The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1909-07-25

cape one billion feet a day, sufficient to
light every city OF 100000 or over, in the
whole United States. Only one State
has an effective law against gas waste
That State is Indiana. But there are
twenty-slx States producing gas.
The petroleum area of the United
States IS less than $500 square miles, and
its limit OF production is estimated at
5000 100000 barrels. The rapid Increase In
production, and the waste at present in
yolved in handling. prompted the Ma
tional Conservation Commission 10 the
statement that supply cannot be ex-
pected to last beyond the middle OF the
present century.
The available and accessible supply OF
coal in the United States is placed at !, 400-
00aO00,000 tons. At the present increasing
rate OF production. this supply will be so
depleted as to approach exhaustion be-
fore the middle Of the next century. The
mine waste now averages one ton for
every ton taken out. But Of the coal
placed on the market. steam engines uti-
lie an average OF per cent Of the
thermal value Internal combustion en-
gines utilize less than 20 per cent. The
electric lighting far less than ! per cent
OF the thermal energy Is rendered avil-
able In OF ar words, OF a material
which once used is gone for eli time, we
are wasting 50 per cent in the mine, and
over 80 per cent in the engines.
Heading Toward Wood Famine.
The total yearly growth Of forests is
estimated at 7.OOO,OO0OOO cubic feet We
are now taking out 23,oOO.O00OoO cubic
feet yearly. OF each 1000 feet which
stood I'm the forest, an average Of only
800 feet Is used. Now as we are using
over three times our yearly growth
and conserving only about one-third Of
what we cut. we are headed straight to-
ward forest exhaustion. The forest eX-
haustlon carries with II the dangers Of
soil erosion. river pollution, and a chain
Of related evils.
Add to our wild misuse or forest area
the fac: that forest fires annually aver
age a range over 50000.O00 acres. and YOU
will appreciate the contention that prac-
teal forestry is needed Immediately over
the whole United States; yet less than
l per cent Of privately owned forests Is
thus cared fer. Regarding the value
OF science IN this direction, the Conser-
walton Commission states that we can
produce a constant lumber supply four
times greater than our present need. and
in the process conserve the value OF
streams for irrigation, navigation. power,
and water supply.
What Legislation May Do.
''Porticularly interesting will be the field
Of legislation opened up by an attempt 20
safeguard the interests Of the coming
race In water powers. The moisture Of
the clouds belongs TO no one. As soon
I l. F,T a., I. a. ~
| longs to whom? To the man on whose
/ ground II falls. Yet not solely, for II he
/ holds It no wheels are turned II he lets
/ II go under control he gets power from
/ 1t by passing Il along. Then TO whom
does II belong? To the next man who
| chooses 10 control Il, and so on down TO
/ the point OF slight fall and slow move
ment.
THE creation OF a storage basin so as
/ 10 regulate the flow brings up a new set
OF questions involving the rights Of every
manufacturer OF water power affected by
the storage basin. for 1t Is manifestly
impossible for n storage basin 20 benefit
only one Of the powers constructed at
points down stream. 1t also involves the
question of right location Of the storage
basin. for II Is possible for the narrow
view OF one individual TO reduce the full
capacity Of a stream by storing AT an Ill
advised spot. But the paramount ques-
ton is whether by law any man or set
OF men should control forever for per
sonal gain a product that cometh down
alike upon the just and the unjust.
las the coal measures yield up their
wealth 20 mans wasteful hand, the water
powers viii become mans great hope for
gathering and controlling for his use the
electric forces Of the air. and thus comes
into view the necessity for provisiOnary
| legislation. AS water is positively an in
destructible source Of power. legislation
should make the establishment Of water
powers easy. but their alienation difficult.
Law Should Control Soil.
ct should be possible for law to con-
troll the manner Of using soil. so as to
| prevent its disappearance from the sur
! face of the earth and its appearance later
as a shoal or obstruction in the rivers.
/ We viii assume that a mans title TO a
farm is clear That gives him the right
to use It. but does it give him the right
to use It 50 that the next generation can
grow nothing on it? Here is a field for
crusade OF education.
Furthermore, II In abusing his land
he chokes another mans dam so that II
the navigable stream that belongs to the
nation. has he not brought into existence
conditions that call for action? Is ne not
distinctly affecting racial life and interest
and therefore running counter 10 the
great thought conservation? 1t should be
possible through enlightened public
| thought and by law 10 prevent the waste
of gas oil. and coal. each Of these being
handled in such way as to extract in
the service OF man every possible value
II Il Is right for Indiana 10 legislate
against the waste OF invisible gas. why
not every other gas-producing Slater
States Should Cooperate.
1T should be possible for the States
whose lines are involved in a mountain
range like that OF the Appalachians tc
come together through harmonious legfs.
lation. affecting ali States alike, and e
bring into existence a conserving impulse
with or without national aid. At pres
ent not one strong move has been sue.
cessfully taken toward protecting thu
head waters Of a section that IS peculiarly
dependent upon water power. and as fal
as we can see. no steps will be talSer
until the States involved come to some
working agreement with each other.
say this advisedly, because the attempt
to save the Appalachian range in tn,
last two sessions Of Congress has failed
This was not because men who formed
the Agricultural Committee OF Congress!
were opposed to serving the South, bu
because they found no unanimity OF
thought among those coming from tho
Southern States.
Our people in watching keenly against
any abridgment Of the rights assigned Il