Evening star., 1940-08-11
Pruises Record of
c. c. c. Comps
By Frederic J. Hdskin.

OF the emergency legislation enacted dur
ing the depression years, it is evident
that the work of the Civilian Conserva-
ton Corps will rank high in the Govern
ment's attempts to combat an economic
collapse.
The c. c. c. has possibly received more
praise and less criticism than any other
experiment by the New Deal. This
agency has not only provided work under
healthful conditions for more than
100000 young men, but has given them
opportunity to obtain valuable vocational
training.
The c. c. G. program was initiated
on March 20, 1888, when President Roose-
welt sent to Congress a message urging
adoption Of legislation under which a
vast army of idle young men could be
given employment through the perform
ance OF useful public work in connection
with the conservation and DEVELOPMENT
OF the natural resources of the United
States. Congress passed the legislation
on March 81. and the corps was estab-
lished on April 5.
For many years the public has increas.
ingly regarded conserving and restoring
the forests and lands of the Nation az
an opportunity through which young
men could obtain their first experience
and training in real work. The C. C. c,
program gave practical expression to this
sentiment.
When the first enrollees went to camp
they were referred to as a weaponless
army whose recruits came from broken
homes highway trails and relief shelters,
but an army that carried implements OF
production and not death-dealing de-
vices.
The corps has definite and constructive
purposes. One of these is the conserva-
tion OF natural resources, and is regarded
as an achievement Of importance. No
less realistic and important is its pur-
pose in advancing personal and social
objectives. The corps is also successfully
engaged in the conservation of human
resources.
Camps of the c. c. C. are especially
we'll adapted to the needs and interests
OF those eligible for nrollment-unmar-
ried youths between the ages of II and
% who have completed their formal
schooling and who have had little or no
opportunity to develop work qualifica.
tions.
An enrollee in the c. c. c. soon be-
gins to adjust himself to camp life, and
makes physical improvement. Moreover,
he is no longer idle and dependent on
others. He not only is self supporting,
but from his cash allowance of $50 q
month, sends home to his dependents a
minimum of s22 month. If he has no
dependents the Government keeps this
monthly sum for him until he leaves the
corps, when he receives the total.
Since establishment Of the corps en-
rollees have contributed more than
$575,o0o,o00 to approximately 100000
needy dependents. At present the
strength Of the corps is 100000, although
approximately 1,780,000 persons are re.
ceiving benefits through its program.
Enrollees work eight hours day, five
days a week, except in cases Of emer-
gency. The projects on which they are
engaged include reforestation, park de-
velopment, soil and wild life conserva-
ton. After work hours the men are at
liberty to study, attend classes, read in
the library which is included in each
camp, or engage in other recreational
activities Of their choosing
The C. c. c. takes the position that it
should do more than give young man
job and security while he is in the
corps and at the end of his enrolment
send him home with improved health,
morale and self-confdence. 1t holds
that during his enrolment every effort
should be made to increase his employ
ability so that he may find work when
he leaves the corps. To further this, an
educational and training program is an
important part of each c. c. C. camp.
The educational opportunities open to
the individual enrollee after completion
Of his work hours range from the course
for the elimination of illiteracy to
courses in technical subjects of college
level.
Among the very few critics of the G.
C. c. are certain individuals who con-
tend that it is Army training. The
agency was never so designed, and those
who have taken the time to understand
Its workings do not support this con.
tention. However, If war should come,
the millions who have been trained
through c. C. C. activities will be better
fitted to serve their country, and obvi-
ously better able to protect themselves.
Young men trained in c. c. C. camps
are specialists in dozen or more fields.
Thousands Of them know the practical
workings of engines. Among them are
expert truck and tractor drivers and ex-
pert mechanics and linemen. There are
also radio operators, carpenters, cooks
and photographers, and in the far North
west C. G. C. enrollees use airplanes in
lighting forest fires. Along with the
pilot go expert parachutists who Jump
from planes to fight isolated fires in back
woods areas where no truck trail leads.
Indeed, the C. G. C. is the largest and
best vocational school in the world.
The long list Of c. c. G. accomplish
ments in the conservation and develop
ment of this country's natural resources
gives one higher appreciation of the
countrys young men. Their accomplish
ments include such high lights as
l 1,756, 900 900 trees planted for reforesta-
ton purposes; more than 114,000 miles
of roads and truck trails constructed,