REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE. 45 



of protection and administration, and cause endless confusion to 

 users, who in many cases would have to deal with two departments in 

 developing resources when, for instance, logging and grazing units 

 overlap. 



The protection of the scenic features and the development of the 

 recreational use of the lands is being taken care of in the National 

 Forests. Some of the most unusual scenic areas in the Forests are 

 best suited to a full Park administration. The bulk of the Forest 

 areas, however, should continue in their present status, where they 

 will be fully protected and developed for recreation purposes as a 

 part of the Forest administration. The extensive road building, 

 made possible by the $10,000,000 recently appropriated, will open 

 them up rapidly. 



An added cause of confusion is the fact that National Parks and 

 National Forests are administered by two executive departments. 

 While there is an effort to cooperate, nevertheless difficulties arise 

 which could be wholly avoided if they were under one department. 

 Unquestionably the administration of the Forests should remain in 

 the Department of Agriculture, because of the close relationship of 

 the work of the Forest Service to the activities of other bureaus of the 

 same department, such as the Bureau of Plant Industry, Bureau of 

 Animal Industry, Office of Public Roads and Rural Engineering, 

 Bureau of Soils, Bureau of Biological Survey, and the Bureau of 

 Entomology. Obviously, there are in the Forests many problems 

 relating to live stock, plant growth, predatory animal and insect 

 control, soil conditions, and road and trail work. These great 

 bureaus are directly and intimately concerned with these problems. 

 If the Forests were transferred to another department, that depart- 

 ment either would have to duplicate these bureaus in part, or would 

 have all the difficulties of cooperation with another department 

 which seem to be inherent. Whether the National Park Service 

 should be- transferred to the Department of Agriculture is a matter 

 for consideration. If the transfer should be made, it would be 

 unnecessary and, in my judgment, unwise to consolidate the work of 

 the two services. The Park Service should take its place in the 

 organization of the department as an independent bureau, with its 

 activities closely related to those of the Forest Service. Certainly, 

 if the two services are to be administered by different departments, 



