New-York tribune., 1913-11-23
Calls the Ex-Forester and
Friends Dream Book
COnSerVatiOniStS."
SAYS EASTERNERS
PACKED CONGRESS
District of Columbia Had 1852
Delegates, Against 10 for
Washington State.
fFrom The Tribune Bureau. !

Washington, Nov. PA sarcastic at
tack on Clifford Pinchot and his conserva-
ton policies was made In the House 70
day by Representative Albert johnson, OF
Washington, who said he was one of the
founders of the National Conservation
Congress, which became divided into two
hostile camps at the convention here last
week.
III this great organization finds Itself
on the rocks" said Mr.. Johnson. "the
people of the United States should know
that 1t was wrecked by Clifford Pinchot
against the final protests OF his friends
Walter L. Fisher, Charles L. Pack, James
r. Garfield and others"
Mr.. Johnson referred to Mr.. Pinchot
and his followers as dream book con-
servationlsts." and alleged that the recent
conservation congress had been packed
with theorists from the East" Those
theorists, he said, had overrun the West
ern founders Of the congress, whose eff
forts were Ito develop along rational lines
plans for the true conservation OF the
great resources OF the Pacific Northwest :"
This was the object of the congress, he
said, when 1t was organized FIVE years
ago at Seattle and before the Pinchot
men gained the ascendancy.
Reviewing the activity OF Mr.. Pinchot at
the several conventions, including the
turbulent one Just closed, Mr.. Johnson
said:
Now we come to the fifth congress,
held In Washington this month. A meet
ing OF the Forest Association was called
day ahead OF the congress. and we find
present numbers OF the employees of the
forest service OF the Department OF Agri-
culture Many remained as delegates 10
the conservation congress. and in that
congress. called primarily TO discuss the
welfare OF the United States, but devoted
principally to the heavy problems of the
West, we find accredited to the District
of Columbia l62 delegates.
Opposed 10 this army from the DIS
trict, which has no vote In the anairs OF
the nation but knows better how TO
handle all the people OF the forty-eight
states combined, there were only ten ac-
credited delegates from the State OF
Washington. where the congress was
founded New York had accredited dele
gates TO the number OF sixty and Oregon
had seven. and am informed majority
OF these were members OF the forest
service or paid employees Of the conserva-
ton Association"
Mr.. Johnson referred to other Eastern
states which he said had been given undue
representation, adding;
taL ufitb bpttt "a rQll-
call the voice OF the East sounded like
the voice OF Niagara, while the voice OF
the West sounded like the chirp OF a
canary bird: on a vote by states the
Eastern states found themselves with
twenty votes and the Western states with
but ten Most OF the Southern states had
ten delegates along with the West and
no Western idea OF outline was given the
slightest consideration. The men who
had founded. financed and kept alive the
conservation congress found themselves
neither welcomed nor wanted.
THE whole thing was sample OF what
may be expected under increased federal
bureaucracy"
Mr. Johnson said he had no criticism
TO make Of the present Chief Forester,
Mr.. Graves. who is doing the best he
can with the bad legacy that was left
him and who should not suffer for a
scheme which he inherited. 1t is up TO
Congress to help rather than hinder
him"
The Washington member said conser-
walton had come TO stay, but the country
should not he forced ito take II all at
once"