The San Francisco call., 1904-10-07
FORESTER NEEDS
TO BE TAUGHT
Educational Requirements to
Secure Competent Officer
Are Proposed by Committee
WILL BAR POLITICIANS
Inquiry Concerning Methods
for Stopping Forest Fires
Leads to Some Conclusions

graduate of some forestry school.
with a certain number of years ex-
perience, is the sort of person that
members of the California Water and
Forest Association wish to have an
pointed as forester for this State. un-
der the terms of a bill to be presented
to the California Legislature at its
next session. A meeting of the COM
mittee that was appointed at a recent
conference between the Water and For
est Associations committee and repre-
sentatfves of the United States For
estry Division to draft a bill to prevent
the further destruction of California
forests by fires will be held next Sun
day. William Thomas is the chairman
Of that committee and 1t will have be-
fore 1t the bill that was recently sub
mitted by the Forestry Division repre-
sentatives who have been engaged in
work in this State. In that proposed
measure one clause made the appoint
ment Of forester by the Governor fol-
low the recommendation of the For
estry Division.
The purpose of this provision was to
make it certain that no mere politician
should ever be selected to fill a position
that requires some knowledge of for
estry. 1t was considered certain that
no Governor Of California would ever
consent to have a bureau of the ma
tional Government select for him a
man to appoint to any State position.
The desirability of having a man with
the indispensable forestry lore led to
turning over the bill to special COM
mittee for amendment to meet existing
conditions. Since then the idea of pro-
viding an educational qualification for
the State forester is reported to have
gained ground. There is no demur to
the general suggestions made by the
Governmental forestry attaches 1t will
probably be recommended that the fire
wardens be provided for in the bill;
each warden having a specified dis
trict shall be entirely under the control
and direction of the State forester.
Probably the amount asked from the
State as an appropriation in the for
estry bill that has already been con-
sidered will be raised from $50. 900 by
the special committee to some larger
sum. The compulsory burning Of
"slashings" as a preventive measure
against fires Is still open to discussion.
Holders of large timber tracts have
said that they approved of promptly
destroying the slashings for the pur-
pose of getting the litter that might
feed flames off the ground. Smaller
timber owners may object on account
of the expense involved.
Possibly two bills may be reported,
so that if one set of provisions proves
to be too strongly opposed another set
may be adopted and so make the neces-
sary beginning possible. 1t is now re-
ported that there was no need for the
great fire at the Big Basin in Santa
Cruz County lately. Smoldering en-
bers were seen week before the large
confederation. Parties who passed
seemed to think that the responsibility
belonged to others. The real fact was
that responsibility did not devolve of
ficially on any one. The appointment
of, forester and the forest wardens
will make it the duty Of paid persons
to watch for incipient fires and to sx-
tinguish them as soon as possible, be-
fore any destructive headway can be
made.