Imperial Valley press., 1944-04-26
House Unit Cuts
Ickes' Funds
Continued from Page L


assistance to the war effort the
accomplishments of the southwest
ern power administration which eX-
poets to make power available by
July from two new projects. the
Denison and Norfolk dams 1t also
praised encouraging" increases of
revenue derived from various en-
terprises in which tic department
is engaged.
1t wGS critical, however, of the
department for having been too
liberal. the committee said, in its
requests for selectiye service defer
ment of its draft-age personnel;
of the bureau of mines and the geol-
ogical survey for carrying on dupl-
eating activities; of the bureau of
reclamation for putting too much
emphasis on hydroelectric power
phases of its projects, and of In
dian Affairs Commissioner John
Collier.
COLLIER CRITICIZED
The report said Collier is con-
scientiouS and possesses a ferVent
desire to better the standards of
Indians, but "in addition to being
weak administrator, he has many
fanciful impractical theories and
is likewise unfortunate in some in
stances in his selection of supervis-
ory personnel
It called on the bureau of reclaim
alton to reappraise the original in
tent ano purpose OF reclamation
legislation. The reclaiming OF and
lands, it said, is and always has
been the primary purpose of the
bureau and the installation OF ny
droelectric power is a secondary
and inci6 entail consideration.
The committee rejected, as not
of utmost urgency, all requests for
money for new positions within
Ickes' own office.
SLAP AT ICKES
The committees overall action
was regarded as an indirect criti-
cism of IckeS, inaSmuch as he hao
testified before a Subcommlttee-aS
revealed by transcripts OF hearings
released with the report-that the
budget had been carefully surveyed
bv his experts and every unneces-
sary expenditure deleted before the
budget request was submitted TO
congress.
Ickes had estimated that the de-
partment's income from various
/ enterprises for fiscal l945 at ST.
OOO, 900 or II per cent OF the money
needed to run the department ana
| $1,000 900 above receipts curing the
current fiscal year. The committee,
however. estimated that this reve-
nue. would total about s66 ,642, ,075.
Ickes devoted the major portion
of his testimony before the Suocom-
mittee to the nations natural re-
sources. He urged adjustment OF
the Use of the nations oil, minerals,
land, power, forest and other re-
sources to peacetime neecs as quick
" as possible. He said the wartime
/ demand for some materials already
/ is falling off.
Many reclamation projects need
ed to meet war and postwar 1oou
requirements haC. been halted be-
cause of prioritieS. he said. but as
changing conditions permit, tney
will be resumed, as will further de-
velopmcnt of public power. I'M
provement OF grazing land facilities,
and many other activities.
AMOUNTS OKEHED, CUTS
The amounts recommended by the
committee for interior units, po-
gether with reduction recommeiloeo
below budget estimates:
Secretarys office, S4,903 OBS, down
s3o53l7: fine arts commission, ST.
8l0 down sl.l00; high commls-
sioner. Philippine islands, s9o, loo'
down s1S64o: fishery coordination,
$500. 900, down $4,000 Sohd luei
al ministration, s4.669, 200, down
s355 300: Southwestern power ao-
ministration. $4,000. down Sl0,Oo0'
general land office, s2.3So, 400, down
S75.7OO; bureau of Indian aliairs,
2845l, TIT, down 1911 $50; bureau OF
reclamation S13.783, 200, down ~
342 900; geological survey, 5000
16O down s94,81O: bureau oil mines:
sI2 726 ass. down s452.870; national
nark service, s4,736,8l0, Gown S93'-
e55: fish and wildlife service, So
S28,35O, down s53495O, and terIl1or-
les s2.el0,775, down s904,885.
The department had estimated
thai from the revenues OF the
Bonneville power administration
g 988. 600 would have to be USED
for marketing, operation, and ad-
kat,t