The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-09-04

New York. Sept 3.-Prof. Willis L.
Moore. chief of the United States
Weather Bureau, came to New York to-
day with storm. but he disavowed re-
sponsibility for il and said II was just
a concomitant Of a period Of north
easterly winds which we are apt 70 get
hereabouts at this season Of the year.
All the same. Prof Moore came from
Providence. which is little to the north
OF east Of here.
The professor has been attending TIE
Atlantic Inland Waterways Congress at
Providence. and Friday he made an ad-
dress on the relation Of the weather TO
rivers Discussing this to-day at the
Manhattan Hotel led Prof. Moore TO say
some things about the theories Of con
seryationists and to charge them with
trying to cram the American people with
falsehoOds in spite OF their doctrines.
Prof. Moore admitted the value OF con-
serving forests. but he declared that the
doctrine, so long propagated. that they
were necessary to protect our climate,
was absolutely false and that the records
Of the government for the last ffty years
fully proved this
Same Old Rivers.
The flow of our rivers is practically
what il has always been" said Prof.
Moore, "and the records Of the height OF
rivers Of the United States. their ex-
treme food. and low water would not
bear cut many Of the statements that
have been 50 broadly published The
American people have been taught that
foods have markedly increased in the last
fifty years; that low water Is lower in
the streams and high water higher. That
such a propaganda is absolutely false is
proven by the records Of the government.
TT cannot be stated too emphatiCally
that the depletion Of our forests has had
no practical effect upon the flow Of our
streams and the main reason is that
the broken. permeable soil Of the hus-
bandman is as good a cOnserver OF mois-
ture as a forest. Furthermore. the peo-
pie have been taught that cutting away
the forests has brought drought upon the
nation, and a long train Of evils. Now
the Weather Bureau has in its possession
the records Of New England for fully 100
years, and these show conclusiveIy that
II there has been any change in the pre-
clpitation of water there has been a
slight gain since the forests we're cut
down. The same thing Is shown by the
records for the Ohio Valley. which we
have for the last fifty years.
Much to BE UnIenrned.
I'm this respect We have been taught 4
good deal by designing people that wen
need TO unlearn. Any good cause is in
jured by bringing flllacious reasoning to
its support. and the truth is never helped
by attempting to bolster It up with false
hood. There are so many reasons why
our forests should be protected and con-
served that it is unfortunate that wildly
exaggerated claims should have been put
forth by some enthusiasts with regard to
the effect of forests upon climate and
floods. Whatever effect n forest has in
this respect is only local and small. a plus
in one place and a minus In another.
There is no fundamental effect.
Did il ever strike you that within
twenty-five years there will not be a sin
gle building allowed 10 be erected OF com
bustible material within the limits Of any
corporate town in this country? The
progress Of events is going to be such
that within that time wood will be used
only for ornamentaticn in cities
Then these enthusiasts are telling us
that the supply Of coal in the world VIII
ho ovh FnH rr-feF l. A.
dred years. AS a matter OF fact. the best
biologists can see 1000 years supply in
sight now. and there is no knowing how
much more is back Of that
But point that It is well 70 make is
that thousands Of years before the worlds
coal supply is exhausted. there will be
very little need for coal. by that time
a rational, policy Of conservation will re-
suit in the utilization Of the potentiality
o. - the rivers transmitting this poten-
tiality into heat and power warming our
houses doing our cooking. and furnish
Ing power for transportation and for man
ufacturing' then there will be no need
for fuel
Timber First Considered.
The purpose Of conservation was
VI 6lildlly SAID 10 De the protection or !
valuable timber Then the need was
taught Of planting millions OF trees 70 !
protect our climate-to prevent US from
being buried up during one part OF the
year and from being washed away the
other"
Prof. Moore is very proud Of those
weather maps which are published in /
some newspapers. He said:
There are now ffty-four OF the prin- /
cipai cities Of the country which publish /
the commercial weather maps. They con-
tain Information that enters into the bus |
mess OF every man. don't care what his |
occupation Is. and they are the best /
pieces OF news the. newspapers can print.
I'm Washington. by the cooperation Of /
all nations concerned, and our paying |
cable tolls and telegraph tolls. we are /
constructing every morning a chart /
showing the movement OF storms in the /
entire northern hemisphere. From that |
We are able 10 make weekly predictions.