In addition to the regular annual appropriations the estimated permanent and indefinite appropriations for the fiscal year 1932 aggregate $15,952,500, making the total of the estimates for the Interior Department for the fiscal year 1932 $85,345,211.73. The permanent annual appropriations are those which occur automatically each year without annual action by Congress, having been created specifically by Congress in previous years and continuing as such until modified or discontinued. The total regular annual appropriations for the Interior Department for the fiscal year 1931, including $11,467,600 in the second deficiency act, 1930, amounted to $62,911,623.74. SECRETARY'S OFFICE The tabulation shows an apparent decrease of $22,500 in salaries as compared with appropriations for the current year. This reduction is apparent rather than real, since positions transferred to the Pension Bureau, Veterans' Administration, the current year, pursuant to legislation enacted by Congress, amount to $28,500, the net amount for salaries for the current year being, therefore, with Brookhart increases included, $371,700. The amount reported, $373,000, does not grant any increases in salaries and disallows the new positions estimated for. For similar reasons the item for contingent expenses, which shows an apparent decrease below the appropriation for the current year, carries an actual increase of several thousand dollars. The increases in printing are chiefly for the Office of Education and the National Park Service. The committee increase above the Budget figure for the National Park Service is largely to make possible publication of nature guides which will be sold and the Treasury reimbursed thereby. GENERAL LAND OFFICE The total appropriation for the General Land Office is $80,470 above the current year, although the committee report is $77,340 below the Budget figure. The increase above the current year is demonstrated as necessary. The material decreases in appropriations for that Bureau in recent years have been so drastic as to handicap its work. The decrease below the Budget figure is chiefly due to denial of the requested increase of $50,000 for surveying of the public lands. BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS The total expenditure recommended by the committee for the Bureau of Indian Affairs, exclusive of tribal funds, is $24,423,496.73, an increase of $2,060,065.99 above the current year. The rapid increase in recent years in appropriations from the Treasury for the benefit of the Indians will be noted from the following table showing such appropriations each year from 1923 to 1932, inclusive: In addition to the above appropriations from the Federal Treasury for the benefit of the Indians, the appropriations recommended of Indian tribal funds for their benefit is $3,275,963.98, of which $332,363.98 is for purchase and improvement of lands, $145,000 for industrial assistance, $11,000 for developing water supplies, $18,500 for irrigation and drainage, $881,000 for education, $100,000 for conservation of health, $1,763,100 for support and for administration of property, and $25,000 for building of roads and bridges. The expenditure from the Treasury for the benefit of the Indians is principally for education, health, and industrial advancement, the bill carrying $3,873,176.73 for industrial advancement, including purchase of lands, $11,726,000 for education, and $4,494,000 for conservation of health. The committee approves the Budget item proposing expenditure of $125,000 of Navajo funds for purchase of lands, and further recommends a reimbursable appropriation of $100,000 from the Treasury for the same purpose. Congress by the act of May 29, 1928, authorized such purchase of lands to the extent of $1,200,000. It was then contemplated by this committee that such purchase should proceed at the rate of $200,000 each year for six years, but due to lack of funds in the Treasury to the credit of the Navajos only $200,000 has heretofore been appropriated. The Navajos have a limited annual income, principally from oil, and have approved its expenditure for extension of water supply and purchase of land rather than for per capita payments. The Bureau of Indian Affairs urges further purchase of these lands and assures the committee that appropriations from the Treasury in addition to available tribal funds will be reimbursed as tribal funds are available when such purchases shall have been completed. The bill carries gratuity appropriations. not reimbursable for further development of water supplies for the Navajos. The proposed item of $360,000 to continue construction of the Wapato project is not approved by the committee, the present not being deemed suitable time for extension of such project. The marked change in the per capita basis of support for Indian boarding schools is made clear in the following statement by the Commissioner of Indian Affairs in the hearings before the committee: Appropriations for boarding schools of all classes have been made on a per capita basis over a long period of years. More recently a variable per capita The follow amount has been appropriated depending on the size of the school. This method of varying the per capita in accordance with the number of pupils has the advantage of helping the smaller schools. It does not sufficiently differentiate, however, between ordinary elementary schooling and the more difficult vocational and prevocational training especially necessary for Indian boys and girls in the boarding schools. The 1932 estimates are therefore submitted on the same basis as previously, but with a provision for a $50 differential for each pupil above the sixth grade. This provision justifiably emphasizes attendance of older rather than younger children at boarding schools, and it will make possible for these older children the qualified personnel necessary for practical and vocational courses, for vocational guidance, and for the gradual adjustment of Indian boys and girls to modern life and work. The total expenditure from the Treasury for education is $11,726,000, which is an increase of $537,060 above the current year. This amount maintains 12,420 children in nonreservation boarding schools specifically appropriated for at a total cost of $5,500,000; 8,250 children in reservation boarding schools; 3,900 children in boarding schools conducted by other agencies than the Federal Government; 875 children in special institutions for defectives; 4,000 children in day schools maintained by the Federal Government and 25,500 children for whom tuition in local public schools is paid by the Federal Government, a total of 54,945 children; 4,000 children in Alaska in day schools and 500 children in Alaska in boarding schools, a total of 4,500 children. There are in the United States 79,534 children of school age under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Indian Affairs of whom 68,220 attend school under Federal or State supervision. In Alaska there are 7,500 children of whom 4,500 have school facilities. For conservation of health, the bill carries $4,494,000, an increase of $814,239 above the appropriation for the current year and $109,800 above the Budget estimates. The increase is chiefly due to the cost of maintenance of hospitals now under construction and provision for