Evening journal., 1913-02-14
FRIDAY. FEB. IL. 1918.
PNCHOrs APPEAL FOR NATIONAL FORESTS.

PINCHOTS APPEAL FOR NATIONAL FORESTS.
xArE have received from Clifford Pinchot president
w of the National Conservation Association which
has its headquarters in Washington and its inhuen-
t membership scattered throughout the United States
a request for our assistance in nationwide hght
against the plan interested persons TO turn over
the Western States the national forests, which now
belong 20 the people OF the nation. As the Federal
Government has put end 10 the land grabbing OF the
peoples domain that constitutes such disgraceful
chapter the story Of the theft and waste of our ma
fural resources it is scarcely likely that it will de-
liver the national forests TO the Western States
for possible exploitation and spoliaton There ia
denying that there in Congress and out of
Congress who would ko TO make such deliveries 20
the States in the hope that later they might pass on
interested individuals. The fact remains, however
that in the country at large the sentiment IN favor
OF tho conservation Of natural so strong
that Congress scarcely will think seriously Of ny-
ing in the face Of It., Mr. Pinchots letter TO is
follows
10 the Editor Of THE EVENING JOURNAL Whining
My Dear sr:-Both in and out Of Congress an at
tempt is being made to turn the National Forests.
which belong to the whole people, to the
Western States This attempt was started because
most of the openings through which the public lands
aud their used to be stolen have been closed
The men who have grown rich or who desire to grow
rich by loong the public domain facing hard
control as a change for the better for to them the
present situation could not well be Although
certain number Of honest but mistaken be-
hnd the euort TO destroy the National Forests sum IN
somewhat extensive experience with land grabbers,
! cannot recall single ono who was not ardent
some OF the men most Interested deny that any such
movement exists at ALL partial answer Is that a
provision to give the National Forests and public
lands TO the Western States was introduced and de
feated az the last session Of Congress that West
orn Governors advocate H. and that than a dozen
bills TO promote or carry H. out actually before
Congress
The National Forests. like The timber. The water
power. the where the forest Is open, and the
minerals they contain do not stop aud the of them
does moi stop. at state Zines They be protected
and used with success only under policy that is alive
10 the interests OF the whole people, and not merely TO
the interests of any one section or state
The heart Of the conservation policy is development
aud use The United States Forest Service now Bit
terly attacked by those whom il has prevented from
development Of the National Forests, and the of
them by the small man first
Six hundred thousand people the National For
esis every year. The sheep and cattle which Craze
ican people with meat Every man. woman, and child
IN the United States six thousand feet OF lumber
in the National Forests Much OF The timber in them
Is still too remote and difficult OF TO be sale
able but rapidly IL be sold without
loss and without injury 10 the forest IL aud used
The service has built than eleven thousand miles
OF telephone lines sixteen hundred miles Of road and
over thirteen thousand miles of trails. Forty thousand
permits for the Of timber free by settlers u.s.
sued every year Foriy-fye thousand miners operate
in the National Forests and the Forests conserve the
water supply Of LIE towns and cities and S24 water
power projects which furnish light and power for in
dusrics OF every kind.
States Is n private hands. rhriy-seyen private own
ers absolutely control about muc timber as th
other nneD-tour millions of us have I'm the Naiiona
Forests What the nation has left must be protected
for the use Of MS an against the coming time OF need
and only the National Government can do that
the Forest Service Is clean and efficient organi
zation almost entirely made up Of Western
has always been and is today wholly free from poll
ties Why should the American people rum the risk q
postcsl msmanagenent and private monopoly b
splitting up the National Forests between fifteen q
twenty separate States most of which have no loros
services TO take charge Of them? II Is bad business
multiply organizations when viii do the work @.
pecally when that one is doing II well already.
If his movement were 30 succeed two billion dollar
worth OF public property in the National Forest
ship into private hands But the greatest danger iC
IN the monOpoies OF coal Waterpower timber. an
other natural resources 20 which such private oWno
snip inevitably leads. The proof of this
the story OF how the Western States have sauandere
the lands already granted them and the monopo
which have resulted therefrom There Is a simils
record in many of the Eastern States AS we'll
fthis attack succeeds the public lands and 9TH
public resources will be endangered in turn. I ha'
taken the liberty Of putting the facts in your han,
because ] hope for your help in this fight
Sincerely yours
Washington. d. c., Feb. S. 1918
We do not think that any true American cltiz
read that appeal in behalf of one of the nation
most valuable possessions without expressing fe,
ing OF indignation against those who would co
spre TO put through Congress legislation looking
the ultimate destruction Of those public forests
satisfy private greed. American timber is so scar
already that large quante Of timber being broug
the border That is due largely TO the fact tn
there never has been proper conservation policy
the United States Certainly the interests that ha
destroyed the pryateiy-owned, or prvateiy-grabbe
forests should not be permitted. through State !
aud influence, TO destroy national forests