APPROPRIATION BILL FOR 1943 HEARINGS BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES SEVENTY-SEVENTH CONGRESS 19438Pt.1 COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS CLARENCE CANNON, Missouri, Chairman CLIFTON A. WOORDUM, Virginia J. BUELL SNYDER, Pennsylvania ROSS A. COLLINS, Mississippi JOHN TABER, New York RICHARD B. WIGGLESWORTH, Massachusetts D. LANE POWERS, New Jersey FRANCIS H. CASE, South Dakota INTERIOR DEPARTMENT APPROPRIATION BILL, 1943 HEARINGS CONDUCTED BY THE SUBCOMMITTEE: MESSRS. JED JOHNSON (CHAIRMAN), JAMES G. SCRUGHAM, JAMES M. FITZPATRICK, CHARLES H. LEAVY, HARRY R. SHEPPARD, ROBERT F. RICH, ALBERT E. CARTER, AND ROBERT F. JONES OF THE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, IN CHARGE OF THE INTERIOR DEPARTMENT APPROPRIATION BILL FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 1942, ON THE FOLLOWING DAYS, NAMELY: MONDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1942. OPENING STATEMENT OF CHAIRMAN Mr. JOHNSON. Once again we are about to start hearings on an Interior Department appropriation bill. This bill, as members know, is to provide funds for the operation of the Interior Department, with its multitude of activities, for the fiscal year 1943. It is my sincere hope that the subcommittee will be able to expedite the hearings this year. Most of us are members of other subcommittees, which fact makes it important that we conclude these hearings at the earliest date possible and, at the same time, secure the detailed information that is essential for the proper consideration of the many items in the bill. In order to facilitate action on the bill I have again divided the work among the respective members of the subcommittee and have asked that the member in charge of the activities assigned to him especially inform himself concerning the items for which he is primarily responsible. As all members are aware, the committee will greatly miss the invaluable advice and counsel of our late beloved chairman of the Committee on Appropriations, Hon. Ed Taylor, of Colorado. His presence was a source of great inspiration to all of us. I am sure that each member had abiding faith, confidence, and deep respect for him and his intimate knowledge of the many activities of the Interior Department. His departure will be a distinct loss to the committee as we consider this measure for the first time without his valuable assistance and advice. In this connection I am glad to note that our present distinguished and able chairman of the Committee on Appropriations, Hon. Clarence Cannon, of Missouri, has honored us by his presence at the opening of the hearings on the bill. It is a privilege and a pleasure to have him. Later, I shall ask him to make a statement to the committee. Before we hear from the Secretary, let me make one further observation. The present members have served on this particular subcommittee from two to eight years, and so are familiar with this bill. We deeply regret that we shall soon lose one of our ablest and most effective members. I refer, of course, to Judge Charles Leavy, who 1 |