Evening star., 1928-05-20

The firSt spring oay, WKsCehH hiof AZ:
the latest novel, whose scenes are lalu
in the great open spaces, or course
mastered by mail-all OF these are re-
sponsihle for the volume OF inquiries re-
ceived by the United States Forest Sere-
ice. That Office receives between I4VOo
and $4,000 letters annually, averaging
between 40 and so daily, In which the
writers apply for positions as forest
rangers or ask how to become member
Of that service.
MANY OF the letters are from disabled
war veterans, who. unable TO do con-
fining work, think they could endure the
life in the national forests. Many are
from boys Just finishing grammar scnooi
or starting In high school, VINO are De
coming interested in the question OF
career and imagine this one to be as
dramatic as one OF the two-gun SHOWS
Unfortunately, according to Forest
Service officials, countless numbers are
from men of little or no education who
have paid for correspondence courses
supposed to qualify them for the work
and guaranteeing them positions which
require at least high school training.
There are numerous inquiries from those
who might pass muster. but VINO 90 not
know of the hundreds who are ahead OF
them, and there are even one or TWO
daily from women who are intrigued by
what they think this work to be-
A small item in newspaper ABOUT
the number OF women who had applied
for such Federal or State jobs brought
q shower of letters, whereas picture In
one OF the women's magazines OF one
woman who did lookout duties during
the war when 1t was impossible to get
v,~nva rNraNinitntpn a cloldbQrSt
Permanent positions in the Forest
Service are under Civil Service, the
lower ones being Allied by those VINO
pass the examinations with the highest
grades. and the ones higher up being
fiiled by promotion. Temporary posi-
tions are filled usually by college stu-
dents who are specializing In forestry
and who wish to get the woods train
ing necessary TO pass the Civil Service
examinations Because OF the limited
number OF positions, only the young
men who lead their classes obtain them.
why Such Jobs Are Scarce.
There are three outstanding reasons
whv the chances for the thousands who
apply for work as rangers In the ma
tional forests are slim. First, there are
only about l,l00 rangers In the Fed
eral forestry service, and the annual
turnover Is rarely more than 200. IN
fact, Civil Service examinations were
not given IN 1926. because there were
80 few openings that long list OF qual"
ified applicants from the year before
waited TO be placed.
In the next place, the law requires
that, whenever practicable. positions
must be filled by citizens of the State
In which vacancies occur. AS there are
many states which do not have ma
tional forests, their citizens have almost
no chance of obtaining positions, FOR
they will be considered only after the
list OF qualified citizens OF the states
which have such forests has been ex-
hausted.
The last reason Is explained by what
has actually taken place In filling the
positions OF forest rangers. East of the
Mississippi River practically every
forest ranger is a college graduate. and
this Ia becoming true west OF its banks.
The situation has developed natural
| ly. College men are able TO pass the
examinations near the top. because of
their specialized academic training and
| because Of the woods experience they
gain In the temporary positions which
| In turn they are able 10 get because OF
their specialized training.
| The salaries Of forest rangers vary
from 81 300 TO $4,000, but young men
are willing to train themselves specially
| for the Job because they consider IL not
goal. but a step TO more highly paid
| positions.
About 2S colleges and universities con-
fer degrees In forestry, and some so offer
courses In what Is now recognized az a
science In this country. Formerly
chat is. before 1898, when Cornell
opened a professional school OF for
| estFy~~~A Americans had to go 10 Europe
for technical training In this line.
Women, men with spotted lungs and
all those without education, which Is
acquired both In school and by expert
ence. are not eligible TO positions as for
est rangers for reasons that will put q
halt 10 visions OF ptay~time work that
Is akin to sport.
Hardships, afduohs work of techni-
cal and highly specialized nature. and
a rigorous and lonesome existenee, are
the lot Of the forest ranger,
Methods Of Communication.
Some Of the stations are IN such iso-
lated places that food and water must
bs packed h. not on horse OF a mule
but on the back OF the ranger for some
lB or 20 miles, usually up steep trails
Not all 0f the stations are equipped with
telephones. the only means Of commnni'
cation being the heli0graph, system
Of signaling requiring the reflection 0I
the sun III mirrors. and therefore useless
on dark days.
In addition 10 standing the rIgors nj
fire fighting, the ranger must he tact
fiil executive vino has aroused interest
IN llre control IN his district aud con-