44 PROBLEMS IN WILD LIFE CONSERVATION 



that at the present time the entire District is a wild bird and 

 game refuge. 



Conservation of Wild Life in the Insular Dependencies: 

 The remaining territory of the United States outside of state 

 boundaries comprising the Canal Zone, the Virgin Islands, 

 Guam, and Samoa, might be compared to the British Crown 

 Colonies. They are each ruled by a Governor appointed by 

 the President with the consent of the Senate. There are no 

 representative assemblies of a legislative nature although in 

 the case of the Virgin Islands the Governor is aided by the 

 advice of a colonial council. 41 



Congress has not legislated on the subject of wild life in 

 these territories but the governors are authorized to make 

 regulations that have the force of law upon local subjects 

 which includes wild-life conservation. 



Conservation of Wild Life on " other property of the 

 United States": The authority of the United States over 

 land owned by it but located within state boundaries is based 

 likewise upon Article I, section 8 of the constitution which 

 states : " The Congress shall have power to dispose of and 

 to make all needful rules and regulations respecting the 

 territory and other property belonging to the United States." 



In this section the power to dispose of lands belonging to 

 the United States is broadly conferred upon Congress and 

 it is under the power thus granted that the homestead acts 

 for the settlement of the public domain have been enacted. 

 The full scope of this clause has never been definitely settled. 

 It has been commonly held, however, that the national gov- 

 ernment may deal with public lands " precisely as an indi- 

 vidual citizen may deal with his farming property. It may 

 sell them or withhold them from sale. It may grant them 



41 U. S. Code, Title 48, chaps. 6, 7, 9- 



