Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1919-08-21

tional park movement is the
liyest cause which is not primarily cause grow
Ing out OF the great war. Our entrance into war
IN 1917 caused temporary postponement of the
plans then well under way for the organization OF
TINS association. In its place the National Parks
Eluucauonal committee formed to hold the
ground already gained and to organize the asso
clatlon at proptious time. The committee has
done Its work and the National Parks association
IS now doing business, with headquarters in the
q Union Trust building, Washington, d. G.
Inc purpose of the association is spendidly
patriotic. Wholly independent of the federal gov
eminent, it will closely cooperate with the ma
uonal park service, the new bureau of the depart
ment OF the interior established by congress to
administer the national parks
it is nonpolitical and one Of its purposes Ia n
Keep politics out of the national parks.
1t stands for the outdoor life for recreation amid
scenic beauty; for "See America First J" for the
development of the national parks as great
economic assets of the nation; for keeping bill
hons >or American dollars at home-before the
war something like $5OO,OOOOOO year was spent
by American tourists abroad in sightseeing, Of
which Switzerland alone got more than S2OOOOO-
600.
Yet, notwithstanding these many activities. the
main purpose Of the association is educational It
says to the people Of the nation who are to use
these public Fairgrounds:
do you know that our national parks are ma.
lures great laboratories and museums-that the
splendid spectacles which our national parks
present are not only wonders not merely
scenery, but also the conspicuous exhibits Of a
passing stage in the eternal progress Of creation
that they show us, upon mighty scale, the proc.
esses by which she has been and is making Amer.
tca-that you may double your pleasure in these
spectacles by comprehending their meaning and
that an Intelligent study of them will introduce
you to a new and wonderful world? Let us know
America, and let us really know it. Let us know
its natural as well as its national history Let us
differentiate and distinguish and appreciate.
Then only shall we know"
The purposes of the National Parks association
may therefore be concisely summed up thus:
To interpret the natural sciences which are Illus
trated in the scenic features, fora and fauna of
the national parks and monuments, and circulate
popular information concerning them in text and
picture.
To encourage the popular study Of the history,
exploration, tradition and folk lore of the national
parks and monuments.
To encourage art with national parks subjects
and the literature of national parks travel. wild
life land wilderness living AID the Interpretation
of scenery.
To encourage the extensions of the national parks
system to represent by consistently great examples
che full range of American scenery, flora and
fauna. vet confined to areas of significance so ex-
trnordnary that they shall make the name ma
tional park an American trademark in the compe.
ttion for the worlds travel; and the development
If the national monuments into system illustra-
rive of the range of prehistoric civilization early
exploration and history, land forms, American
forest type wild life. etc.
To enlist the personal services of individuals
and the cooperation of societies, organizations,
schools universities, and institutions in the cause
of the national parks and monuments.
The National Parks Educational committee con-
sisred of 20 members Charles D. Walcott secre-
tary of the Smithsonian institution, was chairman
The vice chairman was William Kent, former
congressman from California and the donor of
Muir Woods National monument to the nation
Henry B. T. Macfarland of Washington was chair