454 JOURNAL OF FORESTRY 



This belated recognition of the merits of a reform in the election 

 system, which had been prepared by Mr. Chapman at a previous board 

 meeting, was not put into effect in passing upon whether these 

 seven directors should hold office for life. This was determined by 

 the 157 m.embers present, and the plea of the delegates, that just such 

 a mail vote on this issue should be taken was answered by Mr. Pack 

 by the argument that it would cost $T00 and the Association didn't 

 have the money. The amendment to submit the by-laws by mail was 

 defeated, 95 to 25. On March 1 the $700 estimated as the cost of this 

 referendum by Mr. Pack, was apparently available and was spent in 

 mailing to the members Mr. Ridsdale's circular praising the action 

 taken at this meeting and extolling the democratic system of voting 

 installed. This was followed by a second circular of similar character. 



It may be true that the average uninformed members of this Asso- 

 ciation, having the average faith in the good intentions of persons in 

 general, will accept this statement on its face value. The statement 

 follows : 



Washington, D. C, March r. iq2i. 

 To Members of the A:\ierican Forestry Association : 



Rapid development in the ability of the American Forestry Associa- 

 tion to further promote the cause of forestry is assured by important 

 action taken at the Annual Meeting of the Association on February 25. 

 This was the adoption of amendments to the by-laws which remove the 

 danger of the Association ever passing under the control of special 

 interests, a condition threatened on several occasions, and which assure 

 for all time its policy of truly representing and creating public opinion. 



The amendments make seven of the directors — including President 

 Charles Lathrop Pack — permanent directors. All these men have been 

 directors for the past ten years or more. They represent forestry, 

 conservation, lumber, paper manufacturing, banking, general business, 

 and education — interests so diversified that these men are particularly 

 representative of the general public. The other eight directors will 

 be elected by the members who are now entitled to vote by mail or 

 in person. This permits all to have a direct voice in the affairs of 

 the Association, a much more democratic arrangeinent than that previ- 

 ously in effect, of allowing only those present at the annual meetings 

 to vote. Rarely did more than 150 to 175 attend these micetings. 

 This is about one per cent of the membership. 



Adoption of these provisions assuring a continued public service and 

 public-spirited policy also permits much better financial support of 



