The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1921-02-21
Twelve Items of Proposed State
Forest Program to Be Taken
Up February "a
PLAN WOULD TAKE OVER
LAND AT FAIR VALUATION
All Land Suitable for Timber
Growth Would Be Used
as Public Forests
(By United Press)

(By United Press)
Chicago, Feb. 21.-That the states
Of the Middle West take over at a
fair valuation, and administer as
part of system of public forests, all
land suitable for timber growth upon
which private owners refuse to prac-
tice forestry is one OF the PROPOSE
lions for state forestry laws to be
proposed to the North Central States
Forestry conference at the Union
League clubs conference of COVER
nors on Thursday, February Dr.
Twelve items of a proposed state
forest program to be suggested to the
ference were made public today upon
the arrival of Warren B. Bullock,
secretary Of the National Forestry
committee to assist the Union League
club in it's preparation for the inter-
state conference,
The state forest program proposed
was originally adopted by the Ameri-
can Paper and Pulp association, the
parent organization of the paper
industry in the u. S.,
and written by tho association s. COM
mittee on forest conservation, Of
which r. S. Kellogg, chairman Of the
national program committee, Is q
member. The national committee was
formed to help the U. S. Forest Ser
vice enact legislation for a national
forest policy. and includes the AM
erican newspaper publishers as we'll
as manufacturers and consumers Of
forest products. This policy, embodied
in the Smell hill, Is nov, pending in
congress.
The program will be offered to the
governors conference as basis Of
but includes many feat
ures already endorsed by the tri-
state conference Of Illinois, Indiana,
and Ohio a year ago, and now pend
ing in Wisconsin,
The program includes the follow
ing points:
That all soil shall be made produce
tive of the crop to which 1t is best
adapted or for which there is the
greatest public need.
That while agriculture and fores-
try are based upon soil production,
the methods necessary for forestry
and the time involved are so different
from those of agriculture that fores-
try demands an entirely different
form of administration.
That state forest policies shall DO
io1 tn
alton with the national government
and with private owners wherever
and to the fullest extent possible.
That state forest legislation shall
establish general principles and pro-
cedure only and vest in properly
and non-pOlitical body
acting through technically qualified
the responsibility for
The fixing Of regulations and enfOrc-
ing them.
That the paramount and imlned-
ate consideration in any forest policy
Is the creation and maintenance Ut
effective means for the prevention
and control OF fire and all forest
ands OF whatever ownership and
hat every owner Of forest land shall
% required to conduct operations
.hereOn in such q manner as to avoid
fire menace to adjoining
That forest surveys, land classifi-
cation, forest research and forest
education shall be provided for.
That there shall be such changes
Ind adjustments in prevailing sys-
ems of taxation as will enable all
crest lands to be equitably taxed
yet will not discourage
he holding of private forest land for
uture crops withous impairing local
'evenues.
. The state upon request shall as
list the private owner Of forest land
o make them continuously produce
i've through the preparation OF
plans, supplying planting
and supervision Of silva
operations free Of charge or
It cost.
3 That the state shall be empowered
o take over at a fair valuation and
as part Of the system Of
public forests any land which, after
examination, is classified
Is suitable only for timber growth,
n case the owner refuses to avail
himself of the opportunity and as
;istapce provided by the public to
forestry upon private
ands.
That the acquisition OF forest land
~ the state is essential to a sound
'orest policy.
That all state owned forests shall
,e utilized for continuous production
10Th for direct returns in forest pro-
lucts and indirect returns in soil
game and recreation.