
an outlet for the products which they
Weld. Vast areas of Alaska that are
of little use otherwise are capable OF
supporting even greater numbers OF
reindeer than at present and thus max
ing an important contribution to the
meat supply of the world. SO great
has been the success of the reindeer
DEVELOPMENT In Alaska that this year
Canadians have purchased 5000 head
which they are taking into that vast
reRfon along the Arctic Ocean east OF
the Mackenzie River. where 1t IA pc
lieved the experiment can be success
fully repeated.
wilbur Interested in Alaska.
Already in restaurants Of San Fran
risno and elsewhere on the PACING
Coast reindeer steaks, chops and otneT
nalatable dishes made from this meat
are being served Reindeer meat IN
various forms also is being put up In
cans for shipment all over the United
states and other parts Of the world as
q great delicacy. :,
takinr a special interest in everything
connected with development OF Alaska,
and the new problems brought to light
I,v the growth of the reindeer nero
have been occupying his attention 10
n treat extent in recent months. ne
has named Ernest Walker Sawyer, an
executive assistant attached 10 MS Oh.
Ace. as contact man between himself
and this far northern territory OF the
United States.
ms DEVELOPMENT of the reindeer in
Alaska has been q responsibility OF the
T9lIreau of Education for nearly Az
wears This fact has often been clteo
&c an example of the curious duties
asa,sned to certain oflcials in wash
inRton and an indication OF the neeo
Of governmental reorganization.
DR.. Cooper in his annual report 70
Secretary wilbur summarizes the pc
ginning Of the reindeer industry IN
Glaska and explains why the Bureau
~ Edlcaticn has had supervision OF IL.
In the early nineties Of the last CEN
taIrv Or. Sheldon jackson, the omceB
general agent of education In Alaska,
uTeed that the United States Govern
n1ent introduce the Siberian oomesue
reindeer into Alaska. After two ell
forts TO get funds had failed IN Con-
eraes an appeal was made to the peo-
ME directly through the press Of Bos-
ron. Chicago, New York, Phiiadelphla
and washington. From this appear
1876 was raised, and DR.. Jackson IN
the face of great difhculties secured
le reindeer IN Siberia and transported
them to one of the Alaskan islands,
IRON this humble start In 1891 the
great herd of today has grown.
@RareIy has a Government under
taking worked out so ideally" says
statement issued by the Interior De-
nartn1ent. "as this introduction into
Alaska of an animal not native to 1t to
take the place of . food supply OF
whale and walrus, which was being
cut of by hunters from the outside
world"
May Establish Range Control.
New problems of administration have
presented themselves as the numbers
Of reindeer have increased. 1t Is pre-
dicted that the time is coming when
range control must be established.
The problem Of marketing reindeer
meat Ia already acute. There are
scientific problems, too, such as
the control of the MARBLE ny, which
laws its eggs on the backs of the REIN
deer. Grubs emerge, leaving holes
which spoil the reindeer hides. There
also are problems of cross breeding
with caribou which are being con-
Quoted by the Biological Survey on
Nunivak Island.
Secretary Wilbur has decided that
these problems are not properly IN the
province of the once Of Education,
which ie research educational agency.
It IA thought that they may be more
advantageously handled by administra-
tive officers on the ground than from
Washington The Governor Of Alaska.
under the law of February 10. 1927,
is ex Of1lcio commissioner Of the In
terror Department. His work is closely
co-ordinated with that of the ex officio
commissioner OF the Department OF
Commerce, Dennis Wynn. and the ex
ofacio commissioner of the Department
Of Agriculture, Charles H. FlOry.
1t In regarded as natural, therefore,
that Gov Parks should become the
Santa Claus in charge of all the REIN
deer and the problems of preparing.
shipping and marketing reindeer prod
ucts. This and the naming Of Mr.
Sawyer as contact man for Alaska has
resulted in an entirely new set-up for
handling the peculiar task Of super
visine the great herd Of Alaskan REIN
deer.