Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-01-24
The HQski,l Letter . ss1 Rs:ss
SHALL THE FOREST CHANGE KEEPERS?

Washington, D. c., Jan. 20.-An in
teresting struggle between two depart
ments of the government seems to
have arisen over the proposition-em-
bodied in several bills and also con-
sidered as part of the departmental
reorganization on scheme-to take the
national forests out of the jurisdiction
of the department Of agriculture and
place them under the department Of
| the interior.
Ostensibly, Of course, there is no
| struggle between the two departments,
no difference of opinion or desire be-
tween the two cabinet officers at their
heads, no rift in the administration
pears on the surface. Nor do the
ostensible reasons for the proposed
transfer suggest any issue worth
struggling over. But the ostensible
| reasons are not the real ones.
What everyone really familiar with
| the situation sees in the proposed
| transfer is an effort to modify the
! Roosevelt Pinchot policy Of careful
conservation in favor Of one which will
| allow much freer use of the timber,
grazing and other natural resources
under the protection of the forest serv-
ice. "Freer use" is the term used by
the friends of the proposed change.
| Exploitation" is the word the con-
servationists prefer. You can take
your choice.
That change of policy in the adj
ministration of the forests is the thing
aimed at is evidenced in various ways
For one thing, it is known that the
proposition to make the forest service
a part of the interior department orig
mated with Secretary of the Interior
Fall. and Mr.. Fall has repeatedly
placed himself on record as favoring a
much freer use of natural resources
and as opposed to the conservation
policy which has been followed in this
| country since Roosevelt's administra-
| ton, and which is regarded by many
persons both here and in Europe as
the most successful Of American ad-
illustrative achievements.
The Pioneer Policy
Secretary Falls attitude is the most
interesting factor in the situation. Some
of his enemies have described him as
! the agent of certain western capitalstic
interests which desire to exploit the
forest resources. and therefore rs not
sincere in his proposed policy But
1 aHtlC 10 CFiuChSc LAaI uC 40 pCilcCLiy
| sincere.
Mrs Fall is an American of the
vanishing pioneer type. which VIII be
| forever extinct in this country in
another generation. He went to New
Mexico as a young man when the
Southwest was truly Wild country.
/ AS everyone knows, To the pioneer pf
that era the natural resources of the
country seemed inexhaustible. The vast
| forests, the seemingly fimitless prairies
| the herds of buffalo that reached
| farther than one could see-aIl of these
were surely more than man could ever
use. The difficult thing was to suhdue
and master nature, to bring any part
of this wild treasure under mans con-
troll. Nature to the pioneer was Lot
a thing to be studied and cared for
| She was grim enemy for strong zen
| to fight. Game was to oe killed
forests to be felled, land to be plough
ed. The pioneer developed toward the
natural resources of the earth an ag-
gressive, embattled attitude. He re-
| joiced in every dent that mans enc, gy
| made on the wilderness. and he hated
the sight of the wilderness unccn-
| quered.
/ The typical pioneer has never got
over this attitude. just rs he hes never
J got over his hatred of the Indians
| And Secretary Fall seems to BE the
| typical pioneer. His expressions nearly
always have the ring of incsriry, ale