Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1925-10-22
N7teynsee,zzLANotae

voters in 1926; special fre-hghting appropriation
OF 9oo,ooo was made. In Mississippi which has no
reforestation committee Missouri established a
STATE forestry policy under the state board of agri
culture Montana established several state forests
and decided that all state lands chiefly valuable
snail be held state forests
New Hampshire enacted laws affecting many
phases OF forestry; they are said to be 100 per
cent efficient. North Carolina created department
OF conservation and development New York
amended its forestry laws and appropriated $780,
600 for reforesting and for nurseries provided
for the classification of its forest lands. Oregon
adopted an entirely new forestry code; a tax
mission of five named Oklahoma created a
forest commission Pennsylvania, by a ruling of
the Supreme court will vote in 1928 on the forest
loan act Vermont passed enabling allow
ing the federal government to purchase land for
passed fre-control law.
Some sort of activity in the legislatures Of at
least one-half of the states is indicated by this
survey. The people in many parts of the country
have passed the "Plant a Tree" stage and arrived
at the "Plant Forest" stage, thanks 70
the activities of the American Tree association,
the American Nature association, the General
Federation of Womens Clubs and other nation
wide organizations the "Town Forest movement
has taken hold in the East and is spreading. High
prices are forcing the application by industries
of scientific principles in the handling of wood
from cutting to use. Forest are being
forced into reforestation in self-defense.
The new McNary-C Clarke act is being vigorously
y
adequate; they say it merely amounts to a tenta-
tive proposal by the federal government to go
ffty-ffty with the states on fire protection ulti-
mately to the extent of Sc, 100000 a year-if the
states qualify and congress approprates its share
Even its supporters would supplement it with a
new act appropriating $40000000 in period of ten
years for the extension of the national forests,
largely in the East This proposal is anathema
to those who challenge the efficiency of the forest
service, charging financial loss, poor fire protection
and lack of interest in reforestaton Western live
stock men have made charges Of poor manag cement
against the forest service in connection with graz
ing in the national forests
Various committees and commissions represent
ing congress and other organizations have been
making Investigations this summer of all sorts of
questions in connection with the public domain
and national reservations. There will presumably
be much reporting and debating in the coming
congress. Out of all these activities national
state ar local. should come much useful informa-
ton on the forestry situation and larger under
standing by the people.
One thing certainly seems to be essential to
saving the forests: A definite comprehensive
national forestry policy administered by the fed
eral recommendation alone has the authority
and the financial resources Not much dependence
it would seem. can be placed upon the states. Only
33 of them have forestry departments Only
10 have state forests. Only Is maintain state
nurseries State forestry appropriations total
only about S5,5OO,OOO yearly Moreover under our
present system we have department policies state
policies, bureau policies, board policies, commits
sion policies No wonder we make little real prog
ress with such tumble of conflicting policies
1t is of course unthinkabe that the American
people, the richest in the world and industrally
the most eficient-shall allow America to become
treeless nation. And we cannot sit still and trust
to Providence.