Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-12-19
Devastation or FORESTS
BECOMING BIC PROBLEM
Trees East OF Rockies Fast Dwin-
ding, Says Chief OF U. 5.
Forest Service.
LOOKS TO PACIFIC STATES
Urges Federal Laws to Conserve
kcmaining Woodlands and Put
Idle Forest Lands to Work.
Causes Higher Transportation.
IRx Assnciutcd rrcss.l

WASiiiNGTON. Dee. Is. +, Forests
east OF me rocky Mountains are be-
ana burning that the nation soon VIII
he dependent tor the bulk Of It's con-
h,ruction lumber upon the forests Of
NJ pacinc Coast. William b. dreeiey.
United states forester. declares In his
annual report. made public today.
The situation, Mr.. Greeley says, is
on. that affects the public welfare
OF The entire country. mud no urges
Federal law to stop thc dcvasta-
tlon OF the remaining forests and tc
put IN" Idle forest lands AT work
of the United States have been Gull
ch. cut lover. or burnt. and three
hfths OF their merchantahie timber
Is gone" said MIR. Greeley. The
country IL taking about 20 .O0O. O0O. 90 0
cubic feet OF wood annually from it's
Forests and is growing about 5000,
100000 cubic feet.
We are cutting timber OF ever;
class, even trees too small Tor the
sa"mi!l. much faster Than they are
b"ins replaced IN our forests. There
arc SIN large quantities Of timber
IN u" United States. but they are not
IN the right place. SiXty-one per cent
or what tx left lies west OF tho Great
rains. far from the bulk of our non
uldt!on, agriculture ana manufactures
Many Forests Exhausted.
me tnhhGst!"n OF on" iorcstcd sec
tion afier another In the Eastern
suites i,a, been reelected In rising
transportation cOste The distance
h.t"e"n IN" average sawmiil and the
"NeraG" nome builder is steadily in
'rr"S!ng and wc shall soon be de-
pendent Tor the bulk OF cur congtruc-
ION lumber upon the forests Of the
i'actNC Coast.
These conditions hav. had a vital
hearing anon the high cost OF luIn-
Der. winch. during the year, reached
pron!bitlv" heure FOR many uses
M',iid cnrckei iae hni!diuS Of homes
Whlrh Is 80 urgently needed
9 nay" used up our icraEts with
OUT sr"w!ng nov "ncs. Al the bot
tom Of the whole problem Is idic
Forest land The United states con-
tnins $4,000 1000 acres Of cut-Oy.r and
L"nud"d forests containing no saw
TIMBER. SlpOO.QOO acres o; this have
been completely dcvastcd by forest
hres and methods OF cutting which
destroy OF prevent new timber
growth.
The area Of idle or largely Idle land
~ h"ins Increased by from 5000. 900
10 inuuVnO acres annually az tn. cut
tlnE ana burning OF forests continue
70 STOP the devastation and put
lhi" taruS to work the first step
must be the enactment OF :. Fed
"ral law whose TWO chief provisions
are: FIRST. comprehensive plan Of
Federal rp-operation with the Statcs
IN hrr prevention and the develop
mcnt oi forestry practice and see
und. extension 81 tine national Tor.
'sts through purchases. through the
inclusion u other tlmberlands now
IN Federal ownership aud through
exchange"
Original Program Developed.
SpeAhlni 81 a national forestry
pole, Mr Gree'ey said the. pro-
has bccn further developed.
This program, ho said. lis based
on IN" conviction that the problem
OF hating forest Devastation is fun
damcitnily o national. not Il local.
problem. and must be faced and ham
died - such.
At ia. same time IT is felt that the
spcchlest. surcst and most equitable
action can be secured through de
p"ud:nc. ON the police powers o!
tn" states FOR the enforcement Of
such reasonable requirements AK
should be ma'la OF priyat" owners and
on the stat. governments for pro-
Nihins organized protection OF pri-
Nate lands against IRE.
"RccaUS" the problem itself Is es-
s"ntialIy national, that is. one ar
icctinG the public welfare OF the
entire country and requiring to he
attacked as whole. not pieccmcal.
both Federal leadership and a large
measure of Federal aid are obiisa-
tory.
1t should be obligatory upon pri-
vaie owners TO apply the safeguards
necessary To prevent devastation
Thor" is i practical unanimity OF
agreement that tn. nrst and mos,
's.cnt'a! step is nationwide pro-
lection from forest fires, hppllca l. g
10 all classes OF forest land and
borne Jointly by the landowner and
the public"