JOURNAL OF FORESTRY 



Vol. XIX MAY, 1921 No. 5 



The Society is not responsible, as a body, for the facts and opinions advanced 

 in the papers published by it. 



HAS THE AMERICAN FORESTRY ASSOCIATION LOST ITS 

 FORMER USEFULNESS? 



REFLECTIONS OF A LIFE DIRECTOR WPW Y<X.>K 



SOTa.mcal 

 By H. H. Chapman ^^^^^^^ 



part vi — the growth of autocracy 



The development of a centralized oligarchic autocracy out of what 

 was previously a democratic and representative form of government 

 for the American Forestry Association was not the result of neglect 

 or indifference on the part of the members of the board, but resulted 

 from a long-continued, intentional policy on the part of three men, the 

 Secretary, the President, and the Chairman of the Finance Committee, 

 supported or at least not actively opposed by others of the active Board 

 who consented to and tolerated these successive developments because 

 of the financial benefits they were supposed to bring to the Association. 

 This left a minority of active board members in opposition to these 

 tendencies. Although Mr. Sterling had opposed Dr. Drinker's policy 

 of neutrality toward National Forests, he did not oppose this tendency 

 toward centralization at any time and even assisted in it. That the 

 result now accomplished was foreseen is shown by the following letter : 



February 5, TQid. 

 Mr. Charles Lathrop Pack, 



Lakeivood, N. J. 

 Dear Mr. Pack : 



I am preparing a digest of the finances of the Association which I 

 expect to send you in the near future. 



I wish to call your attention to a tendency in the management of 

 the Association which. I think, must be overcome. Mr. Quincy and 

 Mr. Ridsdale believe that the affairs of the Association should be placed 



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