The Washington times., 1910-08-26

Al the doors OF men like Hepburn.
Garter, and MOndeu,'' in Congress, Cif-
ford PInchot today lays the moral re-
sDonsioility for the vast loss Of life and
property III the forest fires Of the west.
These men, two Of whom are Sen
ators, and the other chairman OF the
{ House Committee or Public Lands. de-
/ claTes the former Government forester,
I have, in effect been fighting on the side
OF the fires when they have made light
Of the efforts OF the Forest Service 20
/ prepare itself 70 prevent Just such a
! calamity as the one which has devas-
tated the forest land OF the West and
resulted IN the loss OF nearly 100 lives
4 II IS a lesson, says 8Ir- Pinchot. which
/ the people VII heed
/ Reports OF the fire situation IN the
f West were received this morning from
/ Oregon New fires have broken out
there, away from the already black
/ ened Crater Forest. where incendiary
+ foes OF conservation, the Government
( officials believed. wer,. at work Troops
VIII be rushed 10 tie aid Of the IRE
I fighters
/ A summary Of the general situation is
{ expected az the Forest. Service today
3 from Henry s Graves, who succeeded
2 M PinChOt as forester M Graves
1 arrived at MissOuIa, Mont, Thursday,
supervising the fight against the flames
IncendiaTy Brand Found
/ The reports from Oregon declare that
the fncendiary brand has found its way
among the growth OF the OreEOn Nat
uraI Forest on the north end Of the
/ Cascade Range
It IS thought today that the Forest
Service VIII likely put into the field.
With the estiUators who viii seek 10
q ara The loss damage 3
of scientific assistants OF the Forest
fServiCe- These young men, technically
strained IN the matters pertaining to the
lvaSt forests, VIII STUDY the enecI OF
the flames on the newer undergr077th
iOf the forests
7 am proud OF the splendid work the
linen OF the Forest Service have bell do
ling against the Western forest ares,
isaid lIr- PinCLUt- Many OF then. have
given their lives TO protect the hOnes
Iof settlers and the forests on which the
pend To my mind. their conduct IS
Beyond all praise
Could Prevent Calamity.
The men in Congress ike Hey5urn.
Garter. and Nondeu. who have made
light Of the efforts OF the Forest CIV
lice TO prepare itself 20 prevent just such
a calamity as this. have, IN effect, been
hehting on the side Of the fires against
the general welfare
IF even small fraction Of the loss
from the present fres had been expecd-
ed in additional patrol and preventative
equipment. some OF perhaps ali Of the
loss could have been avoided / believe
our people viii take this lesson 20 neart-
and insist that the settlers and their
wives and children. the unae-Tnen- ana
the miners. and the two billion dollars
worth Of national property in the na-
ItionaI forests shall be adequately pro
Etected-
Forest fires are preventable- K is
a good thing for Us To remember az this
time that nearly or quite al OF the
loss suffering. and death these nreS
have caused IS wholly unnecessary A
FIRE in the forest IS the same kind OF
a thing as a IRE in the city There IS
only one way to fight either The FIRE
deuartment of every city = organized
vIth the prime idea or getting TO the
ere when II Is young
so with forest fires The time to con
Guer them Is before they grow strong
If a forest is equipped with roads,
trails telephone lines, and reaSon2 bic
number OF men for patrol there IS no
more likelihood that great fires VIII be
. able 20 get star ed than there is that
I great confa Erations like the Chicago
I fire VIII get started in city with a
modern IRE department Under rare cir
. cumstances they may. but the chances
I are against IL
Service Is Commended
The forest service has done wonders
with its handful Of oevoced men It
has put out every year many thousands
OF small pres, any one Of which might
under favorable conditions have de-
veIoped into a conhagratIon which 1900
men could not stop This year, because
Of the great drought. the worst in the
| West for more than twenty years, there