Evening star., 1932-07-07
ASSOCIATION HITS
latitude OF HYDE
American Forestry 0rganiza-
ton Points Out Possibilities
of Roosevelt Proposal.

Secretary Of Agriculture Hyde's at
tack on Democratic Presidential Nomi-
nee Franklin D. RooseYelt's reforestA a.
ton proposal was condemned yester-
day in a letter sent to the Secretary by
ovid Butler, executive secretary OF the
American Forestry Association.
'I believe that what the American
people, particularly those unemployed
and suffering, desire and what they
are entitled to is thorough expiora-
tion into possibilities OF public welfare
work available in the whole nelo OF
forestry and the opportunity TO perform
that work. They do not want 1t ap-
preached in a negative way. Your Qe-
Y7srtment represents the public IN TINS
FIELD and country. Therefore looks 10
YOU to give it the full facts regaroing
the possibility of employment relleI
offered by a broad and constructive
project of forest work, the letter reao,
AR Roosevelt's proposal which was
designed both as a reclamation project
and a mode of unemployment rellef,
would be of little value in either case
Secretary Hyde said in a statement
Tuesday. -.-..
Buffers LetteTs
Buffers letter, in part, follows
81 have read your statement discount
ing the possibilities Of proWdlng WORK
for the unemployed through a natlonal
proiect Of reforestation. 1t Is true thst
ii reforestation is viewed IN the marrow
sense of merely planting trees, Such
project has its limitations, que 10 III
s1Ifficiency of nursery stock. The queS-
tion before the American people, now
ever. is to provide constructive WORK
To relieve distress among hungry men,
women and children. To give the I'M
rression that forestry offers only tne
FEASIBILITY of tree planting is, IN tne
judgement of the American Forestry
Association. to dismiss the subject Win
out fair consideration Of the very large
and diverse possibilities which the neIo
offers. ..,.. of
"Your department is custodian OF
some $50, 100000 acres OF forest iano'
In addition it co-operates WIN Vlrtu-
allv every State in the Union in pro-
fectinp private and State forest re-
sources from fire. 1t engages in exten-
sive protection of trees and forests
against destruction from tree-destroy-
inc insects and diseases. 1t carries on
forest research in every sectlon OF the
country and it is concerned with the
maintenance of tree and plant cover on
idle land as. beneficial influences III
controlling floods. and stopping SOIL ero-
sion, which you yourself have stated Is
inpoyerishing millions, Of acres OF our
land.
Face Possible Loss.
s.Tha records Of congressional hear
fngs offer abundant evidence that your
department yearly stresses to Congress
the need of expanding these ana otner
forestry activities in order Adequately
to protect basic natural resources OF
the Nation. You are no oouot aware
of the fact that the country Is racing
an emergency in the protection OF It's
forest resources from fire, due TO the
Inability of many States and private
owners to provide protective funds ana
TO the recent action of the Government
in reducing cooperative funds 10 pc
made available this year, If the process
of depletion in the Nations system OF
resource protection is permitted to con-
tinue. it will expose TO wholesale loss
not only our forest assets but the com
Elementary values, inherent IN stable
forest land administration, such as for
ests, wild life, soil fertility, scenic
beauty, water supply and the penenclai
influences of forests upon HOODS ana
erosion. -
ssThere appears to be no question
that if a national forestry project,
viewed in the broad light OF needed
work to be done in protecting the coun-
trv's forest and complementary re-
sources from fire, insects and diseases,
in protecting agricultural lands, COM
munities and cities against erosion and
establishing trees and plant covers for
watershed protection, in building pro-
IL S1xKt
telephone lines. fire lines, etc, on ma
tional and State forests, national parks
and game preserves, work for very
large number of men could be provided.
Furthermore, it Is work that must be
done sooner or later if our natural re-
sources are to be adequately perpetu-
ated and the real sources Of our ma
tional wealth maintained intact. The
present situation, in the Judgment OF
the American Forestry Association, Of
fers an opportunity to accomplish this
constructive end, and in so doing to