Evening star., 1937-07-31

prevent the lands OF farmers fron
being washed or blown away.
Large sums Of money have also been
spent on flood prevention projects.
Under petroleum regulation acts, q
beginning has been made toward stop
ping the reckless sverproduction and
consequent waste OF oil and natural
gas which are exhaustible and IRE.
placeable resources. Great water power
projects such as Boulder Dam, the
Tennessee Valley undertaking and tho
Bonneville and Grand Coulee enter
prlSeS on the Columbia River have
been completed or are being developed,
the energy being made available to
the people at low cost Great strides
have been made in reforestation and
ahOreStatlon.
Wild life and bird refugees have Also
been established and a start made to.
ward solving the problems OF stream
pollution. Submarginal lands from
which farmers have struggled in vain
to make a living are being purchased
by the Government and taken out Of
agricultural use Additional areas have
been added to old national parks and
new national parks and wilderness
areas have been brought into the
system.
DO not pretend to say" Mr.. Ickes
stated, "and in fact do not know,
what bureaus and agencies may bs
transferred to the proposed new De-
partment OF Conservation, or what
bureaus or agencies may be taken away
from the Department Of the Interior
4 the President is given the power
TO reorganize the executive branch of
the Government as he has supgested.
But 1 do know that the mere creation
OF Department Of Conservation will
be challenge to the ruthless exploita-
ton Of our natural resources and will
establish rallying point for those
who truly believe in conservation"
The Secretary Of the Interior is
charged with additional responsibili-
ties, other than those involved in car
rylng out this far-flung program OF
conservation. Mr. Ickes has, in fact,
had placed upon him as public works
administrator what he himself terms
a responsibility greater than has ever
been given an officer OF the Govern
ment, other than the President. in
time OF peace, since the country was
founded"
He was appointed in July, 1888.
I was told in my Office" he recalls,
that the President wanted to sse me
as soon as possible. Later, in the ONCE
OF Col. MacIntyre, I met Assistant
Secretary OF the Treasury Lawrence
Wood Robert, who extended his hand
and said he wanted to congratulate
me.
Il asked him what for, and he said
the President was going to make ms
public works administrator. 1t was
surprising news to me, for I had never
been candidate for the position nor
harDored the thought the President
was considering me- When the Presi-
dent came In, without preliminaries,
After his manner, he told me he was
making me public works adminstra-
tor. He did not ask ME II I wanted
the appointment. Naturally, I &C.
cepted, and left the White House for
my office in something Of 4 daze.
Whlle l was elated at the confidence
the President had shown in me, this
feeling hardly weighed against the
sense OF responsibility. did not need
to be told that the manner in which
this huge fund was to be administered
might make or break tho admins
tration."
MORE than $4,000 ,O00, 900 WAS ex-
pended under Mr. Ickes on nom
Federal and Federal projects and
thousands Of public schools, municipal
buildings, sewer systems, highways,
auditoriums, dams and similar prof.
ects contributed to employment and
provided useful public structures OF
. permanent type under his shrewd
and judicious administration.
Here is a member Of the cabinet
who Is down-to-earth man-a pro-
digious worker, and an individualst,
roundings, as he sat facing me in that
magnificent room Of his, could efYace
or overShadoW the vital personality
of the man. AS a commentary upon
the wide range Of his interests and
the fine turn his abilities can take,
the colors. the decorations and fur
niShings of that room were of his own
suggestion. He is an original, inde-
pendent as his Scotch and German for
bears. as a man must be who can, in
season. vote Republican, Progressive
or Democratic The secret OF his
strength and individuality Is his lib
eralism. Having freed himself from
the restrictive and stultifying bonds Of
party allegiance, he can regard every
issue upon its individual merits and,
after due consideration. state fear
lessly from the housetops his honest
conclusions.