DEMAND FOR A CHANGE IN POLICY OF THE AMERICAN 

 FORESTRY ASSOCIATION 



April 20. 1!)21. 

 To THE Offickrs and Dirkctors of 



THE American Forestry Association : 



We. the undersigned officers and members of the American Forestry 

 Association, recognize with profound regret that the Association has 

 adopted a course which, unless promptly corrected, forfeits its rights 

 to the confidence of the public, and clearly invalidates its claim to 

 represent the forest interests of the people of the United States. 



First, the management of the Association has been taken out of the 

 hands of its me nbers. Amendments to the by-laws proposed by the 

 Board of Directors and adopted at the annual meeting of the Associa- 

 tion in Washington, D. C. on February 25, 1921. put the affairs of the 

 Association into the liands of what is in effect a self-perpetuating 

 board with unusual powers. Hereafter the Board is to consist of 15 

 members, of whom seven, no-uinated by the Directors and elected at 

 the meeting on February 25, are to be permanent. The nsw by-laws 

 authorize the nomination of the other eight by the Board, with pro- 

 vision for additional nominations by members if desired. The Board, 

 thus constituted, is given power to elect the President, Vice Presidents, 

 Treasurer, and Secretary of the Association, and to amend the by- 

 laws, except those relating to the election of the Directors. 



It would be difficult to devise an organization more undemocratic or 

 better suited to put substantially complete control of the Association 

 in the hands of a small group not responsible to the membership. 



Second, the amended by-laws, formally expressed, were not pre- 

 sented to the meeting, but instead only a brief and incomplete summary 

 of them. The advance announcement of the proposed changes, pub- 

 lished in American Forestry, was in such a form and so inconspic- 

 uously placed as to be easily overlooked by the average reader. A pro- 

 posal to secure a referendum vote of all members by mail upon this 

 important plan of reorganization was rejected. The new by-laws do 

 not therefore repre>--ent th.> deliberate action of the members of the 

 Association. 



