The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-12-08
PLANS To CARE FOR
FOREST RESERVES
Congressman Weeks Explains
Object of the Bill
STATES TO COOPERATE
Bill of Mr.. Weeks Embodies Scheme
to Prevent Forest Fires, For Eff
fectlve Game Warden serv-
Ice and other Reforms.

| Washington, December 7.-(Special.)
Representative J. w. Weeks of Mas
| sachusetts, a leading advocate of forest
reservations in the eastern portion of
| the country, who is the author of the
Weeks Forestry bill, passed by the
| House of Representatives at the last
session, and again introduced by him
at the special session just passed.
| speaking today, said:
.T very gladly avail myself of the
| opportunity of outlining tho provisions
of my measure. and giving some Idea of
the prospects for its enactment into law
at this session of Congress.
| 1.-THE matter of forest reselv Itions in
| the east has been before Congress for
many years. 1t has the Endorsement of
men of science. of commercial and civic
associations, navigation and power In
| terests, agriculturists, economists and
others who, seeing the menace involved
| In present conditions have earnestly
and pointedly shown that the only eff
| fective remedy for present conditions
was the acquisition by the government
of the forest cover at the headwaters
| of our important New England and
| southern streams. This being shown
| so clearly. means that 1t is time to
act, and the result was that the bill
| introduced by me at the last session,
passed the House after a favorable re-
| port thereon by the agricultural COM
| mittee."
"Why, then, was 1t not enacted into
olr I'D
| 1.-THE bill passed the House on March
l, at the very close of the session, and
| reached the Senate too late for 1t to
| receive the Senates consideration. The
attitude of the Senate has always been
| in favor of these eastern reservations
| for the Senate has passed, practically
| unanimously, two bills at previous ses-
| sions, to establish these reservations,
and would, in my opinion, have acted
| favorably on my measure had there
been time
Continuing, Mr. Weeks said: Il feel
| that there are excellent prospects for
the measure the coming session 1t Is
one that the country is demanding us
| necessity has been clearly proved py
many years of painstaking investlga-
ton, and having passed at various SEES
sions both the Senate and the House.
though not at the same session, | be
ieve it can be again passed wnen
promptly introduced and vigorously
followed up. / pan to take II up on
the opening day OF the coming session.
and if its friends AID advocates viii
| CLOSELY follow 1t along it's Legislative
course. It should be able to reach
| vote in both the Senate and the House
at an early date.
Taking up, at your request, the essen
tial features of the bill proposed by me,
its general scope is indicated in its title;
1t is called "a bill to enable any state to
| cooperate with any other state or
states. or with the United States, for the
protection of the water sheds of navi-
gable streams, and to appoint a commits
sion for the acquisition of lands for the
purpose of conserving the navigablility or
navigabe streams The bill is general
in its form, as you see. as regards the
area to be acquired, for while the APP
palachian and White mountain areas are
the ones most urgently needed, there are
| other watersheds in the east requiring,
or that will later require, similar protec-
tion and with the 81 100000 proposed
to be spent over period of six years
contemplated by my bill, very sub
stantial area would be thus acquired
wherever most urgently needed. The bill
provides, too, for an annual appropria-
ton of 100000 to be spent in fire pro-
lection, in such states as have fire laws,
and an effective fire warden system, al
lotted to such states in proportion to the
amount expended by that state for the
same purpose, during the same fiscal
year This appropriation would be in
the hands of the Secretary of Agricul-
ture, and would enable him to work out
an effective cooperative plan between the
states and the government, which would
cut down the tremendous annual fire loss
in our forests, and 1t can be said in pass
ing, that while some of the state are
doing this necessarily state duty. the ma
jority of the states are totally disregard
ing this duty. and are totally Indifferent
to this vast and irreparable though pre-
ventabe loss, from forest fires
"Under what plan, Mr.. Weeks, does the
government propose to ascertain what
lands are needed and how does it acquire
! them?"
"Under the terms of the bill the Sec
rotary of Agriculture is directed to ex-
anime, locate and recommend for pur-
chase such lands as, In his Judgment.
may be necessary to the regulation of
stream flow of navigable streams. His
| recommendations are to be made to
| commission of seven men, consisting of
the Secretary of War Secretary of the
Interior and Secretary of Agriculture,
| with two senator's and two members of
| the House. These are to pass on such
| lands and are to fix the prices therefor.
| no lands being purchased without their
| approval
"This gives a simple plan for ascer-
tanning what lands are necessary and
| for handling the purchase of such lands.
| Upon such purchase being made. this
area becomes part of the national forest.
and would be handled by the forest
| service under the identical lines of man
! agement and care as are used in the
| forest area in the west. where. as YOU
| know, the forests are being conserved
| through wise USE"
'"Is there any provision, Mr.. Weeks.
| for reimbursement to the counties or
states for the loss of taxes on this for
est area?'