RESULT OF THE REFERENDUM BALLOT 583 



wording Was approved by Colonel Greeley before it was placed on the 

 ballot. This question was, in a few instances, misinterpreted. Perhaps 

 a clearer statement would have been as follows : 



"Without committing yourself as to methods or machinery, do you 

 favor the prevention of forest devastation on privately owned com- 

 mercial timberlands by the enactment and enforcement of effective 

 and fair legislation?" 



It was apparent, however, that the great majority of those voting 

 understood the question in that light. 



The function of the present Committee is limited to a count and 

 analysis of the balloting. In order to make clear the basis upon which 

 we have proceeded the foregoing explanation has been necessary. It 

 is realized that an individual might well vote affirmatively upon a 

 number of points without being in agreement with the plan as a whole. 

 The majority of the voters preferred to express their approval or 

 disapproval of the individual items, in some cases explaining the basis 

 upon which such decision was reached. 



In several cases, however, it was feared that the transmission of such 

 a ballot might be construed as an endorsement of the report as a whole. 

 Consequently, several individual letters were received explaining a 

 refusal to vote by the prepared ballot. There w;ere eight such cases. 

 In practically every case the author expressed his approval of a pro- 

 gressive forestry program, but disapproved of the plan as a whole. 

 Obviously, it was impossible to include these eight cases in tabulating 

 the returns on the detailed voting. In view of their failure to differ- 

 entiate the points upon which they are in agreement or disagreement 

 with the proposed plan, the Committee felt that it could only treat 

 those members as not voting, but should report the existence of such 

 a group. 



All the clauses of the "Proposed Plan" were carried by substantial 

 majorities, the closest vote being on Clause 7, which recommends 

 National control. This clause carried, 9-1 to Gl. Aside from the 

 enforcement clauses, all of the clauses under "Suggested Legislation" 

 were favorably acted upon with one exception. This exception is the 

 clause calling for periodical reports from lumber manufacturers on 

 production, orders, shipments, etc., which was voted down, 74 to 70. 

 There was much divergence of opinion as to the advisability of creating 

 a Commission, and the vote upon this was close, 82 to 7(!. Many of 

 those voting "No" were in favor of placing the work in the hands of 



