THE FIGHT FOR ALASKA'S FORESTS 



205 



Refusing to discuss reasons for retaining the Forest 

 Service in the Department of Agriculture, Secretary 

 Wallace declared the question is now up to President 

 Harding. 



"It does not seem to me a question which I can discuss 

 with propriety at this time," he said. "This whole ques- 

 tion of department reorganization has been presented to 

 the President, and the understanding has been that when 

 the President is ready to consider the matter he will 

 talk with the heads of the departments involved. Until 

 that time I do not feel firee to discuss the question. I 

 am, of course, very much interested in the matter of 

 reorganization insofar as it affects the activities which 

 are an essential part of this department." 



Secretary Wallace expressed the belief that the whole 

 controversy would come to light. "I have no doubt," he 

 said, "that in due time there will be ample opportunity 

 for presentation of views on these matters." 



Replying to Secretary Fall's criticism that the De- 

 partment of Agriculture is party to a scheme to cut 

 timber on the forest reserves for shipment to Asia, 

 Secretary Wallace declared this charge is based on "an 

 entire misunderstanding of facts." 



Concerning work of the Department of Agriculture 

 in Alaska, Secretary Wallace stated that in recent months 

 he has talked with Alaskan experts, among whom are 

 Gov. Scott Bone, Col. Frederick Mears, chairman of 

 the Alaskan Engineering Commission, and Maj. James 

 G. Steese, president of the Alaskan Board of Road Com- 

 missioners. 



"In the course of conversations with them," Secretary 

 Wallace said, "I took pains to ask them about the work 

 of the Department of Agriculture in Alaska. All of 

 them ^spoke of it in the most commendatory way. I 

 asked them especially of the work of the Forest Service, 

 and again they spoke in the highest terms of the manner 

 in which the Forest Service is carrying on its work, 

 and of the character of the men in charge." 



WHAT OTHERS SAY 



The Washington (D. C.) Herald says: "Commenting 

 on the proposed transfer advocated by the Secretary ot 

 Interior, Senator Capper, leader of the farm bloc, said: 

 'Personally I am opposed to this transfer, and I believe 

 every member of the farm bloc will oppose it. Re- 

 gardless of what recommendation is made by the admin- 

 istration, we will fight this legislation. I do not think 

 there is a chance that the Forestry Service transfer will 

 be approved by Congress.' 



"Senator Robinson, also a member of the larm bloc, 

 expressed a like opinion. 'The Forest Service seems 

 to be doing all right where it is. I do not know of any- 

 one besides Secretary Fall who wants the transfer. 1 

 will oppose any legislation to place the service in the In- 

 terior Department.' 



"Representative Gilbert N. Haugen, of Iowa, chairman 

 of the House Agriculture Committee, said : 'This com- 

 mittee is opposed to the proposed transfer of the Forest 

 Bureau. Unless efforts in that direction cease, I have 

 assurance of the passage of a bill which will take the 

 public domain from the Interior and place it under the 

 Forest Service in the Department of Agriculture.' " 



COMMENDS FORESTRY SERVICE 



Delegate Dan Sutherland, of Alaska, in a newspaper 

 interview defended the present administration of the 

 Forest Service in Alaska. Commenting on the adminis- 

 tration under Colonel Greeley, he commended the work 

 done by the Forest Service. 



"I don't think the service could be improved," he said. 

 "Colonel Greeley seems to be a high type man and his 

 bureau is giving fine service. I have talked with repre- 

 sentatives of the largest paper companies in the United 

 States relative to the leasing provisions allowed by the 

 Forest Service, and they tell me it is liberal enough to 

 accommodate them in every respect. As far as I have 

 heard there has not been any criticism of the Forest 

 Service in Alaska." 



NEWSPAPER COMMENTS 



Cleveland Plain Dealer Secretary Fall, prickling with re- 

 sentment because of the earnest efforts of American conserva- 

 tionists to prevent the transfer of forestry control from the 

 Department of Agriculture to the Interior Department, com- 

 plains that he is the target of propagandists. The Secretary 

 is absolutely correct. There is a nation-wide propaganda 

 against the transfer. It is the work of unselfish citizens whose 

 sole motive is to preserve for future generations some con- 

 siderable part of America's present forest wealth. No matter 

 how considerable this part may be it will be less than it 

 should be. Exploitation and reckless waste have only recently 

 been checked, and this is due largely to the wisdom of Presi- 

 dent Roosevelt in transferring forest control from the political 

 Department of the Interior to the non-political Department 

 of Agriculture. The propaganda which now annoys Secretary 

 Fall is inspired solely by the disinterested Americans who 

 believe that Roosevelt's good work should not be undone, and 

 who are zealously striving to save the forests from the devas- 

 tation which would follow the return of political control. 



No one has attributed sinister motives to Secretary Fall. 

 He doubtless believes that under the control of the Interior 

 Department the forests would be adequately safeguarded. 

 The fact remains that under the control of that department the 

 forests were not safeguarded, while under the direction of the 

 Department of Agriculture the work of forest conservation 

 has reached a high plane of efficiency. 



It is significant that practically all the propaganda is in op- 

 position to the change. Those who advocate the transfer have 

 refrained from trying to convince the public. Their incentives 

 are political, and they have Hoped that political arguments 

 would be sufficient to persuade Congress. It is not unlikely 

 that they would have been sufficient had it not been for the 

 propaganda which has been disseminated by the American 

 Forestry Association and other organizations devoted to con- 

 servation. 



If the forestry discussion leads to an open breach between 

 Secretary Fall and Secretary Wallace the president will be 



