South Bend news-times., 1920-12-16
SEEK FUNDS FOR
REFORESTATIOH or
VARIOUS STATES
Department Of Agriculture to
Work in Cooperation With
State Department.

LEGISLATION and an appropriation OF
one million dollars 10 enable the de-
partment OF agriculture. tnr1uEG the
loresL service, 10 cooperate with tac
states in forest FIRE protection and
otner forestry work iL The nest ls-
car year has been asked FOR by
Sec'y Meredith .n supplemental
estimate submitted TO congress
through the treasury department.
WIN the approval ct the president
n MS amount ls needed. SCcy Mere
oith feels iu order TO enter on "a
bread program for conserving the
forest resources of the United
States
For some years the forest service
las had s1e5.0OG annually for co..
operation with states % protect the
watersheds 0f naVlg40Ie streams
against forest fires. " the new rec
ommendations are adopted, tne
work will aim at the protection OF
forest lands generally with "a view
10 insuring heir rcfoTe5-auOu.
Legislation Conditions.
The legislation asked for would
authorize and direct the secretary Of
agriculture. through the forest ser
vice. in cooperation with state Otfi-
cials or other suitable agencies, 10
recommend for each forest region
~ the Aulle2 states Lile essen -ltii
and standard requirements in pro-
tecting tmbered and cut-over lands
from FIRE. in reforesung dcuuded
lands. and, where and TO the extent
necessary, ip the cutting and re-
niOval of timber crops by methods
prCmCtire Of continuous production.
The secretary Of agriculture would
also be authorized 70 cooperate with
the states for putting into actual
effect such requirements, with a
view 20 furnishing continuous
supply Of timber for the use and
necessities OF the people OF Tie
United States 1t is 10 defray the
cost Of this cooperation that the
million dollar appropriation is ask
ed. Federal expenditures in any
state would have 20 be watched by
at least equal expenditures by the
state. OF it's own or contributed pri-
yate funds.
The request. officials OF the de-
parment of agriculture gay. is in
line with the course adVc Gated by
large associations representing the
lumber, paper, and allied industries
These Industries have been forced
10 recognize the depleted condition
Of the couutry's forests by increas-
ing shortage and cost of material
and are urging a national policy Of
forestry which win provide per
pctual supplies OF timber and other
forest products.
Ito provide an adequate future
supply Of timber" states ScC'y
~ eredith in transmitting the reque-
Tor legislation. lis one of our mos.
urgent economic problems one
forest re-iOn in the United State
after another has been cut out until
tnree-f0urth5 OF our primcyal for
e5ts are gone Ne are cuttiEs our
remaining timber four times as fast
as it IS being replaced by growth.
This situation Is reflected in the lost
Of forest products TO the consumer.
in ths shortage Of dwellings. In tho
inadequate supply OF neNvsprint pa
per, and IN the scarcity of certain
kinds and grades of lumber which
IS a serious menace TO many Amer
lean manufacturers.
Transporting Cost Heavy.
zone Of the clearest indications
or the using up Of our forests IS th
steaduy rising cost OF Transporting
btulber and pulp wood from the
forest 90 The mill or consumer. This
il urpoHuE q heavier burden upon
the consumer OF forest products ev-
cry year, particularly with the ape
preaching exhaustion Of the pine
forests i'm the southern states. which
viii leave the nation largely de
pendent on the supply remaluiu-
in q single reEiCn-the Pacific SOa--
-sSiNty-oue per cent of the timber
Loft I'm tho United States .s west OF
the great plains: and inCreasire
Quantities OF ordinary constructor
lumber are being hauled the width
of the continent. subject o. diitiCU
ties Of car shortage and freight con-
gcstion and at cost for transp0rta-
ttoU alone exceeding the value OF
common grades OF lumber nc the
s0wwiU. TIC exhaust our western
forests and become dependent up
ON Siberia would simply Gerry one
step further the triusr o~t.t zion sit
uatiou now raT idly cCmiU- about
''This situ7tion with is serious
economic cor seuuenCes is uuncccs-
sarv. We have 81 million acres of
forest land. more than an tho for-
ests OF continental Europe. cclceut
Russia. combined. which is uC7Y Sole
as far MS tle production of ecCu0nr.
timber crops ls concerned. Thcr
IS enough forest land ir the United
St1tes uot required fer other pur-
poses 90 provide an ample suppl.
90 wood fO~ III our industries
farms and homes. II his land is
Kept productive.
'The prob en- IS national fra itz
SCOPE because DC mas % IN WIN OF.
of orr most essential and wif, IS
used raw materials The situation
however can be met by cCr~trvc
tive plan OF federal cooperation
with the states. including financial
a1d in de-ruuiniuE upon and put
ting into eject under authority of
the states such measures OF Gre pro-
lection and t-lber cutting as viii
pernetuate rather than destroy our
forests
Present Appropriation Inadequate
"The present appropriation OF tho
forest S. r-iee for the cooperative
rre protection Of forazted water
sheds Of novlr1hTe Streams Isl wholly
inaisgr3te for this purpose both i-
amount au1 ir authority go deter
mine the essential requirements and
cooperate With the states ir bring
ing about their enforcement Co
op--rtion should bC extended 90 25
states. which contain a0rr0Nivate-
ly SIS r-iHe0 acres OF state end
privately owned forest land Less
WE