Evening star., 1934-08-06
Text of Roosevelt Speech
President Extols Wonders of National Parks, An
ronncing Permanent Policy for Preservation
of Natural Treasures.

principles: First, that the national
parks must be maintained in abso-
lutely unimpaired form for the use of
future generations as well as those of
our own time. Second, that they are
set apart for the use, observation,
health and pleasure of the people, and,
third, that the national interest must
dictate all decisions affecting public
or private enterprise in the parks"
The present national park service
stands as an example of efficient and
far-seeing governmental administra-
ton and its former duties added last
year by transferring from other de-
partmentS many other parks, battle
field sites, memorials and national
monuments. This concentration of
responsibility has thus made it pos
sible to embark on a permanent park
policy as great recreational and edu-
cational project-one which no other
country in the world has ever under
taken in such broad way for pro-
lection of its natural and historic
treasures and for the enjoyment Of
them by vast numbers of people.
Today have seen some of the work
of the Civilian Conservation Corps
boys in this Northwestern country. OF
the 100000 young men in these
camps, $4,000 are at work in our ma
tional parks. Here, under trained
leadership, we are helping these men
to help themselves and their families
and at the same time we are making
the parks more available and more
useful for the average citizen.
Hundreds of miles of firebreaks
have been built, fire hazards have
been reduced on great tracts of tim
berland, thousands Of miles of road
side have been cleared, $500 miles Of
trails have been constructed and
10000 acres have been reforested.
Other tens of thousands of acres have
been treated for tree disease and soil
erosion. This Is but another example
of our efforts to build, not for today
alone, but for tomorrow as we'll
Constant Struggle for Public.
We should remember that the de-
velopment of our national park system
over period of many years has not
been simple bed of roses. AS is
the case in the long fight for the pres
ervation of national forests and water
power and mineral deposits and other
national possessions, it has been a
long and fierce fight against many
private interests which were en-
trenched in political and economic
power. So, too, it has been a con-
slant struggle to protect the public
interest once cleared from private ex-
ploitation at the hands of the selfish
few.
1t took a bitter struggle to teach
the country at large that our national
resources are not inexhaustible and
two-fold injury is done, for it is a
theft OF the treasure of the present
and at the same time bars the road
OF opportunity to the future.
We have won the greater part of
the fight TO obtain and to retain these
great public park properties for the
benefit of the public. We are at the
threshold of even more important a
battle to save our resources of Rgri-
culture and industry against the self
iShneSs of individuals
The Secretary of the Interior in
1898 announced that this year of 1894
was to he emphasized as national
parks year" am glad to say that
there has been magnificent response
and that the number visiting our ma
ttonal parks has shown a splendid
increase. But I decided today that
every year ought to be national
parks year"
That is why with all the earnestness
at my command, I express to you the
hope that each and every one Of you
who can possibly find the means and
opportunity for so doing viii visit our
national parks and use them as they
are intended TO be used. They are not
for the rich alone Camping Is free,
the sanitation Is excellent. You viii