Montana labor news., 1950-03-23
The Montana Labor News will
not be responsible for the views of
their correspondents.

ing is done about 4 constructive
nature, instead OF the "Pick-.Sloar
Plan
In Russia. after the erosion-pre-
vcntion plan is worked out. they build
storage dams ior irrigation purposes
and hydro-electric plants to make
all the power the plant car pro-
ducc. not just what the market de-
mands rs we do here. Instead OF
building a plant To fit the market
demands. they create a market to fit
the plant. which would be difficult
under private ownership. Sane log
eing is a prerequisite to the pro-
per working out OF this plan, diff
ferent from our timber determination
on the western slope OF the Cascades
i'll Washington state.
Here. the National Forest Service
is doing all the good it IAN under its
limited power but it can not restore
the dust-bowl to It's former mating
OF bufialo-grass TO keep the top
soil from going from neighbor &c
neighbor in a dust-storm. 1t can't re.
trieve the top soil OF the Badlands
from the Gull OF Mexico, nor car
il restore the erosion-ruined hills o.
the Paloos district i'll Washington
mainly ruined by man, same as thu
dust-bowl. in continuous grain crop.
ping. aiming at quick-yielding casl
returns instead OF long-range com
lmit.ments. Same goes for the thou
sands of acres burnt-over blackenet
stumps, tit only for fireweeds ane
%honeybees until some ways can b.
devised to stop the yearly weed
fires going through the district kill
ing the young saplings trying to re-
appear.
1t is useless trying TO reseed the
district until some way is found &c
stop the fires and most OF the ground
on account oi the rough and rocky
character OF the soil, is tit only for
timber. While we use up our timber
reserve about six times faster than
it grows. Russia uses less timber
than what is grown each year, yet
She takes much better are Of iier
forests than we do.
II takes Nature thousands Of years
to produce humus and the top soil on
the earth. without which no life
could exist, on land or water as
all life depends on the vegetable
stage Tor its existence. Once thai
is washed away, the world would
be sterile. Dams and storage reser-
|voirs are no solution to the erosion
problem as the soil collected there
might as we'll be in the ocean. Fur,
thermorc. the Silt collected there vii
eventually ill them to Overlooking
making them useless Tor both hydro,
electric power and irrigation. Will,
artificial fertilizers can be produced
III large quantities. nature alone car
produce humus and top soil by a SLOW
process.
In China and Japan. this top sol
is worth enough to be carried III
steep mountain sides and spread Oh
terraces Tor agricultural purposes
In China, top soil is considered val
liable enough to be placed on rive
rats ior garden purposes, Will,
millions OF acres OF soil is yearl,
washed into the ocean down the bi,
, ~iYcrs during the Spring floods
Same conditions o~,s, in the L. s
10 a smaller degree.
In the United States. the annua
loss caused by river floods is nearl
enough to put the basins, not onl.
Tree from floods, but self supportin'
as well like IVA Even adding tn
extra cost OF a couple OF A-Bomb
would be money well spent. |
would not only be a current blessin
but OF inestimable value to futur
generations. The yearly cash crop
and automobiles makes co~nservatio
a mighty hard problem.
T.. A. Anderso
Pu.,o Mopt,n