| Show Rep Burtons Burton's Washington Report c Fastest Land grab b in History of America By Rep Laurence J. J Burton On January 20 history recorded recorded re reo corded what will probably be termed the fastest land grab in the history of America On that date just one and a half haU hours before the expiration of his term of office President Lyndon B. B Johnson with the stroke of a pen withdrew from multiple use some acres of land and added it to Arches and Capitol Reef National Notional ments I have just completed both an aerial and land Inspection tour of the areas concerned Senator Wallace F. F Bennett joined me for most of the survey survey sur sur- vey and here is what we found ALMOST TO A man there was objection raised to the way in which the land was was with with- drawn Not only were there no nofield nofield nofield field hearings bearings to let those living living living liv liv- ing in the area air their spin spin- ions but the Utah delegation was not even informed of the impending withdrawal until the Friday before the Monday signing sign- sign Ing Interior Secretary Stewart Udall called the Utah representatives represent into his office and told us about the withdrawal but pledged us to secrecy because President Johnson had not yet signed the order Our hands were tied The order was signed signed sign sign- ed Monday and the land was taken just like that It was done The land was then automatically automatically automatically auto auto- under National Park Service jurisdiction THOSE MINING claims and grazing rights on the withdrawn land are still valid but the time is closing In sAd id the of those claims and rights will soon be complete There can be no new claims no new rights and the federal governments government's long arm once again reached out to strike out against the little farmer and rancher I held Informal hearings in Moab Escalante Panguitch and Richfield Cattlemen told me how their ranches were already already al al- ready dying and this latest maneuver by the Johnson Administration Administration Ad Ad- ministration would soon sound the death knell IF THERE ARE no grazing areas the cattleman will have I Ito to sell his animals The minimum minimum minimum mini mini- mum price on a cow Is about Most cattlemen I talked to told me they could only get about on the scalpers scalper's market market market mar mar- ket thus losing One rancher rancher ran ran- cher in Boulder Utah said he would lose on his herd alone Geologists report there are oil oilfields oilfields fields especially in the Capitol Reef area untouched and that could be a giant boost to our economy The oil however Is apparently contained in the annexed annexed annexed an an- lands and therefore un tm- attainable THERE IS certainly something something some some- thing tiling to say about our beautiful ful scenery Much should be preserved and it will help our tourism potential but much of I. I the land I saw could only be used for grazing and other multiple multiple multiple mul mul- tiple uses Senator Bennett has introduced ed legislation which would make Arches and Capitol Reef national parks In their original boundaries not using the annexed annexed an an- land at all Senator Moss has Introduced legislation which would make them national drawn land I think a compromise between the two would be the best for all concerned After digesting all the pages of notes I have taken from my tour of the areas I Intend to introduce legislation legislation leg leg- Isla tion to that end |
