The Ely miner., 1935-11-21
LEGION LAUDED
CONTINUED From Page One0

Seven dams were to be built raising the
water levels of the lakes from f1ve TO
eighty feet. These dams were TO De
built largely at the expense OF the
two governments, and they would have
converted the border lakes into huge
storage basins with annually fluctuatlng
water levels
This plan was inimical to the well
fare of the lakes concerned. 1t dl-
rectly countered the interests OF the
people of the state to the advantage
of a single private corporation. The
American Legion was one OF the trst
great public organizations to register
it's disapproval of this plan. AT the
Hibbing convention in 1927, the Min
nesota department of the American
Legion announced its unalterable op-
position to this power program. At the
Austin convention of 1928 this position
was reafirmed, as it has been at each
subsequent department convention.
About this time there emanated out
of Canada a suggestion for the highest
usefulness of this great forest lakeland.
The thought was proposed that
treaty be entered into with Canada
setting aside the Rainy lake watershed
and adjacent areas of similar character
as a vast international forest. Neither
party to the treaty would yield actual
sovereignty over the region but a
similar set of principles would apply to
both sides. The most important of
these principles would prohibit the ar
tificial alteration of the water levels,
insure the cutting of all timber under
modern forestry practices and develop
all game, fish and fur bearers to point
of maximum natural production.
Under the Craftsmanship of Pat Cliff,
the conservation committee of the Le-
gion reporting to the Winona conven-
ton in 1929 recommended endorsement
of this positive and constructive pro-
gram of conservation and suggested
that this great international forest be
dedicated to the service men of both
countries who served together in the
Great War. The convention adopted
both the recommendation and the Sug-
gestion.
Later, in the same year, the national
American Legion at Louisville, Ken
tucky enthusiastically endorsed the
idea of an international memorial forest
along the. border lakes as advocated
by the Minnesota department. In Nov
ember, 1929, largely through the efforts
of Stafford King, chairman of the ma
tional committee, the Canadian Legion
concurred.
In 1880 congress passed the Ship
stead-Nolan bill by which the federal
government prohibited the alteration
without consent of congreSS of any
water levels affecting government lands
within the area embracing the border
lakes and their Minnesota tributaries
from Rainy lake to Lake Superior. 1t
also prohibited the logging of the i'm
mediate Shoreline of lakes within the
area so far as the government land
might be affected The area specified
in the Shipstead-Nolan bill has come
to be known as the Shipstead-Nolan
area. 1t constitutes the acreage on the
American side which it is hoped will be
dedicated to the purpose of the con-
templated international memorial for
est.
Later the Minnesota legislature passed
a similar bill applying the Shipstead-
Nolan protective principles to land
owned by the state within the Ship
'stead-Nolan area.
Further resolutions bearing on this
question were passed by the American
Legion of Minnesota at its 1880 Crook
Ston convention, its 1881 Rochester con-
vention, its 1882 Bemidji convention, its
1884 Duluth convention and its Albert
Lea convention of 1885
In the spring of 1884, President
Roosevelt appointed committee of five
to facilitate the achievement of this
program. AS its chairman, he appointed
Ernest C. Oberholtzer of Rainier, Min
nesota. Mr.. Oberholtzer has been presi-
dent for eight years of the Quetico
Superior Council, the organization that
has stood fast with the American Le-
gion.
Now, as to the present situation. If
We are to effect treaty with Canada
for an international forest, we must first
have land. The area desired is that set
out in the ShipStead-Nola act. 1t
must be all under federal control be-
cause the federal government will not
attempt to bind by treaty land which
it does not own. 1t is vital, therefore,
that the Superior National Forest be
extended to cover the entire Shipstead-
Nolan area. This extension the federal
government is ready to make upon the
proper indication of a desire for such
by the people of Minnesota.
A bill will be introduced at the coming
special session of the Minnesota legis-
lature providing that all lands within
the ShipStead-Nolan area, forfeited TO
the state for tax delinquency, shall be
offered to the federal government at
fair price. 1t would seem that should
this bill become law it would constitute
sufficient advice to the federal govern
ment that the people of Minnesota