Evening star., 1932-12-09
Assistant to Direct
Land Utilization.

It Is intended by the executive order
on the Department Of Agriculture to
make of that organization department
Of agriculture, land utilization and con-
servation. In addition to activities
which are directly and strictly of an
agricultural nature, the Department of
Agriculture has been charged with tasks
which pertain to land utilization and
conservation and which historically
have been intimately associated with
the work of the department and are
now closely related to many problems
characteristic of agriculture. These ac-
tivities are performed for the most part
by the Forest Service. the Bureau Of
Biological Survey, the Bureau Of Chem
istry and Soils and the Advisory Council
Of the National Arboretum.
1t Is proposed that the consolidated
activities of the Federal Government
which deal with land utilization and
conservation problems be placed under
the direction of an Assistant Secretary
of Agriculture for Land Utilization, who
will be responsible to the Secretary Of
Agriculture for the proper administra-
tion of the organizations performing
work directly relating to land utiliza-
ton and conservation. The activities
and organizations, in addition to the
Forest Service, the Bureau of Biological
survey, Llc bureau OF SQGullSITy ana
Soils and the Advisory Council of the
National Arboretum, which it Is pro-
posed should be placed under the imme-
diate direction of the Assistant Secre-
tary of Agriculture for Land Utilization
are:
/. The General Land Office of the
Department Of the Interior.
2. The administrative duties, powers
and functions of the Committee on the
Conservation and Administration Of the
Public Domain.
Accordingly, it is proposed to transfer
to the Department of Agriculture the
foregoing organizations or activities
which are now under the direction of
statement of the origin, duties and rea-
sons for the transfer of each bureau
and Office named above.
General Land Office.
The General Land Office was estab-
Ished in the Department of the Treas
ury by an act of Congress approved
April 25, 1872 q Stat. L.. I'D and, after
passing through various stages of re-
organization, was later placed under the
jurisdiction of the Department Of the
Interior by the act of March 3, 1849 20
Stat. L., 395).
The General Land Office is charged
with the adjudication of applications
claims involving the disposition of pub
lie lands under the public land laws
and the recording of all matters affect
ing the public lands and their disposi-
tion and status; the adjudication Of ap-
plications for oil and gas leases, pros
pecting permits, coal-mining permits
leases. and licenses, and potash, phos-
phate, sodium and sulphur permits and
leases; the adjudication of applications
to lease the public lands for fur farm
ing, grazing the free use of timber ano
for various other purposes; the grant
ing of rights of way over the public
lands; the execution of surveys and re-
surveys of the public lands; the prep
aration and maintenance of plats ano
field notes thereof; the making Of in
vestigationS to determine compliance
with law by claimants under the public
land laws: the determination Of the
mineral Of non-mineral character OF
public lands and the feasibility of irri-
CATION projects in connection with in
dividual claims or entries: and the in
vestigation of trespass on the public
domain and adjudication of trespasS
cases.
The work of the General Land Office
deals directly with problems concerning
the public domain and the conservation
vi LldIu4 al itSUuICSS Oh IIle
lands. 1t also relates to many agricul-
tural problems. This work should be
I intimately associated with the other ac-
tivities of the Federal Government per-
tanning to the public domain and con-
| Servation and agricultural matters II
IS therefore proposed to transfer the
General Land ONCE to the Department
of Agriculture.
Committee on the Conservation and
Administration of the Public Domain.
The act Of Congress approved Apri
10, 1880 LAG Stat. 1881 appropriated the
sum of S50,000. or so much thereof as
might be necessary, to cover any ex-
penses which might be incurred by tht
President, through such methods as III
might employ, in making a study ane
report on the conservation and admin
tstration OF the public domain. Unde
the authority Of this act, the Presiden
appointed the Committee on the Con
servation and Administration of tn
Public Domain. The committees find
ings and recommendations were EN-
bodied IN a report submitted to tn
President January 16, 1881.
The duties and functions of the Com
mittee on the Conservation and Ad
rninistration of the Public Domain ar
clearly related to the conservation an
public domain activities of the Feders
Government and should be grouped wit
other Federal activities pertaining
thoeo matters. II Is therefore propose
"a trausfer the administrative dutie,