NATIONAL CONTROL OF FOREST DEVASTATION 



An Analysis of the New Capper Bill 



By Frederick E. Olmsted 



On May 2, 1931, Senator Capper introduced the bill which is given 

 in full below. It is based upon a careful study of the present forest 

 situation by the Committee on Forests of the National Conservation 

 Association. The following men served upon that committee : Gifford 

 Pinchot, Chairman; R. C. Bryant, B. P. Kirkland, P. S. Lovejoy, 

 F. E. Olmsted, J. H. Pratt, F. A. Silcox, R. Y. Stuart, and G. W. 

 Woodruff. 



The legal basis of the bill was suggested and developed by Philip 

 P. Wells, after a thorough consideration of all other possible courses, 

 and is considered sound by constitutional lawyers. It will be noted 

 that the legislation now recommended differs in many respects from 

 that of the original Capper bill. It is intended to serve as a compre- 

 hensive basis for final legislation and will, of course, be subject to 

 change in the course of its progress. 



67TH CONGRESS, 1ST SESSION. S. 1435 



In the Senate of the United States 



May 2, 1921 



Mr. Capper introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred 

 to the Committee on Agriculture and Forestry. 



A Bill to control forest devastation, to perpetuate forests in the United States, 

 to raise a revenue from forest products, and for other purposes. 



Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States 

 of America in Congress assembled, 



DEFINITIONS 



That, when used in this Act — 



"Commercial forest land" means all private land within the United States 

 which is now or hereafter in forest, except farm wood lots as in this section 

 defined, and except such land as the Secretary shall have caused to be examined 

 at any time and shall have found to be at such time chiefly valuable for other 

 uses than the growth of forest crops. And the Secretary is hereby authorized 

 in his discretion to cause such examination to. be m.ade. 



"Farm wood lot" means land which is a part of a farm, whether contiguous 

 or not, and is used as a subsidiary source of farm supply or farm revenue, 

 but which is otherwise like commercial forest land as defined in this section. 



"Forest crop" means the wood of trees on forest land. 



"Harvesting a forest crop" means the felling of trees on forest land, together 

 with the production therefrom of one or more raw forest products and/or the 

 removal of such products for sale, consumption, or use. 



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