The Coolidge examiner., 1937-12-30
New Name For
Dept. Of Interior


Land Offices in the Western States
have been exchanging views as to
the best policy to be adopted in ad-
ministering the affairs of the Public
Domain since the reorganization of
the Government Departments has
been suggested by the President
to Congress. The Registers are in
close touch with this Department,
they having charge of the admin
/ istration of the local Land Offices,
consequently they are very much
interested in any legislation tend
| ing towards the Improvement of the
present condition of the public
domain.
One of the proposed changes in
the reorganization is the change of
name of the Department of the In
terror" to the DEPARTMENT OF
CONSERVATION" AS this change
of name may be matter of vital
importance to the Western States
the Registers held meeting at Los
Angeles on November oath and dis
cussed the matter from all angles.
They asked that a representative OF
the General Land Office at Wash
ington attend the meeting and il
possible explain what the chang
ing of the name signified in rela-
ton to the future administration
and improvement of the public do
main. The Registers were fortunate
to have the General Land Office
represented at the meeting by Mr..
Thomas c. Havel, who has been
connected with the office for more
than thirty-five years, and who has
a thorough knowledge of the public
domain and its needs for future de-
velopment. Mr.. Havel advised the
Registers that the Department OF
the Interior has a number of ap-
pendages that have no relation to
it as originally created and which
are detrimental and expensive to
the proper functioning of the De
partment.
If and when the change of name
is effected the Department of Con
servation" will deal exclusively with
the public DOMAIN, territorial pos
sessions and natural resources OF
the nation and enforce the conser-
vation laws in regard to the same.
All the public domain was hereto
fore considered source Of
revenue, but if the change of name
is effected the public domain will
receive the consideration which is
it's due and which it should have
received long ago.
The Registers left the meeting
assured and well satisfied that up
on the change of name to the de
PARTMENT of CONSERVATION
the public domain will be consider
ed as a field for the application of
real conservation and will get the
consideration which is its due. This
will mean to the public domain what
irrigation has meant to the arid
lands of the west and we would
suggest and sincerely hope that the
cattle and sheep raisers will get
| behind this conservation project
as it will be to their interest to do
so. 1t will mean water development,
planting of trees to conserve and
retain the moisture which are so
essential to the cattle and sheep
| industry, also the building of roads
and other improvements that may
lead to the ideals of conservation
and the future improvement of the
public domain.
We believe the creation of the
proposed department of conserva-
ton will provide an up-to-date, ef-
ficient instrument to carry out the
desire of the nation for the conser-
vation of its natural resources. The
need and desirability of this instru-
ment of government have long been
recognized and an unusually favor
able opportunity for its establish
ment now exists.
Part of the big show, the 1888
Golden Gate International Exposl