FOREST SERVICE SALARIES 401 



passing let us thank the far-sighted few of our profession who have 

 kept alive, by dint of hard personal effort, the "forestry movement." 



But the foregoing is only one of the practicable channels for redress 

 in the salary question. The other lies to hand, and may be used at once 

 by Forest Service men. I refer to the personal influence of large per- 

 mittees, to whom a stable and efficient field force is a matter of plain 

 self-protection. 



In other words, let the supervisor who enjoys the personal confidence 

 of the large stockman make it plain that the way for him to avoid the 

 hazards of dealing with a new ranger every few months is to get his 

 Senator interested in a living wage for rangers in general. The idea is 

 probably obvious without further explanation. Its limitations are also 

 obvious. If not used with discretion, and impersonally, it is better let 

 alone. 



A third method of redress, which is already well under way, and 

 which merits mention here, is the organization of Federal employees 

 unions. These unions are noteworthy in that they disavow the strike 

 as their weapon, and especially in that they aim to stimulate better 

 service at the same time as they claim better pay. In so far as they 

 adhere to this spirit, and in so far as they stress the need for promo- 

 tions rather than blanket raises, they may safely be considered as an 

 invaluable instrument for progress, meriting the personal support of 

 every forester in the Federal service. 



