Evening star., 1936-04-16

| OCOlIdVCu ny 3bOOoCNClG
to "a vigorous, continuing national
policy of conservation, the corner
stone of the new S12,000,000 In
terror Department Building at Eight
eenth and c streets was laid today in
the presence of Secretary Ickes and a
notable assemblage of New Deal Of
| ficials.
"As I view this serviceable new
structure" Mr.. Roosevelt said in clos
ing his dedication address, Il like to
think of it as symbolical of the Ma
tion's vast resources that we are sworn
to protect, and this stone that l am
about to lay as the corner stone of a
conservation policy that will guarantee
to future Americans the richness Of
their heritage"
In brief departure from his pre-
pared remarks, Mr.. Roosevelt likened
the battle for conservation to other
battles in which, he declared, there is
"a lot Of opposition"
He paused, too, at the outset of his
speech to remind the audience that
/ OL1CN hC1C tAAC NS&ASoSAOAA
of the first Of large monumental
buildings started under this admin
istration and completed under this
administration"
The Presidents statement was re-
garded as a hearty Endorsement of a
plea made by Secretary Ickes that
Congress change the name and pur-
pose of his department to that of the
Department of Conservation.
The change was suggested by the
Secretary Of the Interior to end pol
icy Of exploitation which, he warned,
has become suicidal to the proper
protection of the Nations natural re-
sources.
I'VE in the department know that a
definite stop to ill-advised exploitation
has been too long deferred" Ickes re-
minded. Pending legislation in Con-
gress would effect the change.
| President Backs Aims.
Declaring himself as dedicated to
this cause" the President warned that
there can be no let-up in the battle
for conservation.
From praise of Secretary Ickes, the
President turned to pay a tribute to the
late Theodore Roosevelt as one who,
"for the first time, made the people
conscious that the vast national do
main and the natural resources of
the country were the property of the
Nation itself and not that of any
class, regardless of its privileged
status"
Supported by an awakened coun-
try which by now is beginning to
realize the truth of the old warnings,
he added, I'VE of this administration
have devoted our Thoughts and ener-
gies to the conservation of our God
given wealth.
| Employing every agency of gov
ernment at hand to protect our birth
right, we have in the past several
years made advances far beyond the
hopes Of earlier day conservationists.
But the battle-aS in the case of other
battles. and it is battle, because there
is still lot Of opposition-goes on and
must be carried forward with renewed
vigor If future generations are to re-
ceive the full benefits that are due"
High Officials Attend.
| Cabinet officers, diplomats and mem
bers of Congress turned out in force
| for the dedication of the first Federal
departmental building planned and
financed in Washington under the
New Deal. Frederic A. Delano, uncle
of the President and chairman of the
National Park and Planning Commis-
sion, which had much to do with Sc
lecting the site, acted as master of
ceremonies.
Conspicuous among the special
guests were a group of IS Hopi In
dians, colorful in their tribal costumes.
They gazed in solemn awe on the huge
mass of steel and limestone arising
from the five and a half acres of
foundations. which soon will house,
among other agencies, their own In
dian Bureau. Warmly they congrat-
ulated Secretary Ickes on his heap
big wigwam"-second only in size to
the Commerce Department Building,
erected by the preceding administra-
| ton.
President Roosevelt sealed up in the
corner stone a copper box containing
among many things, a pamphlet on
| (See CORNER STONE Page a.