Evening star., 1932-07-14
Roosevelt's Forest Scheme
Creates Issue of State Duty

ceased to be productive. but constitute
a menace to the remaining timber
lands while. in the old slaShings, the
dried tops and the growth Of grasses
are an ever-present fire hazard" the
Press declares that "for number OF
years reforestaation has been discussed
by upper peninsula leaders as the only
means of turning increasing State
liability into an asset" Pointing out
that freforestation on small scale has
been tried by schools, by counties and
by the State" the Michigan paper con-
cludes: Such efforts have met with
degree of success that gives assurance
that a larger effort would be sue
cessful."
Holding that Texas is among the
States that would profit from a greatly
extended reforestatIon program" the
Dallas Journal independent Demo
cratic) comments: There are few OF
the States in which any progress in
reforestation has been made in recent
years which would not benefit from an
extension of the program many times
its present scope. With enlargement
the gathering and sowing of seeds from
the forests, and the transplantation of
seedlings, constructive employment
could be given many thousands Of men
over a period of years, and their well
directed labors would safeguard the
Nation against a later timber famine.
devastating floods and denudstion OF
productive soil"
Quite aside from the economic aspects
Of reforestation as a national under
taking. the question of whether it is
properly Federal project is raised by
a number of papers. Among these is
Admitting that Secretary Hyde was
not happy in his hasty attack on Gov.
Rooseveit's program" and that plainly
he overlooked the preliminary job of
clearing the ground for planting and
many other tasks connected with re-
forestation." the News states: Had
the Secretary of Agriculture taken time
and trouble to think about the Roose-
welt reforeStation program, doubtless he
would have discovered really weighty
and sound objection to advance against
it. Though reforestation is wise and
indeed an indispensable policy. Gov.
policy within the proper sphere
tain States in the Union. New York
among them, as Gov. Roosevelt him.
self pointed out with pardonable pride,
ere engaged in reforeStation work to
their own great advantage. What some
of the States do. and find It profitable
to do. other States should find equally
feasible and profitable There is no
reason why the National Government
should take up reforestation on larger
scale, or why it should 60 into partner
ship with the States for the purpose"
Similarly, in discussing the sound
ness of the plan for reforestation paid
for by bonds, the San Francisco Chron-
icle independent Republican, raises
certain questions as to what agency
should undertake such a plan in its
comment: THE answer Is Gov. Roose-
velt's own boast that New York is al
ready doing it. So are Pennsylvania
and North Carolina. But half of the
States east of the Mississippi and most
of them west of it rannot. Shall the
whole Nation issue the oo.sdS and a
small part of it receive all the benefit?
Or Is this essentially localized projec:
one which must be done, as II Is being
done. locally? Moreover, since most Of
this land is in private ownership, who
shall buy it and who shall own it?"
The New York Times independently
discusses the political phase of the mat
ter, with the statement: When Secre-
tary Hyde came out with ridicule of
the Roosevelt plan for a million men
planting trees on millions of acres, the
Governor announced that he would not
make an answer. Indeed, he implied
that he had adopted rule, good for
the whole campaign, that he would re-
ply to no Republican speeches except
those that might be made by President
Hoover himself. However, Commits
sicner Morgenthau promptly came for
ward to argue that the charges made
by Secretary Hyde merely showed his
ignorance about the whole question Of
reforestation If the Secretary would
only come to Albany and study the
thing at first hand, he might profitably
enlarge his knowledge"