THE FORESTER. 179 



The proposed plan for realizing these objectives contemplates 

 cooperation between the Federal Government and the States. The 

 Government and the States must join hands in workingout a program 

 that vrill brmg into correlation the various ])ublio and private efforts 

 for the protection and right handlijig of forests. The function of 

 the Federal Government, m addition to handling the National Forests, 

 would bo to stimulate, guide, and coordinate State action and conduct 

 necessary investigations regarding the best methods of forestry, to 

 assist the States m classification of land, and to harmonize action 

 as between the different States. The States would also have a 

 function in handling public property owned by them, and they 

 would have a further direct responsibility in connection with the 

 protection and perpetuation of private forest lands. 



In the matter of private forestry the Government would work 

 primarily through State agencies. To initiate the proposed policy 

 there should be a Federal law authorizing the Government to coop- 

 erate with the States in bringmg about the protection and right han- 

 dling of forest lands withhi their borders, and providing m^eans for 

 such cooperation. 



The net result of the steps already taken to inaugurate and organize 

 the new movement for forestry has been to attract renewed and 

 widespread attention to the fact that a real forest problem must be 

 reckoned with, and is of national concern; to establish a conviction 

 in the minds of many who have first-hand kno-\^dedgc of the facts 

 that definite action to protect the public interests involved and safe- 

 guard a resource essential for economic and industrial stability is 

 now^ required; and to secure what is believed to be a feasible program, 

 of a character to command general acceptance as it becomes fully 

 understood. 



PERSONNEL CHANGES IN THE FOREST SERVICE. 



Since the signing of the armistice 419 members of the Forest Serv- 

 ice have resigned. Of this number 118 were employed at the Fores'; 

 Products Laboratory at Madison, Wis., 231 were mernbers of the 

 National Forest force, and 70 were employed in the District offices 

 and at Washmgton. 



The resignations at the Madison laboratory were mainlv the result 

 of curtailment of the activities there forced by large reductions in the 

 funds suppfied by the War and Navy Departments for lines of w^n'k 

 which were a part of the war effort of the Nation. As set forth in 

 last years report, the Forest Products Laboratory had practically 

 abandoned all other lines of w^ork. When the arrnistice was signed 

 the activities were at their peak. The field of public service of the 

 laboratory was somewhat altered but in no way reduced by the sudden 

 end of ho'stihties ; but the supply of funds was progressively cut off. 

 This was the chief cause of the reduction in force, though in a con- 

 siderable number of individual instances men whom the laboratory 

 wished to retain were lost because of the higher outside remuneration 

 offered them. 



Quite a different situation obtained with the National Forest force. 

 Here the war had led to a curtailment of activities, the furloughing 

 of many men who volunteered or were drafted for military servic^, 

 the temporary or permanent withdrawal of other men to engage in 



