Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1923-05-20
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.

ACE to face with constantly
r diminishing supply OF timber
due to huge destruction by
fires and to xploitation for
| commercial purposes, the United
States is confronted with a problem
| which must be solved by the private
! initiative of it's citizens or through
| action by the government.
| The ideal way to solve the problem
! is through the efforts of the private
! citizens, aided by advice and cooper
alton of the state governments and
the federal government, according to
| officials Of the forest service. But il
this fail then there would seem to be
| only the government to fall back on
! the government to purchase lands
suitable for timber growing and 10
see that it is grown
| Vast Area Available.
There are, it is estimated. in the
country today some 100000 acres
| of land, which formerly bore forests.
that has been denuded entirely and
that are not suitable, for one reason
| or another. for agricultural purposes.
| There are also another $4,000, 600
| acres which would be suitable for
| timber raising and which are not
being used for anything else. This
| acreage, potentially valuable for tim
Der raising. Is increasing year by
year. as devastating fires and the ak
of today's profits, denude the land of
forests.
1t has been suggested in some
quarters that the government might is
sue bonds-authorized, of course. by
Congress-the money from which
| would be used to purchase this de-
| nuded land for the purpose of Great
ing more and more national forests.
1t is recognized that there is great
public interest in the question Of suf-
, ticient forests to produce the timber
needs of the country. to safeguard
the watersheds of the rivers and to
| provide recreation grounds for the
people. But the question arises as to
| whether the government should take
this step-more and more paternal-
: istic and also bound to bear heavily
on the taxpayers of the country un-
til the forests shall have been devel-
oped and become paying investments.
Partial Offset to Cost.
Forests SO acquired could be used
~ q Ncitdlh CAlChkt II 10 pcl4Itco ouk,
for grazing purposes and perhaps
for waterpower development in GER
| tain cases, and thus offset in part the
| expenditure of the money paid for
them and their upkeep by the gov
eminent. But the returns would be
| comparatively small. il is said, while
livery large sums would be needed for
the purchase of the lands by the gov
eminent.
| The government, as matter OF
| fact is at present engaged in the
acquisition of forest lands in the east
ern and southern states under the OPP
Grafton of the so-called Weeks law
which bears the name of the present
! Secretary of War. This law. enacted
in 1911, set up the National Forest
| Reservation Commission, whose duty
| should be to acquire forest lands &c
protect the headwaters of navigable
| streams. In a measure, the purpose
| of the act also was to extend the ben.
Gifts of national forests to the people
in the eastern states. In the western
! states there were at the time of the
! passage of the Weeks act more thar
| $50, 000, 900 acres of national forests
set aside by presidential proclamation
from the public domain.
|, Appropriations Cut Down.
Unfortunately the commission i.
: restricted in its purchase OF land:
for national forests to lands which
. are of Importance in the prof tioT
of navigation-to the purcha.e o.