Evening star., 1924-04-21
COOLIDGE REVIEWS
BOY SCOUT PARADE
EsIest Protection" Week Launch
ed as President and Congress
Members Take Part.
SECRETARY WALLACE SPEAKS
Pageant Crowd at Sylvan Theater
Told of Need of Work.

Forest-Protection" week was opened
today with a parade by several hundred
Boy Scouts, which was reviewed from
the west entrance of the White House
by President Coolidge and d number of
members of Congress.
Several members of the Senate re-
forestation committee and the House
agricultural and forestry committee, in
cluding Senator Fletcher of Florida,
Senator McNary of Oregon and Senator
keyes Of New Hampshire, Representa-
tive Clarke and Representative Smell of
New York. were present After the parade
the congressional party attended a
pageant at the Sylvan Theater
Watch Open Air Pageant.
Arriving at the Sylvan Theater the
entire assembly surrounded the open
air stage to watch the pageant, Red
Enemy. The story of the pageant
illustrates how two careless campers
smoking cigarettes set fire to a for
est. Inc careless campers are brought
before the court over which Chief
Justice Mccoy of the District Su-
preme Court presided. Conrad Synne,
former corporation counsel for the
District of Columbia, acted as prose-
cutting counsel and pleaded for the
conviction of the offenders before d
jury on which Mary Roberts Rine-
hart, Colin Livingstone, head of the
Boy Scouts of America. and Col. w.
b. Greeley of the forestry bureau were
members
The careless campers were por-
trayed by the scouts, +. q. Stuart.
took the role of the fire demon and
John Viegler of headquarters com
pany of the Sd Cavalry, with his
trick horse Andy took the part of
the forest ranger.
Urges Forest Protection.
Secretary of Agriculture Wallace
urged the Importance of the Forest
Protection week in an address after
the pageant. He pointed out that
there were $4,000 forest fires on the
average every year. 10000 of which
were caused by carelessness. Mary
Roberts Rinehart. Chief Justice Nc
Coy and Chief Forester Greeley spoke
on the need of cooperation on the
part of the public in reducing the
tremendous loss caused by forest fires.
Senator Fletcher, Representative
Smell and Mr.. Greeley awarded slogan
and float prizes to the following:
Troop (, Georgetown; Troop 46.
Foundry NJ. +. Church; Troop A.
Mount Pleasant NJ. F.. Church; Troop
35, Takoma Park Presbyterian Church;
Troop Al, Wilson Normal School. For
appearance prizes were awarded to
Troop 49, Parkview School; Troop 90,
St Martins Parish troop: Troop AZ,
Ais Souls Unitarian Church; Troop
IS. Cleveland Park Congregational
Church, and Troop Il, Western Pres
byterian Church.
Statement by President.
The hope that the American people
will come to abhor fire in their woods
just as much as they now abhor fire
in their homes was expressed by
sued on the eve of the beginning of
Forest Protection week
II desire again to call the nations
attention to the seriousness of man
caused fires in the United States and
10 urge every citizen to give earnest
thought to the matter of preventing
the Unnecessary waste of our fast
dwindling timber supply" said the
President.
The Secretary of Agriculture.
whose department has charge of our
146 national forests, informs me that
during 1928 about 100000 people
visited these federal forest areas for
recreational purposes.
81 believe these figures eloquently
tell the part the wooded areas of the
United States play in the wholesome
recreational activities of our people
In fact, American character and
American customs are largely the
result of the influence which our for
est background has eXerted upon our
nations history.
Our civilization is largely depend
ent upon the unrestricted use of
wood But Americas magnificen Mt
lumber supply now needs replenish-
forest land should be growing tim
ber crops"