Arizona republican., 1921-05-23

NEW STATE RULING ID AID FORESTERS
 IN FIGHTING FIRES

Authorizing a requisition by a red eral forest supervisor for an auto mobile for use and operation in the prevention and extinguishing of any fire or endangering forest reserva- tion as a permit, the corporation commission has authorized the use of hired motor vehicles over the state highways.
 In it's order the commission stated that the filing of such requisition signed by a federal supervisor should be sufficient notice to all officers and agents of the state of the issu- ance of a permit.
 It has been brought to the atten- tion of the corporation commission that there have. been instances throughout the state of Arizona in which the foresters of the United States government have had need of motor vehicles for the transportation of men and supplies to. fires and for other government business but have been unable to secure such motor vehicles. since either there were no cars operating under proper author ity in the vicinity or those operating with authority were already engaged or out of reach on some other busi- ness. On application of the foresters to owners of motor vehicles the for esters were informed that the cars could not be used and paid for by the government since the law forbade the use and operation of motor ve- hicles for hire without proper author ization.
 Application was made to the cor poration commission on part of the forest service of the department oi agriculture to declare the use and | .1s owned nor operated by the govern sions of the said law while being used and operated in the service oi the supervisors of the forest service Of the United States.
 While the commission does not pos sess the power nor has it any author ity to set aside or to ignore the pro- visions of the statute the nature and extent of the federal forest reserva- tions. within the borders of the state of Arizona were matters taken into consideration.
 The order made Saturday reads ir part:
 It is very apparent, and is there fore given cognizance, that the forrest reserves are storehouses of immens, natural resources and wealth, ant necessitate careful conservation anc full protection from the danger O forest fires with the resultant de. struction and disaster following il | their path. It is the duty of tn,
 state, and therefore Of it's citizens, t'
 guard against the destructive elemen of fire, and in the performance o
 such duty to invoke those latent pow
 CTS inherent in each sovereignt!
 which take no heed in their emerg | ency of the ordinary and usual pro
 cesses of law enforcement. It is
 ma tier of common knowledge. ana |
 accordingly given recognition by thi commission, that fire fighters ar possessed of great competence, dili gence and unquestioned integrity The commission has considered tha
 these qualifications are possessed b.
 the federal forest supervisors, and i ] convinced, that in the performance O
 their duty the said supervisors woul'
 not establish that such confidence | misplaced.
 1 The commission having considers the application, and being fully ad
 vised in the premises, finds that tn protection of the forest reservation
 within the stae of Arizona require the use and operation of motor We hicles, under the direction of the fed eral forest supervisors. over the pub lie highways of the state. for the du
 ration of the public necessity arisin from and out of the discovery an existence of fires within or endan gering the said federal forest reser VatiOnS.