Evening star., 1927-05-22
IDA GILBERT MYERS.

IDA GILbEhI VI EuCs
! TREES AS GOOD CITIZENS. by
Charles Lathrop Pack, president OF
the American Tree Association. au-
thor of THE School Book of Fores-
try" etc. Philadelphia: j. B. LIP
pincott Co.
~ TWENTY-FIVE years ago Massa-
chusetts recognized, officially,
the citizenship of tho trees Of
the commonwealth. granting to
them by virtue Of thsr public
service certain well defined rights.
JJpon INFRINGEMENT of these rights this
tree population, like other citizens OF
the State, had recourse to the law
suing for damages. receiving compen-
satory awards and through the same
agency imposing the penalty OF flne
and possible Imprisonment.
Seventy-five years ago, the time
| was a strenuous and troubled one,
not only in New England but
throughout the United States, break
ing under the strain Of slavery agl-
tation and secession. Yet, whatever
the stress, there Is always time for
urgent matters to claim and receive
attention. So, up North. in the
| breathing spells of a passionate aboli'
tionism, Massachusetts became a
pioneer in safeguarding the shade
trees of the State, passing laws Tor
their protection and care. From time
to time these laws were expanded In
scope and frightened in enforcement.
Under such progressive action every
citv and town Of the commonwealth
has now it's tree warden. An out
standing duty of this official is that
of calling a public hearing, duly ad-
vertised. before any shade tree can
be molested in it's right OF tenure,
either by removal or actual destruc-
ton. Even after such public nearing
there Is provision for appear 10 the
highest officer Of the town or city.
followed by recourse to the courts If
objectors are still unconvinced OF the
necessity for action against the de-
fendant. Through such a wise and
enlightened course Of provision the
shade.tree population of the Bay State
has become a model upon whose pat
terning other States have come into
an exemplary and beautiful promi-
nence.
Springfield, Mass, has more shade
trees in proportion to population than
anv other American city. rising
competition in this direction may
serve to shift the honor, but as yet
the pioneer commonwealth In this
movement claims the finest city in
respect to it's trees. The municipal
government of Springfield places an
appraised value of $100 on each tree.
At the latest count $4,000 trees give
the city an added asset Of $4,000 600.
Ann Arbor is racing along in the tree
competition under similar method
of appraisal. This plan OF tree eValu-
alton is worked out under the formula
devised by Prof. Filibert Roth. one OF
the most expert of American forest
ers. The formula is sourced In an
exhaustive study of individual trees.
This study counts the kind or tree
under examination, its size and shape
at maturity. it's average length of life,
to adapt itself to the local environ
ment. "Trees as Good Citizens" is
compact of useful information and
expert experience and deep sense
of appreciation, all bent upon the
subject in hand. I've gathered but
a single item from it. since the es-
sence of this item points upon the
value of foresight. and upon the mis-
fortune Of hindsight. 1t counsels con-
struction in place Of destruction. 1t
advises a real publicity preceding ac-
ton in matters where the voice of
the citizens should be given timely
opportunity.
"The city with fine shade trees is
the city beautiful"-Charles Lathrop
Pack talking-"When the traveller
gives thought to the worlds most
beautiful cities, he thinks instinctively
Of Washington and Paris: and in
thinking of them he delights in the
rf Of In
each of these cities great architects
and gifted artists have created build
ings of rare splendor and stately
grace. The chief charm of both cities,
however, is found in their magnificent
shade trees which line their streets
and beautify their lawns, parks and
public grounds. Who can picture Six
teenth street or Massachusetts avenue,
or any of the streets of Washington
deprived Of shade tree beauty! Wis.
ualize without their trees the city
streets and parks with which you are
familiar, and see what becomes of
the City Beautiful"'
THE OUTER GATE. BY Octavus Roy
Cohen, author of BLACK and Blue"
etc. Boston: Little, Brown and
Company.
AN innocent boy, three years in
prison through the conscientious
effort Of a good citizen to pursue and
punish crime. The story opens with
the release Of the prisoner upon con-
elusive evidence that he had been
wrongly adjudged guilty. The good
citizen, still good. takes the boy, gives
him a home. tries to remedy the ir-
remediable. The story itself is a clean
cut. expert and sympathetic psyche.
logical study Of this boy under the
complex of prison influence, sense of
injustice and wrong, hatred of his be-
lated benefactor. craving for revenge
and easy compliance with the enemies
Of this good citizen. Accepting money
and a home as his right from the man
who has wronged him, idleness is add
ed to the other poisonous influences
surrounding the boy. 1t is down
hill story, you see, from the begin
ming. Not sudden plunge. That
would be an easy solution. Rather Is
it the account of daily wearing away
under destructive states of mind, un-
der influences hostile both to the boy,
but chiefly hostile to the influential
and honest man who Is trying to make
reparation. Two women, two girls,
come into the action. In a sense these
are rivals, since both are in love with
the unfortunate youth. One Is a
working girl. The other is the rich
mans daughter. This apparent differ
ence Is. however, no difference at all,
since these are both of royal stuff
royal in common good intent, in a
partnership of help ana salvation, in
an equal self-forgetting. And, seeing
the quality Of these two, one wonders
If, after all. the boy is going to make
good. He may. He may not. One Of
the two has him in hand, however,
and II 1t can be done, she will be able
to soften the old bitterness and bring
out some strength in a pretty badly
disintegrated human soul and BODY.
A hopeless matter on the whole, since