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Show ? Hull-Billion Acres CI U.S. Land Held By the Government By WALTER A. SHEAD WNU Washington Correspondent. - WASHINGTON. The United States chamber of commerce is polling Its member chambers throughout the nation on the report of its natural resources department committee seeking amendments to the laws governing control of almost al-most a half billion acres of public lands. The federal government now owns approximately a quarter of the land area of continental United States. This huge acreage of public lands is controlled by the general land office of-fice of the department of Interior. It Is in two classes, 80 per cent being be-ing so-called public land, or public domain, and the balance is "acquired" land, purchased by, or deeded to the federal government from citizens, states or municipalities. municipali-ties. There are 157,618.000 acres In national na-tional forests; 140,798,000 acres In grazing districts; 55,249,000 acres In Indian reservations; 13,585,000 acres In national parks; 7,481,000 acres In soil conservation; 1,326,000 acres are owned by the navy department, de-partment, 19,355,000 by the war department de-partment and 2,760,000 by the fish and wildlife service. According to the chamber, there have been repeated complaints concerning con-cerning excessive withdrawals of these lands, unnecessary acquisitions, acquisi-tions, over-regulation, particularly on grazing and mineral rights. Some of the amendments to public land laws which the U. S. chamber recommends is public hearings and adequate notice before further land is withdrawn and a time limit on temporary withdrawals; That private ownership should be the ultimate objective of grazing lands subject to sound principles of conservation and protection of public pub-lic interests, including reservation of rights to minerals and metals, timber, water resources development develop-ment and. other potentialities not involving in-volving grazing, these grazing rights should be protected and preserved; That the mineral leasing act of 1920 be further, amended to remove all acreage limitations, or at least to grant expansion and to remove the limit to acreage held on a geological geo-logical structure; That royalty on all government leases be fixed at 12 per cent for leases heretofore and hereafter issued is-sued that are not on proven oil or gas structure; that to encourage exploration and development . of " deeper pools, a 12 per cent royalty roy-alty for all deeper discoveries in presently proven fields, the same to apply to all leases in new zones; That the government either take the royalty in kind for sale or accept ac-cept the market price of the royalty oil, gas or gasoline; That the law grant the free right of assignment and relinquishment of government oil and gas leases with proper safeguards; That all lands of the United States be registered with the interior department; de-partment; That surplus property act be amended to require disposal of all acquired lands not necessary and useful for a clearly defined governmental govern-mental purpose. In addition the committee recommends recom-mends that the congress give the states statutory recognition to ownership own-ership and disposition of the shores and all lands beneath the tidewaters and other navigable waters within the boundaries of each state. VL v FEDERAL OWNERSHIP OF LANDS. JANUARY t, 1944 from Tagus-ao of ub!e LmntJ Convrirtt V. A J |