The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1922-11-23
Debate GrOUs Warm OUer
Cutting Christmas Trees
Some Favor, Others Oppose Woman's Drive
Against Extravagant Slashing

tn. acreage cut over VIII be
greater. as other timbcrrd re
rions 81 tho United States ARE
becoming rapidly exhausted aud
within 10 years viii largely
cease TO become source OF
lumber supply.
Not only are tho forest areas
being rapidly utilized by numbering
operations. without provision for re-
placement. but hundreds Of thou
sands OF acres Of mature and imma-
ture timber within the state are each
year being destroyed by fire.
AT the present rate Of denudation
by numbering and by fire the forosted
areas Of this state will disappear In
from 50 10 90 years Considering this
loss from the standpoint OF taxation
alone Il could not be- expected under
tho most favorable condition OF COM
merclai growth that other taxable
wealth could increase sufficiently 10
offset tho removal OF taxable prop
erty In tho form 81 standing timber.
Surely the people must noe tho
seriousness Of tho situation from tho
few facts above stated.
IF Tho Star thru Mira LunhinE-
toms article can arouse the people 90
realization Of forest conditions M
they exist. and the necessity for tho
adoption Of a forest policy that will
insure protection 20 our present
standing timber and the replacement
thru rcforentntion Of our fast defor-
eating land. a great service will have
bcon rendered tho people OF this
state
Quite another view IL taken by
'itaneher." who writes;
IL In very evident that Mira Lush
ington has mover cleared many
Washington five aereh. Well can
remember OF working day after day
chopplng down perfectly good Christ
mas trees and piiing them IN huge
piles and burning thcm. and willingly
would ] have given them 70 some
ono. In fact. they are a curse 10 the
average hack.io.thoslander. ! would
like 10 ark how a person II going 20
raise a garden and Get out fruit trees
and such II he spares the fir trees.
for there are thousands of tracts OF
perfectly good land that are literally
covered with these socailed Christ
mas trees"
A. w. knoiimeyrr, 1874 18th
ave. y. w, also take. a Ming nj
Mrs. Washington. He writes:
Picture 10 me anything more
beautiful than Christmas tree trim.
med In all ~ It's beauty as nm en-
biem used a. chriNtfnasiids TO show
tho handiwork Of our Father 20 His
children. telling % tho birth of tho
Christ. Tho joy and happiness which
beams from the faces 81 our little
ones on such an occasion far CT
c~eda tho coHs OF destruction 10 our
vast forcs,H. Also the Master viii
SEQ and reward his children In hnv'
ting nature provide ua with trees to
iaka tho places Of those we use for
such n grand purpose. so II We have
faith we need not worry about that
I cannot SEQ how anyone who has
little children can take away such a
beautiful sight NJ Christmas tree.
For ss years In my home there has
always been q Christmas tree. and
have heard my father and mother
say they fsi, no more JOY than when
they were trimming tho tree 70 mako
~ children happy. and tho memory
az Christmas would soon b. forgot
ten and less interest taken n we
were not 20 sec such \ grand sight
again. wha, We enjoy let us not
deny 20 our own little ones. IL
seems someone II always trying 10
start norno new idea 90 that our il,,is
ones shouid have no childhood what.
ever. but be grown up before their
years. I cali such things q ain.
which seems 90 be ~ this genera.
ton ono that outshines almost every
other, and IN tho ain Of ssifishncss
under the cloak Of education. Christ
mas 10 me without tree would have
no Significance whatever and tho
real meaning would be lost. Let's
make Christmas what u always has
been. using the Christmas tree ms an
emblem Of the meaning OF what II
always has signifled. the birth Of
Christ"
Yearly Offender comes 20
Mrs. Lu.hington's rescue with
this:
Il. for one. am very siad someone
has taken up this subject Of the
Christmas trcs. I am very fond OF
our trees and II takes some time for
them 10 grow. Each year have
put six 20 eight signs around on our
place to keep people from taking the
trees But they walk In and cut
down tho trees within a few feet OF
the slRn. A sign on every shrub II
OF no use. Even n fence will not
keep people from walking right In
and doing az they please. Two years
ago I merely went 10 say; why do
you come In and cut lovely white
pine on; Of tho front yard7' when
they drove up their machine and
would have run over mn n / had not