Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-12-27
P|NCHOT FOR THE
RIGHTS OF PEOPLE
DenounCes Monopoly of the
Sources of Production as
InimicaI to Nations
Welfare.
REPI IEc Tn ATTACKS
REPLIES TO ATTACKS
ON THE FOREST SERVICE
Addresses Publishers at New York
University Club.
FAILED TO SPEAK YESTERDAY
Speech Was to Have Been Delivered
at New Rochelle, But Storm
Prevented Keeping
Engagement.

"
NEW YORK. December a1-Gifford
Pinchot, forester of the United States. de-
clared In a speech here today before
number of prominent publishers at the
University Club that special interests
have made repeated attacks on the
United States forest service. and these
attacks have increased in violence just in
proportion as the service has offered e.
fectivc opposition to predatory wealth.
The speech was TO have been delivered
yesterday afternoon at Forum meet
ing at New Rochelle, y. Y. but MIR
Pifchot was snowbound in Pennsylvania
and telegraphed his regrets. As result
of the mixed-up conGition of the tele-
graph wires, the speech. which had been
sen. out in advance for release this
morning, was published in number OF
newspapers.
Frank to a Degree.
In view of the present acute stage OF
the so-called Ballinger-Pinchot contro-
versy and the impending Investigation Of
the Secretary of the Interior by COM
mittee of Congress, Mr.. Pinchot's utter
ances are exceedingly interesting.
Although. in his discussion of the "spe-
cial interests" opposing conservation, the
chief forester ment. .ons no names, his In
ferences are so plainly drawn that ne who
runs may read. In fact, the speech, COM
ing just at this time, Is all but red hot
and undoubtedly will give further impetus
to the efforts of those persons and inter
ests fighting him on the ground that ne IS
too devoted to the Roosevelt policies.
lives too much in the glories OF the past
and fails to see i'm the Taft administra-
ton anything that promises well for the
future.
Conservation to Stay.
The speech of Mr.. Pinchot follows:
The American people have evidently
made up their minds that our natural
resources must be conserved. That is
good, but it settles only half the ques-
ton. For whose benefit shall they be
conservation the benefit of the many.
or for the use and profit of the lew:
The great conflict now being fought Will
decide There is no other question before
us that begins to be so important or that
will be SO difficult to straddle, as the
great aueStion between special interest
and equal opportunity. between the
privilege of the few and the Fights of
the many, between government by men
for human welfare and go.e- nment ny
money for profit, between the men VINO
stand for the Roosevelt policies and the
men who stand against them. rms Is
the heart OF the conservation problem to-
day.
..The conservation issue is q moral Is
sue When a few men get possession OF
one of the necesSaries of life, el>her
through ownership OF natural resource
or through unfair business methods. ana
use that control 10 extort undue prot
as i'm the recen; case OF the sugar trust
and the beef packers, they injure the
average man without good reason. ana
they are guilty o. moral wrong. ~
does not matter whether the unduc pfoAe
comes through Stifiing competition Dy Tt
hates or other crooked devices, through
corruption of pubic officials. or through
seizing and monopoiZing resources winch
belong to the people. The result Is always
the samoa toll levied on the cost ot
living through special privilege
Some Things at Stake.
...rbe income of the average famii. in
the United States is less than 5000 a yeaI.
To increase the cost of living 10 such a
family beyond the reasonable profits OF
legitimate business is wrong. Ii IL not
merely question of a few cents more a
day for the necessaries of lifes or OF a.
few cents less a day Tor wages. RAJ
more is at stake--the health or sickness
of little babies. the education or lsno-
rance Of children, virtue or vice III
Young daughters, honesty or crfminaiitA
in Young sons. the working power o.
breadwinners. the integrity or fanhlies.
the provision for old age--iu a WORD. the
welfare and happiness or the misery and
of the plain people are NJ
yolyed i'm the cost of living.
..'ro the special interest an unjust rise
in the cost of living means simp higher
profit but TO those who pay IL, tuaL
profit is measured in schooling, warm
clothing, "A reserve to meet emergencies,
a fair chance TO make the fight for COM
fort decency and right living
Evils of Monopoly.
Il believe in our form OF government
and | believe in the golden rule. But We
must face the truth that monopoly OF the
sources of production makes II impossi-
ble for vast numbers OF men and women
to earn fair living. Right here the con-
seryation question touches the daily life
of the great body OF our people. who pay
the cost OF special privilege. And the price
is heavy. That price may be the chance
to save the boys from the saioons ami
the corner gang. and the girls from
worse and to make good citizens OF
them instead of bad: for an appa ling
Of the tragsdie of life spring
directly from the lack of littee money.
Thousands OF daughters OF the poor ran
into the hands of the white slave traders
because their poverty leaves them with
,ut protection. Thousands of families. az
the Pittsburg survey has shown us, lead
ives of brutaiiZing overwork in return
'or the barsst living. Is il far that these
thousands of families should have less
Than they need in order that few
families shou d have swollen fortunes at
their expense? Let him who dares deny
that there is wickedneSs In grinding the
faces of the poor. or assert that these
Ire not moral questions which strike the
rery homes of our people. IL these are
rot moral questions. there are no moral
questions.
Gifts of Public Property.