Evening star., 1923-02-11
BY e.. GOULD LINCOLN.

I INCLE sAM-meaning the whole
United StateS-has been a
spendthrift in the use of tim
Der, and is today. Never has
there been adopted a fixed national
policy with regard to conservation Of
the forest resources and reforesta-
ion, policy in which the federal gov
ernment, the states and private in
terests are called upon to cooperate.
Such a policy is now being sought,
however. The warnings of what the
continued ruthless destruction Of tim
ber means to this country have been
repeated for years. The forest service.
with has done splendid work in the
national forests of the country, has
given good advice to the states and
to private owners of forest lands. But
a concerted effort is now under way
to bring about the establishment of
a national policy before il is too
late.
Senate Forestry Committee.
The Senate only a few days ago
adopted a resolution offered by Sem
ator Pat Harrison of Mississippi, pro-
vidng for the appointment of a spe-
cial committee of five senators to in
vestigate the whole question of re-
forestation and to make recommends
tions to Congress for legislation look
ing toward the establishment of a
policy that will not only conserve the
forests we now have, but also will
bring about the planting of new for
ests where the old ones one grew.
The committee has been appointed
and consists of Senator McNary, Ore
gon. chairman; Senator Moses. New
Hampshire: Senator Couzens. Mchi
gan; Senator Harrison, Mississippi
and Senator Fletcher Florida. The
north the south and the middle west
and the Pacific coast states are rep
resented in the personnel Of this COM
mittee.
\ number of bills looking to the
conservation of the forests have been
introduced in Congress, and the re-
port of the special Senate committee
will be helpful. it is said. in dealing
with this Legislation when the next
Congress meets. The House commit
tee on agriulture has been holding
hearings on the matter. and President
Harding recently wrote-\a letter t"
Representative Clark of New York. a
member of the committee. strongly
urging that some legisla tion be en-
acted.
One-FOurth Forest Land.
He called attention in this letter
to the fact that approximately one
fourth of the area of the country
was forest land or potential forest
land, and of no value for any other
purpose.
With both houses OF Congress and
the President aking u keen interest
In this question of conservation and
reforestation, it appears that some
thing probably will be done in the
comparatively near future.
The fact of the matter is that the
United States needs to pull itself up
with a round turn. 1t is estimated
that in this country there are 460,-
100000 acres of forest lands, and
that already 20 per cent of it has
been logged of its virgin timber. 1t
Is said also that the country is
using timber al 4 rate four times as
fast as the timber is being produced.
1t does not require mathematical
genius to calculate what is going to
happen here if that rate of con-
sumption and production is main
tanned very long.
Good Start Is Made.
The United States has much in its
favor, however, when it comes to
the possibilities of conserving sufii-
cient forests and raising new forests
for the people. In the first place, the
national forests, now being conserv-
ed, constitute forest kingdom in
themselves tremendous domain OF
10000, 900 acres. This is a great
nucleus to begin with. And the for
est service has been doing splendid
work in these forests. There are
infinite possibilities in the matter of
reforestation, in making a tree grow
where none now grows, if the mat
ter is undertaken with a definite
policy in view
The Senate committee. which has
Just organized and has been in con-
sultation with the Secretary of Aeri-
culture and with the head of the
forest service, is planning visits this
spring and summer to all parts O,
the country. 1t is likely that it will
first go south, then west probably
as far as the coast, and then into
New England. The order of the trip.
has not been definitely determined
1t is probable also that at least two
members Of the committee, and pos.
sibly more, will go to Europe during
the coming recess of Congress t.
study the methods adopted in the
older countries to conserve thei