Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-08-02
GOVERNMENT TO SHARE EXPENSES YOUR SUMMER VACATION

w
eastern half Of the United States, mus
the Minnesota forests be omitted. Thes4
Of the year splendid deer hunting. Thea
there are the north woods" OF Nsw
England.
Practically every forest affords nsh a.
some kind, while in the matter OF eanas
the same conditions hold as are appiics-
BILE to the state wherein the forest Is To-
Gated. In this way. In the early TAU.
the national forests offer exceptional op-
portuntties for hunters as well as the
mere camper.
When Woodstock was cited an being
the headquarters of the forest examiner
in charge Of the Massanutten area. IL
was but q single example of conditions
found in every forest. Each government
reservation has Its superintendent. whose
keep II as free from fires as poasfoie,
but who also is a bureau OF informa~
ton to the campers Of the FOREST as Wen
Not grown-ups alone are admitted 70
the forests to camp, as parties Of boys.
not too young. OF course, VIII giadly y
granted camping privileges. The iores.s
as camping sites for parties OF BOY
Scouts has already been appreciated. ano
This summer has seen bands OF boys scat
tered throughout the various government
forests. In speaking OF making the IoI
ests accessible to boys. as wen a. srowh
people, a member of the forest service
niaced little weight upon the likelihood
of damage being done to the forest.
Bows" he declared. do not destroy
the forests as one might suppose. ~
least, such has been our experience
rake. for Instance, q party of boys be-
tween fourteen and eighteen years VI
age, who go into q forest to camp. the
III end what te II ,hes DO It. win in
dict harm upon the trees. IL mas
practically never failed that these boys
are so proud of the notice taken OF
them by the forest examiner ana the
care he takes in practically every case
to Instruct them in forest knowledge:
that they regard the safekeeping OF
the forest as trust They are not
only careful not to break that trust
themselves, but would not hesitate 20
stop others they saw breaking It, II
seems to be boy nature somenoW: bus
the fact remains chat we have little or
no trouble with boy campers.
One fact in connection with camping
on national forests exists which makes
In the event of family finding camp
ing site which not only met their needs
but combined all the sought for points
in camp. they could practically make
il their own for many years to come
In addition to the ordinary camping
permits issued by the forest service,
is another which grants the exclusive
privileges of a given spot to one per-
son or party. This of course, has moth
ing to do with the title to the land. It
merely makes 1t possible for any one
desiring the same place year after year
to secure ii without hurry and scurry
to get there first each season. Nor is
that the sole advantage of this permit.
Not only can a tent be pitched, but a
portable house or even a log cabin can
be built upon the land. The cost of
such permits range from five to ten
dollars a year. according to the site
chosen.
Rules governing the use of these sites
are the same as those for temporary
campers There are no restrictions re-
garding the use Of the land, SO long as
the ordinary camping privileges are all
that Is requested. Under certain condi-
tons, however. trouble might arise. If,
for example, a permit granting the sole
use Of a certain tract Of land was issued
and the bearer of the permit attempted
to keep other campers from using his
spring, though no other. existed within
considerable distance, the permit would
be recalled.
The object in granting permits, whether
for temporary or permanent camping
sites. is to give to the people the advan-
tages afforded by the national forests.
But were single person to attempt to
restrict those advantages or to make
revenue from them he would find sud-
ucit 1tiu lIiOSl CoiIpActc OppOeltlOu
the government. Where a log cabin 10
desired, timber from the forest itself
can probably be obtained. This. il cut
under the direction OF the forest superin-
tendent, rnay be gotten free of charge.
But even in the event Of a fee being
asked it would be small. With the privi-
lege of erecting log cabin. goes that
OF building a fence around the camp
THE price is to ask it kindly" might
be the motto coined by the forest
service, so aptly does IT express their at
titude with regard to the national forests
as government Fairgrounds" To those
who come. asking kindly that they b.
allowed the privilege of camping within
the boundaries of tliLse areas watched
over by Uncle Sam. everything possible
will be done for them and healthful.
happy carefree vacation can be enjoyed
with but little to worry about in the way
of the high cost of living.
So. after all. why not let Uncle Sam
share the cost of a vacation? It is not
half SO foolish a question as may have
appeared at the beginning Of this tale.