Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-21

and beauties and, In many Instances, for
their historic setting. Thousands Of
tourists visit these parks to enjoy the
marvels of nature which the Govern
ment has thus preserved and their
number increases annually.
Up toy the present time the expense
of parks to the Government, compare
lively speaking, has been exceedingly
nominal. Indeed we have been too
conservative. Public money has been
largely supplemented by private SUBJ
scriptions In park development work.
The Government has been fortunate in
the caliber OF men who have been at
tractef to the park service, and like Mr..
MatheF and Horace M. Albright, present
director OF the National Park Service,
whose contributions to the cause this
generation cannot fully realize.
As Congress awakens to the part the
parks are playing in the national life
there Is bound to. be accorded a greater
measure OF support and announcement.
The Senate committee on public lands
ut the present time is giving much
thought and study to the further de-
velopment and extension Of the park
service.
Our parks are now quite confined to
those far Western States between the
Rockies and the Pacific. This invites
measure Of criticism from and In be-
half Of those millions whose incomes do
not permit them to 60 so far as to en-
JOY the wonders and advantages of ma
tionally supervised parks. Also, there is
complaint OF the absence of national
parks available for use In the long Win
ter months. Consequently. there is con-
siderable agitation for more parks, to
hQ WiAalxy n
entire country, and there are proposals
for the establishment Of new parks in
scenic and interesting spCts In Florida,
North and South Da1ula, Arkansas,
Tennessee, Virginia and elsewhere. The
natural growth OF our population itself
dictates the need for more parks, and
farSightedneSS would seem to dictate
the acquiring OF these areas which are
Of merit while the cost of acquisition is
negligible and before the natural scenic
wonders therein are lost through greed
and carelesSness The establishment of
the new Grand Teton National Park
in Wyoming by the. last Congress has
been so favorably received as to indicate
the readiness Of the people for park ex-
tensions.
Much Can Be Expected.
Much can be expected in park de.
velopment In the near future. In re-
Spouse to present and anticipated future
needs, Congress has already authorized
the closest study of the park service
and park needs. The Senate by reso-
luton has directed the committee on
public lands to make general and close
survey of parks and proposed parks and
in accordance Herewith the committee
will visit a number Of the established
and proposed parks this Fall. This
will be OF great help In bringing about
the enactment Of legislation for park
development.
In former times the public land COM
mitteeS OF Congress were counted of
lesser importance. That was before
parks became SO prominent and before
the time Of the committees was taken
up by duties which In late years have
made the Senate committee OH public
lands one Of the most active OF that
body.
Working under Senate resolutions
during the past six years, the Senate
public lands committee has. been al
most constantly engaged in conducting
investigations into the administration
Of the public domain and its re-
sources. Dishonest disposal of great
reserves ana resources OF OIL lands under
the administration of Secretary Fall
and in behalf Of such INSCRIPTIONS
patriot plunderers as Stewart. Sinclair,
Doheny, Blackmer and O'Neill, is too
generally known to call for repetition
at this time-novel, clever and romantic
as the story Is.
There has been much criticism of
Senate investigations. They have been
made the targets Of many sharp shafts.
but to those who will admit facts the
investigations disclosing the oil scandals
have been Of the greatest merit. That
there was occasion for these investiga-
tons must be admitted. That Senator
La Toilette was both student and
prophet when he fought the leasing
act Of 1920 and later demanded in
vestigations cannot now be denied. And
there must be quite general approval