Western news and the Libby times. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1920-1933, 1933-04-13
Advocates Big
Development Of
Forest Resources
Points Out Many Ways in Which Such
Program Would Benefit the
Nation.

MISSOULA, Montana, April 119-Sol-
ution of the forest problem is the only
means to stable, permanent, forest in
dustries which had predepressien
value of $1O,OO0 100000 and gross prod
ucts prior to 1929 of nearly S2,00O,0O0,-
coo, according to Secretary of Agricul-
ting tx congress the report prepared
by the Aforest service in response to
Senate Resolution It's Of the last ses-
sion Of congress.
THE solution will provide he
emphasizes, an important source of
employment for labor at time when
the development Of labor-saying] ma
chinery makes employment critical
national problem. Our forest land in
productive condition and the depen-
dent primary forest industries alone
would furnish employment for two mil
lion men.
The solution offers ar important aid
In public finance by increasing the
amount of taxable property. pulp and
paper mills, for example, depend on
productive forests for their existence.l
Tt offers one important means for
maintaining balanced rural economic
and social structure in the parts of
the country which will grow timber,
by utilizing all of the land productive
ly for the purposes for which it is best
suited, maintaining industries in per-
petuity, and holding a reasonable part
of the population in the country in a
healthy, diversified rural life
The report presents land-use pro-
gram affecting more than one-third of
the entire land area of the United
States. Co-ordinated, this plan aims to
insure all the economic and social
benefits which can and should be de-
rived from productive forests by fully
utilizing the forest land and by MAX
ing all Of its timber and other prod
ucts and its watershed, recreational
and other services available in quanti-
ties adequate to meet national require
mentS.
Among the recommendations for the
various programs endorsed BY Secre-
tary Wallace's department are:
That public agencies-states, local
subdivisions and federal government
should acquire 224,000,000 acres of for
est land and place it under forest man
agement at the earliest practicable date
following acquisition Much of this
land has or will come into public own
ership by reason of ax-delinquency,
the report states and adds that the
federal government should assume only
that part of the 224,000,000 acres which
the states cannot carry.)
That fire protection standards should
be raised on much of the 21,000,000
acres now under protection, that an
additional 191,000,000 acres be placed
under fire protection; that at least 25,-
100000 acres be planted during the
next 20 years; that the area under in
tensive forest management be raised
during the next few years To at least
70,00Q,000 acres. and the area under
extensive. management to at least 279,
100000 acres
Although at first opposed, the ma
tional forest enterprise now has prac-
tically universal public appreciation,
says Secretary Wallace in his letter of
transmittal. 4 am convinced" he adds,
that the public program recommended
will command equal approval IN the
future, and that the extension Of the
ndllOna1 ana state IpfeStS ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
is as important and as necessary as the.
creation of the existing national and
state forests. The federal share of the
proposed program, including both &C
QUESTION and the management Of &C
! euired and existing national forests
has, therefore, the unqualified en-
dorsement of the department
$50 far as | can see, nothing can be
| gained and much will be lost by de-
/ lay. The contribution to our national
land problem will be very large, and
it is a contribution which is more and
more urgently needed There should
be the opportunity for the large en-
ployment Of labor in constructive pub
lie works. The longer that forest de-
VISITATION and deterioration continue
| the higher will b. the cost Ct fees
restoration. A high pcree-ia9 = :
initial costs are in the nature Ct cay :
tai investments for vhicN 'qw-inte~-
est lonr-terr, loans would be justified.
| strongly recommend, therefore, the
earliest possible action on the federal
part of the plan"