Evening star., 1934-04-08
Three hundred thousand young men
scattered throughout the forests of the

Three hundred thousand young men
scattered throughout the forests of the
Nation threw up their hats yesterday
morning and whooped. Then they set
tied down to work, later in the day to
put on gala celebration in their
quarters. Yesterday was the birthday
of the c. C. c.
Just one year ago yesterday the order
went forth from the White House to
begin the enrolment of 100000 young
men and boys into civilian conserva-
ton camps as a relief measure from
depression enforced idleness. Most of
these boys and young men were roam
ing the country aimlessly. bumming
rides on freights, hitch-hiking and
walking
What does the year, in their behalf
and that of the Nation, show?
In four major fields the emergency
conservation organization has done
notable work. As an unemployment
relief organization it has provided work
for approximately 100000 young men,
war veterans and schooled woodmen.
In addition it has provided work for
approximately 10000 Reserve officers
and civilians, employed in such capaci-
ties as administrators, supervisors and
clerks. Another $4,000 possibly have
found employment in the building of
housing facilities for the vast woodland
army.
Money Given Families.
Yv <Lo Gala - r,1;of tbo nv, r or,o = inv,
program has placed in the family ex-
chequer of these thousands of boys
something like S75,Oo0,00O Each boy
in camp draws $50 per month. Twenty
five of this is sent home directly by the
War Department. Five dollars is al
lotted each boy for his own personal
use
In the conservation field the work
accomplished by the national program
has been more astoundingly stupen-
dous. Such items as 75,00O,000 trees
planted within the year, 100000 acres
of land combed for forest pests and
diseases, 10000 acres cleared of fire
hazards. 10000 miles of fire breaks
constructed, 5000 miles of telephone
lines and $4,000 miles of truck trails,
give salient idea of what the year
has produced for the Nation in the way
of an investment An investment that
is good, not for day, but for all time.
Not included in this enumeration. but
of equal importance, is the soil erosion
work Of the corps. Soil erosion and
flood control operations have been
carried out on more than 100000
acres of land
In the field of constructive rebuild
ing of national prosperity the conserva-
tion program has done its part. Hun
dreds of millions of dollars worth of
foodstuffs have been bought to feed
these forest workers-and can they
eat!-in addition to millions for ma
chinery, equipment, supplies, lumber
and materials.
Social Service.
Outside the field of direct material
benefits the conservation organization
has done a vast social service for the
Nation. Thousands upon thousands
of boys roaming the country is not
desirable. Most of the boys aver
aged far above the transient type
of the pre-depression period. Many
were college youths - one, two,
three and four year men-out of
job, out of school, financially
broke. Aside from the fact that "idle
hands breed mischief hands," sus-
tained youthful morale demanded
that something be done for these
youths. Many were undernourished.
half-starved. revolutionary tinder
The conservation plpgram saved the
day for them. To Know this, and to
know that 1t did, It y only necessary
to delve into the great mass Of let