The U.S. Secretary of the Interior these days is a kind of super-Noah, charged with rescuing a nearly lost legion of imperiled animal species. Almost 55,000 peopleIndians, Eskimos, Aleutsare also his special wards. He has the duty and considerable power to salvage the vitiated environment: polluted air, desecrated lands and impure water. Yet, when Richard Nixon appointed him to the office, Walter Hickel seemed to many critics to be more of an anti-Noah.
As Governor of Alaska, Hickel had been closely identified with the oil interests. Prior to his extended and embarrassing...