Evening star., 1925-12-06
THE NEW CONSERVATION
BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN.

Water power should be harnessed TO
man power in order to
save coal. Oil should be located and
released from its natural stora ( @
with relation to immediate needs
weighed against future necessities
Ripe timber should be harvested and
the young forests protected
But the new policy, although an
nouncing the above as important
believes that the fertility of the
soil Is of far greater moment. No
other single product compares in
value to the farm crop. Other ma
tions have blindly exhausted their
soils of the inherent fertility caused
by ages of sunshine. rain. and de-
caying vegetation. Now they must
feed their soils each year in order
to grow anything. In Eastern
United States II has become neces-
sary to adopt these processes. where
Wasteful agricultural development
sometimes has prevailed. The West
has this priceless fertility OF soil and
it should be preserved
Old Policy Destructive.
The old policy Of conservation did
not declare for the above precau-
tionaTy measures. II advised the
cutting of ripe timber, which de-
Stroyed much that was growing 1t
compelled the drilling for oil if a
neighbor found ii. 1t did not warn
against exhausting the soil by ten
antry, which threatens to cover the
West. like the East, with abandoned
farms.
Perhaps the most pressing study of
the Government at this time is the
larger conception of conservation, as
herein explained. While 1t is too big
for any one department of the Gov.
ernment to develop fully. 1t probably
will have centralized departmental
authority. An advanced step already
has been taken by the creation of a
conservation branch in the Depart
ment of the Interior. This will, more
than likely, serve as q nucleus for a
larger organization. whose duty will
be the protection of the public estate
from wasteful development and the
conservation of every natural re-
source in the country.
Lands for Recreation.
Linked with this new policy of con-
servation is the policy of Withdrawing
public lands for recreational purposes
This found its inception in the Presi-
dents national conference on outdoor
recreation. The commissioner Of the
General Land Office was requested to
report upon recreational opportunities
in unreserved public lands.
This survey, which now is in prog
ress. has uncovered many tracts of
historic and scientific interest which
are recommended for withdrawal for
recreational purposes. To date 10 of
these tracts have been withdrawn in
accordance with the Government S
outdoor program.
These are: Fairplay. Colo. where
there is a partly explored cave of
more than 40 rooms; u site on the
scenic Redwood highway in California
suitable for motor camp; Took Lake.
Fla, for camping and fishing; Palmer
Lake, Wash, for bathing and fishing;
st. Lucie County, Fla, for bathing;
Kane County, Utah, on Great Salt
Lake. where there are cliff dwellings,
st. Lucie County, Fla; Shoshone,
Idaho, where there are several glacial
caves; Inyo County, Calf. where
there are interesting Indian hero
glyphics near Coso Hot Springs: Mo-
have County, Ariz., at the northern
end of Hualpai Range, for camping
and recreation; on the main highways
near Los Angeles, for motor camps;
Wayne County. Utah, where there are
two natural bridges and cave:
Tulare County, Calf. for camping
and fishing; Clam Beach, Calf, for
bathing, and Gooding, Idaho, known
as the "City of Rocks" comparing
favorably with the Garden of the
Gods in Colorado.