The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1920-08-20
CONSERVATION
PLAN PRAISED
Calls Ignite Coal Project Ap.
p'ication Of Fundamental
Conservation Principle"

Harry A. Slattery. whose tribnte to
the essential soundness Of the Non.
partisan Leagues policy with refer
ence to state development of natural
resources is printed below. is one Of
the most potent individuals in Anleri-
can public life. For ten years and
more he has stood between the land
grnbbers. the cOal-grabbers aud the
wer-grubhcrS on the one hand and
the people Of the United States ON
the other. fighting Il daily battle to
.lnotect some $:O,UDO, OCN, 900 of public
Resources from, the m;lrnu,ling attacks
Of these special privilege interests.
For ten years. as secretary of the Ma
tionul Conservation association. of
which Clifford Pinchot is president.
Mr.. Siuttery has met the speciaI-in-
t.."eSt senators and congressman and
cabinet officials and ordinary lobbyists
in WaShinStor and HIS. by pure moral
force and effective presentation OF the
facts. driven the robbers off.
nHring the past year. however. he
has seen the Wilson administration
silence the, col,ServationSts within its
own ranks. and unite with the Slnoot-
Lodge Warren element of despolers
on the one hand and the Myers
Thonl;,s-King organization Of enemies
Of the public domain on the Demo-
cratic. side of congress, to vote away
to private lease the waite" powers. the
mineral deposits and even partial con-
troll Of the national forest resources.
In spite Of heroic resistance ted by
Senator LuFDliette. the chance for a
ciean-cut program of federal develop
uent of natural resources has passed
Yet even here, the fight of the
National Conservation association has
forced compromise Which enables
the people, when in the future they
win control Of their Federal Govern
ment, to apply conservation principles
such as the State 81. North Dakota Is
to apply to its Ignite resources.
Mr. Sattery writes:
"rhe conservation movement innuC
urated new viewpoint il, Amerr;
relative to our natural resources. The
essence Of thai viewpoint was con
kuined in til" statement that the nat
ural resources belong to all the people
aud should be developed. protected
and perpet,Etrd directly for the brue
fit of all the people and not for th'
profit of few. Conservation princi
Piles. voiced in glttering -enrrt'ilr>
without specifying who the resource
were to b. conserved for. became stOc
l;S.t;
ton in the country j"ine'l in the liz
service t. the Shihl,pIrth conservation
Of Ameri,.:,u> natural resources fU
the American people.
Famine Draws Nearer.
But the truth is that few special II
tere>1S have prur,rcd il. so that t"|:l
W.. are ten years ncart: Il famine !
Iuun|,rr. oil, POTASH. phn>l'hnteS. an
other nrtt>>ary resources. And tn
remaining resources are largely i'll tn
hands Of Il few large. corporation
who charge on thrir raw inAteri:,l
what The traffic will h"ar--.:hit.l:. ::
always. ll,r ultimate consumer pays
Out of :, fog of promises Oh ron>r
walton, has com" t:!,' 'ih;ir-tu1 pll
tical plan Of the Ennp;rli>an l.cagu
first IN their state program. to 'l"vr'o
TIL. Ignite fields vi coal for and
tfe interest of The consuming publ
And likewise with this plan I'"'~ lG''
in han,i the conservation Of his +
source from VASE and drSlrtlcti"
This j. the use u' resources for II
benefit of all and not for the profit
a frw-lle fundamental rnuS'!vat;'
principle"
HAIRY A. SI.ATTEisf.
Of a~iiiii@;,,n. II. c..