Evening star., 1940-12-30
lckes Warns Of Raids
On Natural Resources
In Defense Efforts
Such InodvisobIe Short
Cuts Would Peril Future
Of Conservation, He Says

Declaring that the natural
wealth" of the United States formed
the "Sinews and muscles of our de-
Tense machinery" Secretary of the
Interior Ickes today warned against
lnadvisable short cuts in the form
of resource raids"
In his annual report to President
Roosevelt, the Secretary said that
such raids would endanger the fu-
ture program of conservation in
which the people, he said. had grown
increasingly concerned over the last
seven years. Mr.. Ickes reviewed at
some length the years ACCOMPLISH
ments in his department in the
fields of conservation and national
defense.
This outline of conservation IN
progress, he said, Indicates that
our people are finally alert to the
nature of the problem We face in
the administration Of our resources.
They have begun TO weigh the social
consequences Of individual exploita-
tion when it involves. a lOoting Of
the heritage that We have received
from nature.
Much Still to BE Done.
But much still remains tn be
done. In the coming months as
the pace of defense quickens and
short cuts in the form of resources
raids are threatened. our Conserva-
ton principles will be put 10 the
test.
"One thing is clear. The wisdom
of the policies that We have fol-
lowed for the last seven years IS
now bearing fruit. We are rich in
resources, because we have put our
house in order. Our natural wealth
forms the sinews and muscles of our
defense machinery. We will continue
to administer prudently our re-
sources for present use and for de-
fense when We must and guard them
for the future, always"
Pointing out that the department
deals with problems of wide scope
and great compleXity, many of which
strengthened the national defense.
the Secretary briefly reviewed some
Of the outstanding examples.
"One of this departments most
significant social and economic
achievements during the last wear"
he said. has been the placing on
the public market Of electric energy
from the Columbia River"
Other Examples.
Sketching briefly some of the
other examples of department &C
tivity, in addition to the Bonneville
project. Mr. Ickes said the depart
ment "opens irrigated areas in the
Seni-arid regions for settlement,
and it serves as the guardians Of the
Indians and protects their property.
1t locates and analyzes useful de-
posits of strategic and critical
minerals. and co-operates with
States in the conservation Of pe-
troleum and natural gas. 1t watches
over our fish and wildhfe: it de-
velops better methods for the pro-
ductlon and utilization Of minerals
and metals. II helps to improve
technical processes in mining man.
ages great forests and controls the
public domain. It rebuilds and reeu-
lates the livestock ranges of the
West, preserves historic buildings
and recreational lands in national
parks: fixes the minimum prices for
bituminous coal and conserves the
Nations water resources above
ground and below the surface"
Sana Paving Divideode
Through all of these activities
runs central thread-the conserva-
ton of our natural resources. and
some of them already have paid
back dividends to the people Of the
United States in the form Of equip
ment for national defense, Secretary
Ickes pointed out.
Search for deposits of strategic
and critical minerals was another
defense task which the department
was able to push forward during
the year. With the Bureau Of
Mines and the Geological Survey
cooperating in the task. field
parties made careful investigation
of deposits Of those necessary min
erals in which the United States is
deficient and dependent upon i'm
ports for its supply
The National Park Service had an
unusually successful year. Two new
national parks - Kings Canyon,
Calf. and Isle Royale. Mich. were
added to the system. which now
aggregates l6l units, and an addi-
tional section was secured for
Olympic National Park, Wash.
More than 15.450000 persons
visited the parks during the travel
year which ended September 30,
1899, while the travel for the period
from October, 1899. through Sep
tember, 1910, reached an all-time
high of 16,741,85 persons.