REFLECTIONS OF A LIFE DIRECTOR 



333 



to the cause of forestry. This appeal must rest upon an absohitely 

 sincere and honest basis, and if used solely as a business asset would 

 constitute a base betrayal of the fine spirit of public service shown by 

 the members of our Association. 



This question of expenditure for the purpose of exi)ansioii has con- 

 stituted at all times the greatest problem in financing this Association. 

 The Secretary, in reporting the result of his campaigns for members, 

 was in the habit, until last year, of presenting to the Board statements 

 showing the income resulting from outlay for members, without con- 

 sidering the other expense attached, as indicated, namely, his commis- 

 sions, and the cost of service for one year. If the campaign produced 

 income equal to outlay it was considered a success. Without disputing 

 this assumption, it was evident that the real financial stability of the 

 Association and its ability to continue to exist independent of heavy 

 donations, carrying with them an undue measure of control over policy 

 and management, rested on two things, first, the retention of the new 

 members thus obtained, second, economy in running the Association, 

 so that a certain surplus would be available from each $3 payment, to 

 devote to this campaign. 



In order to bring out these facts, avoid dissipating the invested funds 

 of the Association in campaigns for members to increase gross income, 

 and protect its financial, economic and political independence, the writer 

 early in 1916 devised a method of analyzing the costs of running this 

 Association. This analysis was based on the S3 member as a unit, 

 after crediting other sources of revenue against certain definite ex- 

 penses. 



The costs so analyzed for the five years preceding 1920 are shown 

 in the following table. 



Comparative Yearly Costs Per Item of $3 Membership 



