Evening star., 1939-03-23
More Forest Fire
Prevention Funds
Urged By Taft
National Campaign
luunched-Three BIaze
Heroes Honored

s"SS Os"eS
Heroes Honored
A call for increased Federal par
ticipation in forest fire prevention
was issued last night by Senator
Taft, Republican, Of Ohio, as the
American Forestry Association
launched a Nationwide campaign
for conservation of forest areas in
the United States. More than $50
persons attended the meeting at the
Mayflower Hotel.
"The Federal Governments par
ticipation in this effort should be
increased so that the entire area of
unprotected forests. may be covered
even If it Is necessary to do so at
the expense Of other desirable but
less essential work." Senator Taft
declared in asking more funds for
the United States Forest Service in
protecting forests.
Proper care and protection will
save far more trees than a very ex-
tensive planting program could pos
sibly replace, he said. adding that
the average amount of wooded land
burned yearly is 100000 acres.
When large forest fires occur, he
continued, whole communities are
deprived of their means of livelihood,
unemployment increases and the use
OF the areas for picnics or vacations
is destroyed.
Praises Forest Service.
The Senator praised the United
States Forest Service for its activities
In protecting forests and pointed out
that where such protection is given,
l per cent of the protected area is
burned annually, while in the un-
protected area the average land
burned totals 16 per cent annually.
The presentation of the American
Forest Fire Medal for Heroism to
three forest fire fighters and the un.
yelling of the forest fire prevention
campaign poster painted by James
Montgomery Flagg,, who attended
the meeting. gave further emphasis
to the conservation drive.
The medals, the first to be given
by the association, were awarded to
Urban j. Post of Buffalo, Wyo.; Burt
Sullivan of Cody, Wyo, and, post
humously, to Paul E. Tyrrell of
Oakland, Calf. All three were cited
for valor in the Blackwater fire of
August 81, 1887, in the Shoshone
National Forest of Wyoming, which
claimed the lives of Is fire fighters.
including Mr.. Tyrrell. The awards
were made by j. P. Kinney, chair
man of the American Forest Fire
Foundation.
Mr.. Post received his medal in
person, while Representative Albert
E. Carter of Alifornia acted on
behalf of Mr.. Tyrrell's family. Mr..
Sullivan will receive his award in
Colorado this summer. Mr.. Post
is a forest ranger assigned to the
Bighorn National Forest in Wyo-
ming, Mr.. Sullivan is an employe of
the United States Bureau of Public
Roads and Mr.. Tyrrell, at the time
OF his death, was forestry foreman
OF a c. c. c. camp at Ten Sleep,
Wyo.
Poster to Be Distributed Widely.
The Flagg poster, from which more
than 100000 copies will be struck
for general distribution throughout
the country, shows a father and his
son defending their land against
fire. The theme of the painting is,
This is yours in trust; protect 1t
from fire."
Forest resources in the South were
described by Gov. Rivers of Georgia
as being responsible for the liveli-
hood of more than 1000, 900 individ-
uals in that section of the United
States. He emphasized that more
than half of the worlds supply of
naval stores is produced from the
pine trees of the Southeastern
States.
Gov. Rivers praised the late DR..
Charles Herty of Georgia for his
efforts in demonstrating the value
OF the Southern pine trees in the
pulp and paper industry. He pointed
out, however, that the value of the
trees was conditional upon their
conservation.
Describing the great growth OF
public interest in forestry in the
South, he attributed it to three
reasons: The Civilian Conservation
Corps, which has spread the prin-
ciples of conservation of natural re.
sources; the efforts of DR.. Herty In
focusing the eyes of the Nation or
the forest resources and possibih-
ties in the South, and finally the
expansion of the pulp and paper in.
dustry, which has enabled timber
growers to use pulpwood timber
heretofore of little or no value.
Gov. Rivers emphasized that "9s
per cent of our fires are man.caused'
and asked the public to cooperate
IN stopping this "scourge."
Among those who attended the
gathering were Hugh r. Wilson, Am
bassador to Germany; Secretary OF
Agriculture Wallace, Senators Clark
OF Idaho, Russell, jr., of Georgia;
Bulow of South Dakota and Bank
head of Alabama; Associate Justice
Stanley Reed of the United States