598 JOURNAL OF FORESTRY 



thologists and bacteriologists, have gone over in a body to the Federa- 

 tion. It is time for foresters to forget their traditional prejudices and 

 to get into the greatest and most vital movement in the world — the labor 

 movement. It is a movement that, in its promise of a decent future for 

 humanity, transcends every question of profession, politics, religion, or 

 race. In truth, it embraces all these ; and it needs every ounce of intel- 

 lectual and moral force of every worker to guide it in a straight path. 

 It is not a mere privilege for a worker to become a part of this great 

 force. It is his duty to himself, to his profession, to his country, and 

 to mankind at large to contribute his share toward alleviating the crass 

 brutalities of modern industrial civilization. 



W. S. 



Reconstruction and Natural Resources 



Although between the writing and the reading of this comment some 

 little time will have passed and the propositions may In part have taken 

 practical form, we think it still not too late to call attention to an article 

 in the Journal of Political Economy for x\pril on "Reconstruction and 

 Natural Resources," by Raphael Zon. 



The article, analyzing the problem of reinstating the returned sol- 

 diers in industrial and social life, is so sane and convincing that it is to 

 be hoped that its recommendations will find recognition by authorities 

 and agencies having this work in hand. The subject is treated in a 

 broad-gauged way, with a comprehensive plan not of immediate 

 ephemeral, but future permanent results. 



"Let the reward be in the form of a real chance to work and develop 

 his ambitions, not a mere bounty that may be quickly spent." 



Four methods are open to the nation, namely : 



1. Opportunity for settling on the land. 



2. Employment in the development of the natural resources, such as 

 forests, mines, water-power, oil fields, etc. 



3. Combined urban and rural occupation. 



4. Reserve employment. Construction of public works for improv- 

 ing country life, such as railroads, roads, rural building construction, 

 draining swamp lands, reclamation of arid lands, etc. 



As regards the first method, a few sentences will make clear the 

 author's attitude. "The time has come to abandon the policy of plac- 

 ing people carelessly on poor land and to substitute by proper organi- 

 zation and careful planning the development of the millions of acres 

 of good land now idle and to secure permanent homes, continuous pro- 

 duction, and sound social and industrial conditions. . . . Free land 



