Evening star., 1923-12-23


This little want ad appeared in the
editorial section Of las. Sundays Star.
It expresses truly an urgent public need
"a need which long has existed. but
which has forged rapidly to the front
in the public mind since motors and
good roads have combined to place
within reach of the average Ameri-
can family the joys of life in the
open.
The particular happy thought for
today is that the fulfllment of this
great public need is perhaps less
difficult, less of a problem and nearer
at hand than last Sundays article
would indicate.
1t is a great American tendency to
move toward the accomplishment of
any new and desirable purpose by
Immediately seeking new legislation,
new forms of government action,
new mediums, while it often happens
that the substance of the thing de-
sired is already provided for through
existing forms and mediums which
need only the benefit of advertising,
public support and the resulting
added impetus. In this case the east
ern and southern public are inter-
ested in the substance, not so much
the form, and complete information
on the situation as it exists indicates
that the substance of this public de-
mand is being quite steadily and sat
isfactorily, though slowly. being met
through the southern Appala chan ma
tional forests.
Earlier Demand Made.
An earlier demand from the peo-
pie for government action to stem
and turn the tide of forest depletion
and watershed ruin eliminated in the
act of March /, 1911. known as the
Weeks law. This constructive legis-
lation launched the federal govern
ment in the task of establishing the
national forests of the east and south.
The great national parks and ma
tional forests of the west were
quickly created by presidential proc
lamation or by special legislation
which simply set aside these vast
areas from the unappropriated public
domain. In the east there was no
great public domain. Practically all
land had long ago passed to private
ownership and could come back to
the public only through purchase.
Purchase began at once. Govern
ment examiners sought out and ap-
praised the mountain lands which
were influential in promoting the
navigability of,our great eastern and
southern rivers. To such lands pur-
chases were by the law restricted, but
naturally such lands embraced the
great Appalachian watersheds which
are also logically-yes. inevitably
the great mountain vacation lands OF
eastern America. Purchase units
were, laid out from Maine to north
Georgia. and whenever within these
units progress of purchase war
ranted administrative units or ma
tional forests were organized, and
the national forest system of pro-
Nection and administration which had
won through to success in the west
were adapted and applied in this new
field.
Purchase appropriations prior to
1917 were about 100000 per annum.
Then came the war and necessary
curtailment of the work. For the
past two years annual appropria-
tfons OF but $45o,000 have permitted
only tho holding together Of a skele-
ton force Of acquisition men In the
forest service and the purchase OF a
few small tracts rounding out in
spots the existing forests. For next
fiscal year an appropriation OF 81 ,0o0,-
600 has been included in the budget,
and 1t is hoped that the country's
financial condition will soon permit
L return to the pre-war basis of ST.
600, 900 annual appropriations.
Seven National Forests.
We now have seven national for
ests in the southern Appalachians.
with a total Of more than one and
one-half million acres actually in
public ownership, and a purchase pro-
gram which contemplates the extern
sion of the national forests to en-
brace at least five and one-half mil
lion acres. They are located within
tho states Of Georgia South Carolina,
North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia
and West Virginia.
Protecting the mountain water
sheds of great navigable rivers which
carry to seaport and consuming CEN
ter tho commodities of civilization,
guarding the purity of the water
which flows from the tap In the valley
home, preserving the vfgor of the
water power upon which expanding
industry depends; growing timber for
the countless timber needs of present
and future generation and demon
strating to the people of the region
that 1t is possible to use a forest
use 1t rightly-and yet have 1T for
ever: these are the economic aims of
the Appalachian national forests
To call them forest reserves" is to
seriously err. There is no locking
up" of resources in these national
forests.
It is the avowed policy of the for
est service to develop every forest
resource in such a way that it will
render its highest permanent public
service. And the recreation values
are in every national forest plan con-
sidered from every angle as a major
forest resource.
Every economic aim Of these Ap-
palachian national forests can be at
fained and will be attained without
sacrifice of recreation values where
these values are promised in the long
run to be Of highestSpublic impor-
tance.
Public Ii Invited.
Forest service policy cordially in
vites the people to come to the pub
lic forests, to enjoy their beauties, to
receive their Inspirations, to learn the
lessons they so pleasantly teach.
Steadily, as funds permit, roads and
trails push farther and sarther into