construction of three new institutions, the Ignacio (Colo.), Hospital for the Southern Ute Reservation and boarding school and two tubercular sanatoriums with a capacity of 100 beds each, one for the Pueblo and other Indians of New Mexico to be located at Albuquerque, and the other for the Sioux of South and North Dakota, to be located at Pierre. The committee has provided for a clinical survey of disease conditions among the Indians with an appropriation of $75,000. This amount is the first of several annual appropriations necessary to make possible this thorough study of health conditions among the Indians that is essential to their relief and the protection of others. This survey will so far as is possible be made in cooperation with State and other agencies. The Treasury appropriation for general support and administration is $1,275,000, an increase of $205,000 above the current year and $120,000 above the Budget. The committee increase above the Budget is chiefly for the purpose of making possible more funds for relief of distress among the Indians due to abnormal conditions resulting from drought, etc. The bill carries an appropriation of $500,000 for construction of roads upon Indian reservations "not eligible to Government aid under Federal highway act" and employing exclusively Indian labor other than supervision and engineering. This is $250,000 more than the appropriation the current year for this purpose, an increase believed to be warranted because of the great need of roads on the reservations and the effectiveness of this method of affording relief through employment. BUREAU OF RECLAMATION For the Bureau of Reclamation a total expenditure of $6,971,000 from the reclamation fund is recommended, together with a reappropriation of unexpended amounts heretofore appropriated. The bill does not provide for the commencement of construction of any new projects. The bill provides new appropriations for continuation of construction of drainage for the Yuma project in Arizona; continuation of construction, principally drainage, on the Grand Valley project, Colorado; continuation of construction of the Arrowrock division of the Boise project, Idaho; continuation of construction of gravity extension unit of the Minidoka project, Idaho; continuation of construction of the Milk River project, Montana; continuation of construction, including drainage, Sun River project, Montana continuation of construction, principally drainage, Rio Grande project, New Mexico and Texas; continuation of construction Owyhee project, Oregon; continuation of construction Vale project, Oregon; continuation of construction, including drainage, Klamath project, Oregon-California; continuation of construction of drainage system, Belle Fourche project, South Dakota; continuation of construction, Kittitas division, Yakima project, Washington, together with operation and maintenance costs on various projects. The bill carries $550,000 for the rejuvenation of the Bitter Root project, Montana, in accordance with the Leavitt Act of July 3, 1930. The committee recommends an item of $25,000 for the purpose of giving information to settlers on reclamation projects in the preparation of land for irrigation and methods of irrigation and agricultural practice, etc., to be charged to the general reclamation fund. For continuation of construction of the Boulder Canyon project the committee recommends $15,000,000. The reduction of $2,000,000 from the Budget estimate is possible without delaying the project, due to certain changes of plans with reference to construction of the railroad to connect the site with the Union Pacific and the securing of electric power during construction. The Budget recommendation of $50,000 for investigation and reports authorized by section 11 of the Boulder Canyon project act is not approved. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY The bill proposes $3,132,740 for the Geological Survey, which is $317,940 above the current year and $19,420 above the Budget. The appropriations proposed for the topographic surveys and for stream gaging are believed ample to enable the Federal Government to properly match all State and other funds offered in connection with any such cooperative projects as well as to take care of many exclusively Federal projects. It is also believed that the year 1932 will see the arrears in printing of topographic maps and water supply papers substantially overcome. In the item for stream gaging and water supply investigations, the Budget included $190,000 to enable the Geological Survey to carry on certain work heretofore provided for in the Army appropriation bill. The stream gaging heretofore carried on under direction of the Army has not involved State or local cooperation, whereas the appropriation made for the Geological Survey for this purpose contemplates such cooperation where the State or municipal benefit would make such cooperation equitable. The situation with reference to such investigations is set forth in the letter from Dr. George Otis Smith, Director of the Geological Survey, to be found on page 373 of the hearings and the appropriation recommended for stream gaging and water-supply investigation is $711,000, being the amount suggested by the director less promotions not granted. It provides for $552,000 for cooperation on the basis set forth in said letter. NATIONAL PARK SERVICE The amount recommended for the National Park Service is $9,498,250, which is $420,885 less than the current year but $1,360,470 above the Budget estimate. The increase above the Budget is principally due to an appropriation of $1,000,000 to continue the purchase of privately owned lands and appropriations for water supplies, power development, sewage disposal, comfort stations, etc., at several parks. The continuation of purchase of privately owned lands in existing national parks and national monuments will be possible through the appropriation of $1,000,000 referred to, the policy of matching contributions for this purpose being adhered to. The elimination of all private holdings in national parks is of fundamental importance both because of the need for their use and development freely in carrying out the park programs and because in private ownership there is always danger of their being used in a way to seriously handicap or interfere with national use of the park. The appropriation for the Grand Teton National Park carries an item of $50,000 which in conjunction with a similar item carried in the bill for the Minidoka reclamation project is to be used for cleaning up the dead timber in the Jackson Lake reservoir. This is an important step to rectify the damage that was done when the Jackson Lake Reservoir was built as part of the Minidoka project. Jackson Lake lies at the foot of the majestic Teton Mountains, among the most beautiful and spectacular mountains in the world, and the magnificent spectacle afforded by that dramatic mountain range is seriously detracted from by this dead timber in Jackson Lake. In 1929 Congress created the Grand Teton National Park, which includes the mountain range, some fine forests and several small unspoiled lakes. Jackson Lake was not included in the park, but it is inevitable that it will be placed in the park and that the Grand Teton and Yellowstone Parks will be connected. The cleaning up |