The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-05-16
PROTECTION OF
FORESTS URGED
Governor Small Issues. Proolana.
tion Setting Week Aside 10
Stress Conservation.

Springfield, ILL.,, May 16.-Public
schools. civic bodies, commercial
associations, chamber of COM
nero and farmers institutions,
we're called upon by Governor
Small today to aid in appropriate
obseryances of Forest. Protection
week. The governor, by procla-
nation. set aside the week of May
20 to 2S, for this purpose.
Value Of Illinois forest lands.
which until lately was one-third
the r of the state. is emphasized
by the governor. His proclama-
tion follows:
The president OF the United
States has seen fit. in his wisdom.
10 call the attention of the people,
by proclamation to the great pc
Guniary loss and devastation
I.caused each year in the United
States through the destruction Of
our forests by fire. These de-
ttructive CONGREGATIONS. most Of
which could be prevented by care
fulness on the part OF our eiti-
zeHs add steadily to the pres
ent large area of unproductive
lands and threaten q future tim,
Der shortage which would serious
ly affect u special and indus
trial welfare.
1T is not generally known to
cur people that the virgin forests
Of Illinois cover about 80 per. cent
Of the cara of the state. While
! much Of this has been proftably
, cleared for agriculture, much has
been unwisely deforested and ex-
hausted. and in many cases has
been ruined by erosion, and upland
forest tracts are frequently swept
by fire to the injury Of mature
,rees and the destruction of young
growth.
THE woodworking industries OF
Illinois give employment to approx
imately 100000 persons, with an
annual output of finished products
aggregating in value $140.0 900 900
They require annually 1.TaQ,0 900 900
feet Of lumber, so per cent of which
now comes from outside the state
and OF this enormous consumption
over ene-third is of hardwood from
trees which are native to Illinois
II these waste lands in Illinoi.
could be planted to trees. with
proper methods OF conservation, we
thould in course Of time produce
sufficient lumber. for our OWL
t.eeds.
Fire Prevention.
"In his proclamation the presi.
dent he's called upon the governor,
of the various states to set apart
a certain period of time for the
consideration by OR people Of
means to prevent this great annual
loss by fire Of a goodly portion o
our national wealth, and to adopI
measures to conserve it to future
generations.
Nov, therefore, I. Len Small
governor of Illinois. do hereby pro
claim and set "a part the week o.
May % to %, to be observed
throughout the state Of Illinois a!
forest protection week, and l asl
that during that week suitable ex'
ercises be held in the public
schools for the purpose Of impress
ing upon the minds Of pupils tn.
yalue OF our forests and the impor
lance of their protection; and
further request that civic bodies
commercial associations, chambers
Of commerce. farmers institutes
and Boy Scout troops cooperate il
holding meetings to bring befor,
,,the people the great losses sus
tanned by preventable forest fires
and the need for individual and col
~lective efforts to conserve the nat
ural resources Of our state"