Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1932-12-05
OIL. INDUSTRY HELD
IN SOUND POSITION
Secretary of Interior Wilbur
Makes Annual Report
Public Today.

The oil industry "is in an. increas-
ingly sound position Secretary of the
Interior Wilbur said in his annual re-
pert made public today
He reiterated recommendations of
the department through the Oil Con-
servation Board for interstate compactS
regulating production, and depart
mental sponsorship of unit development
of fields
OH shale lands have been freed from
illegal claims and together with the
vast coal resources of the public domain
will be conserved as future national
supply"
Further he declared that sufficient
potash has been discovered to render
this country independent Of foreign
sources during any emergency"
S98,COO,0OO Expended.
Reporting on reclamation work, he
said a total of $4,000, 900 has been eX-
pended. of which about S46,000, COO has
been repaid. "At the present rate" he
sd6ed, tho 10-year program laid out
IN 1927 will require from IS to 20 years
to complete"
The cabinet officer observed that the
future of reclamation lies largely Win
the settlers on the projects" He clteo
year repayment plan, and some OF them
have been given longer time.
Freedom from interest on the out
standing investment. computed at per
cent. means a Federal subsidy OF. about
Sc 600, 900 q year." he said. Every time
a project exerts political pressure Tor
further reduction of its obligations, 1t
knocks one more foundation stone from
the whole reclamation structure, he
added:
Reclamation is currently subject to
two perils. 1t is subject to attack IN
some quarters because it is supposed to
be adding new farm lands to compete
with established production, whereas, in
fact, the policy under this adminlstra-
ton has been to spend reclamation
funds on the rescue Of established prof.
ects whose water supply is inadequate:
1.-The second danger is tendency OF
some projects to yield to local agitation
for the Reputation of their Govern
ment obligations"
He reported that the Hoover Dam
project was a year ahead OF its con-
struction schedule.
In the reports foreword, Mr.. Wilbur
asserted: :
I'VE saave more people living on the
pay roll than on the land. Safety lies
in the community handling its own
forces we'll Our strength must come
out of our own homes, and our own
fields, stores. offices and factories. We
cannot expect a strong country unless
the individual units making it up are
largely self-controlled.
U. S. Action Massive.
Government action is massive. If
wise. it can be helpful: if unwise, dam
aging to great numbers of people. As
Nation, we are attempting to operate
the greatest economic and social Or
CARNATIONS in the history of man with
social machinery devised largely in an
agricultural civilization, in which, re-
gardless of legislation, most of our citi-
zens were assured shelter and food.
Mr.. Wilbur said the departments
work In the past four years had shifted
from liquidation of the remaining pub
Lie lands to cooperation with local
forces m conservation, health and edu-
cation.
Describing the remaining public land
as largely grazing acreage, and indors.-
ing bill pending in Congress to trans
fer noia-mineral acreage to the States,
Wilbur said:
I'VE believe the Western States are
fun grown and need not look to an
~ANS~AAS~Efs tnA1tfOAA W PAOpCCb Ol1Cil
terests. But If the States do not ac-
cept the responsibility and IL the Fed
eral Government is to bear it, then.
adequate authority should be conferred
on this department"
The departments goal Of Withdraw
ing Federal supervision of Indian wards,
wilbur said, is within sight, but could
not be attained until the States ARE
willing to recognize the peculiar re-
possibility which the Federal Gov,
Ernment has recognized" 4
Hawaii was termed by Secretary Will
sur "one Of the most peaceful COM
nunities of the world and "free from
rganized graft and corruption"
He said the islands had suffered
during the past year from the notoriety
attracted by one criminal case. and its
aftermath, -lynching," but that good
had resulted from this, explaining:
"One benefit which the Territory has
derived from the notoriety of the past
year Is the local support drawn to the
Governors program, which he has
urged for several years, for rennodeling
of the police and prison system and
the method of selecting juries."