Polk County news. [volume] (Benton, Tenn.) 191?-1983, 1921-01-13

though not entire emphasis for the time being OIL
fire prevention as the most important single step
and not less than a million dollars annually aN"H
able for such cooperation with states
survey to obtain necessary information as "
forest resources forest production anu loiee' 10
auirements of the nation. s4
Provision for studies and experiments Ill tole't
reproduction methods, wood utlllzauon' tiinO9
tests. wood preservation development OF py-piou
ucts and other steps to bring about the most eiASo
tive use of the nations forest resources
Provision for study of forest taxation 10 as
sist states in devising tax laws when VIII eleout
age the conservation and growing OF timber Also
of methods of insuring against 1oresl iosse0 -
fire.
provision for more rapid replanting of the vast
oraas of denuded lands within the national Forests
Augmentation of ten million dollars year '1or
five wears for the purchase of lands winch sllou'u
he added to the national forest system Whether or
not on the headwaters of navigabe streams as
such purchases are now limited -'@
Authorizing acquisition of similar lands py eA.
changes of land or timber when clearly in the pub
lie interest. .re s... %
Authorizing the addition to national forests OF
lands now in other forms of government owner
shin but found chiefly suitable for permanent lor'
est production , . Il, .,,. i,
"There appear to be two schools of thought, IN
connection with the national forest proplem' says
NJ
70 he advocating absolute government control OF
timber. not only that owned by the government
h,,t also timber owned by states and individuals
rho other school advocates the development or
uniform policy the part OF the government
aroIidinp for cooperation on the part of the gov
eminent with state and individual owners.
"yhile the first policy may be theoretically
ideal it is obvious that before it can be put ihto
nroctice the federal government would invade the
8 nd
unnrecedented in the history of the government
81 am heartily in accord with the suggested
form Of legislation indorsed by the New York con-
ference 1t is my opinion that it includes the eS
santials necessary not only for the protection OF
the existing forests but for their perpetuaoh anu
conversion into an increasing asset
Mr. Weston's Endorsement of Mr. Packs legis-
lotivo nrogram emphasizes the fact that in tack
,ino the forest problem, congress has big JoD
obeod of it, Mr. Weston inderses 1t because OF
IT'S contrast with the plan of absolute government
control of timber Nevertheless, there are many
neople who will consider even Mr. Packs program
as altogether too nationalistic
Some of the eastern states VIII doubtless reel
that way, especially those which are well along
In q constructive and effective state forest policy
of their own. 80
Then there are people who regard the Depart
ment of Agriculture already too big ana I'M
wieldy, They are likely to object to giving the
secretary OF agriculture the additional power he
would get through this legislation
There are people who hnrshly criticize the for
est service in charge of the national forests
Tbev ore dsappointed that the forest service
after fifteen years of control of the national TOT
ests still has an annual deficit of about S2oooooO
They think the national forests are large enough
now-they now number 1872 and contain lso'Z99'
77e acres of which a little SO per cent IS
nublic land their net increase last year was D.
o3S 3S3 acres Some even charge the Forest serV-
ice with neglect of fire protection and other leslu
mate activities while promoting its recreation
schemes in the national parks. There Is Dill
pending in congress to restore the hatlohai LOT
ests to the Interior department, from when theV
were taken in 1908.
Doubtless all of the activities suggested oy
Mr.. Pack have merit. The question Is; "ha'
agency is TO undertake them? If congress can
reconcile the warning partisans, get them uhlted
an a national forest policy and program and pass
Iegislotion that will embody the hest ideas of all
interests the country will be surprised, delighted
and grateful