The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-04-21
PEOPLES FORUM
-om. ouinn on Conservation

CONSERVATION, WHICH dppedfeu III
of the state with the great need
the April 1 issue of The Age-Her
aid, should impress every citizen
| of conserving without waste the
states natural resources.
Forty per cent of the public
| streams of jefferson county are
so polluted with wastes from
mines and industrial plants til
there is no animal life existing in
them. For the sake of The posi-
| bilities which would obtain for
the production of fish in those
| streams but for the fact they "re
| polluted, the state should forever
| prohibit the pollution of pubic
streams. These wastes, II great
number of cases, could De diverted,
or better still, as in many sections
of the country, utilized. For ex-
ample. the washings from ;.oal and
| coal dust could be collected and
| pressed into brick coal To be used
| for fuel. Saw mills ali over the
state are diverting saw"dust to
| streams which in many instances
either destroy the fish life cr
| drives the fish 20 other non-pol-
| luted waters. The saw dust could
easily be diverted from the
| streams or utilized as fuel at the
mill. Recently the governor, in
his proclamation setting aside
week, called the attention OF the
| public to the appalling rapidity
with which our timber resources
are being depleted. The state is
| doing nothing to check this dissi-
patton Of ono Of it's greatest as
| sets. At the present rate of con-
sumption. coupled with the an.
| nual burning of tens of thousands
| of acres of forest areas. the van
| ishing point will be reached be-
fore the passage of the present
generation. A stupendous cconom-
ic problem is therefore involved.
1t simply means that unless the
state makes it possible for re-
growth of timber on the par. of
timber land owners, and cooper
ates with them in the control of
forest fires, the most universal
material used in home building,
and furniture, and everything els,
in the construction of which wood
is used, will reach prohibitive
levels which the next generation
"r ny NC aoie ~ inset
me piru me Oh Aiapaiha must
oe Deter projected IN .he future
anu WIN De II interest OIL inc pup
lie continues to grow. The de-
partment Of conservation must
have absolute Cooperation of both
the uroan ana rural population.
r1e,e' again we are lace 10 race
WIN srea, economic prooIem
which must involve the destruc-
lioh or the preserservation OF
birds. Insect pests consume on
an average. annually, fifteen per
cent of agricultural products. ex-
elusive of the boil weevil. which |
adds to this destruction in the cot
ton belt. Bird life is the greatest |
factor and has been always ma
lures control method. AS tie |
bird life OF the state dirlinishes. |
insect devastation will increase. |
Hence the Importance Of the pro-
tection of the bird life of the |
state. Fifteen Fer cent of crop |
destruction means the farmers will |
lose by reason Of insect devasta-
ton fifteen cents out of every
dollars worth lie produces. 1t |
also means that the consumer
must pay higher price to the |
farmer for his surplus products.
The whole program Of conser-
WALTON. therefore. is worthy the
n aef ~ y-of TOW - ,,
state, but they need TO be edu-
Gated to Its great necessity.
]. T. QUINN.
Commissioner OK Conservation.
montgomery. Ala, April II. 1928. |
E,,.
r. ~ ~
c.. -.ol u ne Ns"- tet"iu'
80 M ~. II -, 'ie coii'roi
az ""N eeeh
np' SOU ~ INC
for 49, ~, .'i''ieu s.ana
,,o,,r -, 49, saAeu ~
o,,s espeeiaiiy
=. ,..,'.,. o"i 'osi eai anu
80, Gu, 'oiiais supporting |
~ - " nc ies isia. ure ana
-, puo.'e service commlssipp IN
.nsil eiioft 10 protect the lubi:c |
i"'eies' from I've aggression of |
'"'h pupiic service corpora
.,ons Ahroueh secret political
a,iiai.es' uhoiseiosed legal en-
p,us iheht OF PUBIC officials, d sub
eiui~eu press ana ottor unttet-
siounu 'hethods the predatory in
.eteS's 700 frequently exert pow
ei III ana eVii influence upon our
soN e'hihentai agencies. A free
press honestly and intelligently
eoi.uuc,eo. Is necessary to prevent
I, on the part of pub
Tic officials and to counteract
lalse ana misleading propaganda
put OUT through the kept press