Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1943-04-13
Roosevelt
Governinq
By DEGREES
Jackson Hole Seizure
Anglers All Wyoming
By PAUL MALLON


But in all the arguments In
volving major issues (prlceS,
farm controls, etc. there was
never a clearer cut case Of how
this kind of government func-
tionS than the recently nation
ally unnoticed case in which the
White House singlehanded made
a monument out of the Jackson
Hole country in Wyoming.
The State of Wyoming and its
senator's, congressman. governor
and state legislature awoke one
morning (last March 49, and
found large portion of their
state had been taken away from
them by executive decree.
MR.. ROOSEVELT had that
vi day signed an order laid on
his desk by the national park
service Of the interior depart
ment recreating the famed re-
glon south OF Yellowstone Park
into "a monument.
How the vast Teton Mountain
range therein, and thousands Of
square miles OF territory, could
be composed into monument"
by executive action or any other
is a point which is not clear 10
me. The action was perhaps
more of legal technicality than
a physical change.
But the legal result was also
that grazing land therein
needed draStically in this time OK
meat Shortage--waS denied 10
cattle owners. Some of the fer
tile farm land also became an
unproductive monument.
The government authorities
say permits for grazing may be
issued 10 some extent. and. pre-
Sumably also, the National Park
Service may allow the fertile
soil 10 be TILED by executive per-
mission Of the National Park
Service. but nome OF the state
representatives here expect this
10 be fulfilled in It's old sense.
4 NYWAY. the people Of the
"A region will have 10 90 10
the government to get permits
for their right 10 live and work
in their Old way. Wyoming
Senator O'Mahoney and other
Rocky Mountain state leaders
here, have been protesting vigor-
ouSly against the action
This monumcnting by eXccu-
tive decree was done in the name
Of preserving the scenic beau
ties" Of the region, and IL was
done under the excuse Of a for
gotten law passed June &. 1906,
IN Teddy RooSevclt'S admlnistra-
ton. providing for the "preServa-
ton Of American antiquities"
The scenery has always been
there and no one contends IL has
been detcriorating lately. The
mountains are Just as big as
ever. Surely enough they are
antiquities dating back 10 tho
glacial era, but the word is
hardly an accurate description
Of them.
THE point is the government,
Il lawyers rummaged back into
a forgotten law. intended for
another purpose, in order 10 find
a fimsy justification for preSi-
dental action 10 do their Will
beyond the reach Of Congress.
The complaining senator's SuS-
pcCt that the reason for such a
strained legal step now in the
midst OF war. is that the Rookie
fcllcrS and the Rockefeller
Snake River Land Co. have long
been interested IN preservation
OF this area outside the realm Of
commerce.
They have been buying M
small ranches 10 turn over ~
the government in the laudable
effort 10 make the area pleas
IRE spot like adjoining Yellow
stone.
But they succeeded now AZ
time when food is most neces-
Sary, and they cceeded
through executive action. eX-
Guiding the rights of Congress
and the State of Wyoming.
a bill has been introduced IN
Congress 10 nullify the exec
utive order. but fcw expect il 10
pass. The legislators from other
Lnc,. ,,s,sl. L
lore important subjects and
seem unlikely 10 make the local
interest Of Wyoming their own
10 the extent OF rebuking tho
President again Wyoming may
appeal 10 the Supreme Court
but that road also is long and
uncertain.
4 IL authorities agree, there
"A fore. the act seems likely 10
stand Perhaps the President
merely signed it among a batch
Of papers on his desk that dav,
AZ the recommendation Of his
interior department, assuming
il 10 be a minor matter-or per-
hapS not.
At any rate, the deed is done,
presenting TO the country-at-
large a completely clear and
typical case of the ms and outs
of how Congress, and even the
states. can he circumvented by
executive order.
This government moves in
strange ways. For some years.
a Connecticut citizen has been
trying 10 get the government N
take over the birthplace of