Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1933-09-07
TO FIGHT CRIMINALS
OUR VAST PUBLIC LANDS
CLASHING NAVAL POLICIES
CONTINUE CONSERVATION
CORPS
WINTER CAMPS IN SOUTH

The widespread dissatisfactio
with law enforcement in the Unite
states has led 10 4 demand for ne
methods to cope with modern Grim
and, rs usual, the average citize
turns 10 the Federal government
forgetting that the Suppression 0
ordinary crimes Is the obligation 0
local governments. At present III
department of Justice is seeking
Tue advice OF experts, hoping K
develop a program OF cooperation
With the local authorities that vii
coordinate the combined activities
OIL enforcement agencies into an
effective weapon against crime,
There Is, apparently little idea OF
taxing over the functions OF state
and local governments IN this re-
specI but those who have studied
the problem are quick TO admit the
necessity for some unified system.
An illustration of the effective
ness Of such a scheme is seen in
the work OF the Bureau of ldenti-
flcatlon which has collected and
classified more than $780, 600 fin
gerprints. Many states and cities
send fingerprints Of persons appre-
hended to Washington, and Joseph
B. keenan,, special assistant to the
Attorney-General points out in the
month of July the identity of more
than f~orty-percent of those appre-
hended by local authorities was
proved through a fingerprint OF a
Federal bureau and through prev
lous records. 1t is probable that
legislation will be sought regarding
the fingerprinting OF every person
IN the United States and that some
Federal legislation to restrict sale,
transportation and possession of
firearms will be applied.
Ii might be well for citizens gen
orally to recognize the Importance
OF the public domain of the United
States which now comprises 49,
31S,246 acres in the United States,
and 346,195,895 acres in Alaska.
These figures include only the I'M
appropriated public lands. They do ,
not include, in the states. 1882
94o acres in national forests or So
6T6,635 acres In Indian reserYa-
tons, and something more than
10000. 900 acres withdrawn for
various purposes.
Practically all Of the unappropri-
ated land In the United States pro-
per lies in the eleven W~estern-most
states and the Dakotas. As the
rainfall varies from seven to fif-
teen inches annually, most of the
land is adapted to grazing rather {
cultivation, although excep-
spots occur. This grazing ar !
ca, under action of Secretary Ickes I
IS open TO everyone for grazing pur-
poses on equal terms and all pri- 9
fences have been ordered re-
moved from the public domain in 9
he West. In addition to value as '
territory, the surface pro- q
T1des an asset as a watershed and q
he subsurface minerals constitute .
natural resource of untold value. Z
the proper administration of this .
rational asset should be a matter OF
-ital concern to all citizens. $
One OF the major issues soon II
Q confront this nation involves the Y
ttiaude OF Japan and her announc- : !.
q intention to denounce the Wash Y
1gton and London naval treaties. 8
diplomats expect a blunt demand =
or naval parity with the United y,
tates and Great Britain, although y
ome expect concessions to be civ &C
. in regard to capital ships. y
Neither this amounts to anything a.
{ not involves a technical deter a.
lnation of the value of battle "
lips. British admiralty officials )"
the day of the capital ship =
done but American officials CON y
nue. to pin their faith upon these !.
lge and costly vessels, banking ~
'nfidently upon their ability to ~
Ike as well as give punishment. T.
us
1t is undispnted that Japans in
nds to be In a position, IL pos
Bile, where no power can inter-
with her policy in the Orient.
Ills means a navy at any point
st of the mid-Pacific. Inasmuch
the naval policy of this country
defined by Secretary Swanson,
Guides a fleet able to protect our :
possessions, a conflict In
policies Is plain. X
AS most readers know, the $50 )
10, which established naval II
'ength for Great Britain. the 7
ited States and Japan, has been , \
far as this country Is concerned q
paper ratio, Japan and Great \
ltain, have maintained practical !,
ATTY strength but the United X
ates, since scrapping its capital
'ence, has failed to maintain its
val ratio.
The recent building program. in -
wing the construction OF thirty ~ =
. Warships In three years. will 49,
achieve the treaty ratio. Mean - :
lie, at present, the American :
ct stands at sixty-one percent Of :
treaty strength and the Japan- ),
at ninety-five percent. AS soon !
the American program was an ~,
lnced the Japanese avy pre- 80
ed an answering program to
Ia nineteen ships and create adj 10y
and
r., hay