THE SITUATION 5 



passage of an administration bill, calling for a complete organization 

 in the Department of the Interior, were without result. 



During that period, within three years of the establishment of the 

 first reservation, we succeeded in having this bill passed in both Houses, 

 but by a mishap — ^the sickness of a child of the Chairman of the Public 

 Lands Committee — it failed to become law. 



A first move to at least protect the property more efficiently was 

 made in 1897 under rules and regulations administered by agents of 

 the General Land Office who were in command until 1904. In that 

 year, the management was turned over to the Forest Service in the 

 Department of Agriculture when an administration on professional 

 lines was inaugurated. 



Whatever criticisms and fault-finding may be justified as to the 

 detail of organization and administration, we can claim that the tre- 

 mendous task of placing the Forest Service on an efficient professional 

 basis has been undertaken with a measure of success that more than 

 justifies the pride the profession can feel in it. 



When it is considered that the first professional forester graduated 

 from an American forest school in the first year of this century, it is 

 quite remarkable how quickly and how efficiently the change from a 

 superficial political administration to a well-organized professional 

 management was efifected. It is a testimony to the efficiency of the 

 Forest Service that it has been able to steer by the clift's and through 

 the stormy seas, set in commotion by selfish private interests and by 

 false political aims, without losing headway. 



Detractors, enemies, objectors had to be appeased and political 

 claptrap to be overcome, while introducing business attitudes and 

 technicaJl management. 



In less than 15 years from not only non-existence, but non-compre- 

 hension of even the idea of forestry, we may claim the profession, as 

 far as Federal recognition is concerned, has been fully established. 



Yet, so fickle and unstable is democratic government, that it is im- 

 possible even now to rely upon the permanency of the established 

 policy and service by their momentum alone. Still watchfulness, argu- 

 ments, and struggle to maintain the policy of National Forests are 

 necessary. Repeated efforts are made by Congressional measures to 

 secure the abandonment of the policy as a whole or in part, or are 

 designed to interfere with a rational administration, and must be met. 



During the last winter, for instance, attempts were made in Con- 

 gress to abolish the Alaska National Forests, and to open to private and 



