Forest Service Revenue and Organization 211 



Supervisor's office busy on handling complaints. In addition to 

 this, we simply must have more information on the carrying 

 capacity of our ranges. We know little enough to enable us to 

 take decisive action on the applications we receive, to say nothing 

 of properly utilizing what is apparently a present surplus on 

 some units which in reality resolves itself into a fire menace. 



"The timber sale specialist would not handle the timber sales, 

 but he would be required to do the work which the Supervisor 

 should do if he had time, viz., mark the timber, make frequent 

 check scales ; or in other words, in addition to marking the timber, 

 be able to give frequent inspections. In my opinion, there is less 

 need for a timber sale specialist than for the other three named, 

 for the simple reason that our timber sales ar limited and so far, 

 the Supervisor and Deputy have been able to handle the inspec- 

 tions. However, we have not personally handled the marking, as 

 I know we should have done." 



Arguments Favoring Cotisolidations 

 The arguments in favor of larger units with a staffs organiza- 

 tion are summarized from a paper Mr. Ringland read before the 

 Albuquerque Section of the Society of American Foresters on 

 December 11. As he pointed out, geography alone may preclude 

 certain consolidations which, otherwise, might be desirable, "for 

 example, geography alone precludes the Wichita National Forest 

 in Oklahoma from consideration with any other National Forest 

 area — it is then the governing factor." Geography, in its nar- 

 rower sense, will become less and less an obstacle to efficient com- 

 munication with the increasing use of motorcycles and automo- 

 biles. "Topography is a factor commonest ... in high and 

 rough mountain regions. . . . Topography determines in- 

 tensiveness of administration." 



Communication, whether by travel, telephone, or telegraph, 

 naturally must be considered. 



"The most important factor determining the size of a Forest 

 Unit is the intensity of business. The Datil Forest, referred to, 

 is a striking example of a Forest where because there is as yet 

 little development, the geography and topography and communi- 

 cation permit the supervision of a very large area. On the other 

 hand, it was business needs alone that dictated the present ad- 



'It is important that the word "staff" be clearly understood. According 

 to Major Hine : "The staff officer is the playwright, the line officer the 

 actor; one designs, the other executes." In Mr. Ringland's paper he 

 referred to the supervisor's staff personnel as composed of executives, 

 "line officers." 



