COOPERATION IN FOREST PROTECTION (543 



The final sections provide for ])locking out true forest areas by 

 exchanging Government land or timber for forest land now privately 

 held within or adjacent to present National Forest boundaries. The 

 addition of Government land now within the Forests to the National 

 Forests when most suitable for forest production, is provided, and 

 methods of accomplishing these reclassifications of Government lands 

 are specified. 



This program provides for : 



(1) Protection of the present supply of timber. 



(2) Scientific utilization of it. 



(3) The production of a future supply. 



The introduction of these bills marks the first attempt ever made to 

 secure passage by Congress of a complete measure covering all phases 

 of an adequate National Forest Policy, but on the other hand it in- 

 volves no new or revolutionary ideas or procedure. It simply means 

 putting together and setting up for the first time a permanent policy 

 on the part of the National Government in the dealing with all phases 

 of the question of continuous timber production upon all forest land 

 in the country whether in public or private ownership. 



The basic principle is that of Federal leadership and assistance in 

 cooperation with State and private agencies. The plan is workable, 

 effective along trails already blazed, and one that involve^ the minimum 

 expenditure of Federal funds and the minimum number of Federal 

 {Employees — which is greatly to be desired at this time when economy in 

 public administration is imperative. 



The problem before the country is to secure the penuanent pro- 

 duction of more timber. This can never be accomplished through 

 direct compulsion from Washington upon the private owners of tim- 

 berland. Congressional enactment can force the growing of timber 

 only upon land in Federal ownership. The States, through the exer- 

 cise of the police power which they possess and which the National 

 Government does not possess, can and should make drastic regulations 

 to prevent forest fires and they can and should tax forest land equitably 

 and not inequitably. The problem will not be solved until conditions 

 are such that the investment of private capital in timber growing and 

 holding of land for forest crops is a safe and profitable undertaking. 



History abounds in reports of legal attempts to compel things which 

 a large majority of the people were opposed to and to force capital — 

 which is the people's savings — into unprofitable channels, but history 



