Evening star., 1933-05-09
SECRETARY |CKES
TO REDUCE BUDGET
Forum Speaker Declares De-
partment Will Cost Less
Than Appropriation.

figures by the Whlte House, Secretary
Ickes said last night that the 1884
operating expenditures OF the Interior
Department will be considerably less
than the amount appropriated, $685.
860.936.
The cabinet officer was speaking in
the National Radio Forum arranged by
The Washington Star and broadcast
over a coast-to-cOaSt network OF tne
National Broadcasting Co.
He said the department had on its
rolls approximately $4,000 regular en-
ployes and 2.2O0 temporary workers
He did not indicate how many workers
would be furloughed as the result OF
the economy program.
Starting from the time the depart
ment was organized in 1849, Mr.. 1ckes
gave a review Of its growth and activl-
ties He said the present day functions
are sociological and scientific and eX-
planned the primary concern OF the de-
partment is the protection and enlarge
rnent of life and the conservation OF
natural resources.
He said it was his opinion his agency
"comes closer to life, happiness and
well-being of the average citizen OF the
United States than, perhaps. any OF
the other great administrative divisions
of the Government"
Importance of Department.
The text of Secretary Ickes address
follows:
Established by the act Of March 5,
l849, the Department OF the interior,
comprising within its Jurlsdlctlon as II
does so many varied and widely diver
gent activities. is, to my mind, the most
Interesting division of the Federal Gov
ernment. From building up reindeer
herd in Alaska to cultiVatlng tomatoes
in the Virgin Islands; from supervising
) the social and business affairs OF the
approximately $4,000 Indian wards OF
the United States to keeping touch with
the activities of hospitals and schools
for the Negroes; from administering the
14,702205 acres of the national parks
and monuments and seeing that they
are available at all SeaSOnable times Tor
the enjoyment of the millions CT Amer
ican citizens who visit them each year,
to passing upon such technical matters
as are involved in the administration OF
the General Land Office. the Geological
Survey and the Reclamation Service,
offers a sufficient variety to engage the
enthusiastic interest of any man.
So diverse are the activities Of the
Interior Department and SO pressing
are the many important questions that
are presented daily for decision that
one wonders how the Federal Govern
ment managed to get along without this
department prior to 1849. Historically,
the department grew out Of the General
Land Office. which was organized orig
inally as bureau of the Treasury De-
partinent under the act of April Is,
1872 The work Of this Office had
become so burdensome to the Treasury
e,
the Interior Department for administra-
ton in l849 This really marks the
beginning of the Interior Department,
which was intended to be, and still is,
the Land. Home and Education Depart
ment of the Government.
The first annual appropriation for
the Department of the Interior was
s3,5s4,029.77. The highest appropria-
tion ever made was in 1929 and
amounted to $3.50 1882, 900. of which
S275 ,950,000 was for pensions and civil
service retirement, since transferred to
the Veterans Administration. For the
fiscal year of 1888 the appropriation was
S3l, 1926, ,484. and for the fiscal year, 1894
which begins July /, next, the appropri-
alton is S55,860,936. However, in con-
formity with President Roosevelt's s
economy program, the actual expendi-
lures for the department for 1884 will
be considerably less than the appro-
priation.
About $4,000 Employees.
The department employs, roughly
$4,000 persons. Of whom about 2,20O arr
temporary employees For reasons that
are obvious, let me hasten to add that
practically all OF these employees are
under civil service.
But II my listeners have as much diff
Guilty carrying figures in their minds as
l have, they will not be interested in
havlng too many dry statistics detailed
TO them. I take it that, as taxpayers
and voters. having the fortunately re-
NVed interest in our Government that
IS SO widespread at this time. they would
rather have from me a brief outline OF
what this department is responsible fol-
as Its share of the administration Of the
Federal Government.
The functions of the department
broadly stated, are sociological and
sclentlnc Our primary concern is the
protection and enlargement of life anc
the conservation of natural resources
For the effective administration of the
responsibilities entrusted to this depart-
ment several bureaus have been estab-
Isno, each specializing in a particular
neld. A brief review of the activities n,
these Will give an idea of the scope OF
the work OF the department and demon.
strate that it comes closer to the life
happiness and well-being of the average
cit>zsn OF the United States than. per
maps, any OF the other great administra.
i've olVlSlonS OF the Government.
Inc General Land Office: There ar,
more than 800 0O000 acres of unappro.
prlated public lands in the United State,
proper, Of which 49.333.7I7 acres stii
remain to be surveyed. This takes nr
account OF the hundreds Of millions o.
acres OF public lands, which, through
the General Land Office, have ALREADY
passed into the hands of private citizen,
under the homestead law.
Lana Is the basis Of our civilization
What citizen has not felt the nrpe n
!and munger? 1t is as common to tn
lawyer VINO works in his skyscrane,
once as to the farmer whose possessiy,
1eet sink deep into the loosened' soil q
tne Iurrow he IS blowing. Uninspirin,
as the term General Land Officen is
no bureau of the Government has mean
more to the citizens of the Uniter
States. or has made larger payment il
the com of peace, contentment an,
prosperity of thousands upon thousand
OF our people.
Nor Is the General Land Office CON
cerned exclusively with the holding an,
the development of agricultural, grain,
ana forest lands. 1t is the trustee, rep
Iesenting the whole people of the unite,
states, OF the mineral wealth that lie
IN tne BOSOM Of the soil, of the unde
Neiopeo and undiscovered oil pool
within the public domain, Of the watel
power sites of enormous financial 90.
tentiality. ~
Every Citizen Affected.
1t may be thought by some that tn
General Land Office is a matter q
local concern to those living on or r,ea
what is or has been the public domain
AS a matter Of fact, the administra
ton OF this Office profoundly affect
the citizens Of every State of the Union
even OF those States where for years
as q nllhlic dnnaair, aIJ,o dino,s,o.A'