The Washington times., 1908-12-27
Pinchot Will Name Commit
tee to See Just What
Is Needed.
REPRESENT ALL
PARTS OF COUNTRY
Members Will Tell Condition of
Each Section, and United AC-
ton Will Result.

Within a few days there will be
named a Joint committee TO prepare a
plan for united action by all Orgauiza-
lions concerned with the conservation
OF natural resources. clifford PiHchOt.
who was chairman of the joint conserv-
alton conference which was held in
Washington early in December. viii
name the committee, which will consist
of nine members, aside from himself
and Thomas r. Ship. secretary of the
National Conservation Commission and
of the joint conference.
With the naming OF the committee
viii begin the real, practical work OF
undertaking to conserve the natural re
sources OF the country,
Hitherto the conservation movement
has been educational. a movement Of
propaganda. Much has been done in
The way of arousing public sentiment.
President Roosevelt has repeatedly
spoken out and sounded the alarm 10
The people.
Thirty-fve Commissions.
TWO great conferences of governors
have been held here. The National Con-
servation Commission has done much
work. In thirty-hve States commissions
have been appointed. Newspapers and
other publications have done much in
promoting the idea that the time has
come TO stop ..r.. lu check the wan
ton destrucun. sources that will
be increasir-i. .rle 10 succeeding
generations. -. ...ters Of the conser-
walton movement g.-lize the Importance
Of all these things, but they are begin
ming 10 -roI caat the time is near at hand
when actaH results in the saving Of
coal fields on fields, gas. timber, and
other resources should begin.
The committee viii consist Of six
members of state conservation commits
sions and three members Of the national
body. The members viii he from dir-
fcrent parts of the country in order
that the needs of each section may be
taken into account
Will Get Ideas.
Ouy of the first steps that viii be
taken by the committee is 10 find out
whal each state commission purposes
To- do, what line Of effort e intends to
undertake and particularly what each
state commission intends TO urge its
Lc-iSIatur, to DO. This winter there
viii he a great number of Legislatures
lu session. 1t Is hoped that most OF
these viii provide for permanent con-
serystion commissions i'm the first place
and enact needed legislation.
To illustrate how IN, plan VIII work,
IL has been suggested by Br. T. g.
White, the state geOlcEist of West Nir-
cinia, and the NEST eminent authority
in this ccuHtory on natural gas, that
Indiana has the best law for the pro
lection # natural gas in the United
States It is a model law, despite the
fact il was passed too late Indiana
sas l. some because the law was not
passed soon enough. But the law was
made with fuH appreciation Of the
need OF conservation
Waste of Natural Gas.
Or. White says there are several other
States where gas is being wasted.
Louisiana is one. West Virginia is an
other. Dr. White thinks the Indiana
Commission on Conservation would do
well TO call the attention of other State
commissions TO the desirabHity OF enact
ing legislation like that i'm the Hoosicr
state. Incidentally, it may Toe said that
the West Virginia Legislature is cN-
pected u take this question OF con
serving natural gas up at its next ses-
sion
Mr. Piuclot is informed that a great
many Of The State commissions are pre-
pairing to make commentators to
their Legislatures this winter. II is
not the expectation that State commits
siOns and State Legislatures viii wait 10
begin the work until Congress has act
cd But through the committee OF
Uuc" IL will be possible in a general
way 20 narmcuize the movement.
No Action This Session.
Little expectation is entertained that
Congress can be induced 10 take any
action toward conservation this session
The first thing needed is a permanent
commission Of some sort. smaller than
the present national commission, but
strong enough TO carry the great work
forward. The report Of the national
body will 60 10 the President about the
first OF next month. 1t is expected he
will make recommendations for certain
legislation on the strength Of it, First
az all, To provide for d permanent EOdy
In charge Of the movement. While il is
generally considered doubtful If any
thing is done at this session. il has vet
to be remembered that many Senator's
and Representatives have in recent
months become interested i'm cOnSer-
walton and 50 have their constituents.