ORGANIZATION FOR THE NATIONAL CONTROL OF 

 FOREST DEVASTATION 



By Frederick E. Olmsted. 



The Committee for the AppHcation of Forestry had no opportimity 

 to discuss the details of organization through which its plan might 

 best be executed. It briefly considered this matter, but only so far as 

 was necessary to satisfy itself that the plan was workable under a 

 fairly simple organization. The following outline, therefore, does not 

 necessarily represent the views of the Committee. It is put forward 

 upon my own responsibility and is intended simply to indicate some of 

 the fundamental principles which might govern in framing the essen- 

 tial administrative machinery. 



THE COMMISSION 



The problem of forest devastation was considered to be too large 

 a one and too complicated to be left in its entirety to any one executive 

 department of the Government. A commission of final authority 

 seemed advisable, and its makeup was designed to correspond to the 

 problem in hand. Existing heads of departments were suggested, in- 

 volving no additional expense to the Government on that score. The 

 commission would not be an executive body. It would establish the 

 basic principles of administration, determine standards for the control 

 of forest devastation, and frame the fundamental regulations to govern 

 procedure under the law. It would act as a board of appeals upon 

 such cases as might be carried beyond the department heads. 



It is apparent that the Committee's report has been misinterpreted 

 in one important particular. The idea is prevalent that the plan would 

 necessitate the creation of a large new administrative body, under the 

 new commission. Such an impression is wholly wrong. The plan 

 contemplates merely an extension of the Forest Service organization, 

 placing executive control with the Forester. The establishment of the 

 commission suggested would no more involve new administrative 

 machinery than did the commission created under the Weeks law. 



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