Forest Service Revenue and Organization 233 



on the Forests with just enough administrative inspection to 

 insure the proper efficiency. Any form of organization that is 

 finally decided upon must really aim at increasing the efficiency 

 of the actual forest administration. The present organization 

 is somewhat top-heavy. 



Conclusions 



My conclusions are : 



1) The 1915-1916 organization of the Forest Service is un- 

 necessarily along luxurious lines. The present District Office 

 might be abolished, or simplified if the pure routine were 

 concentrated. 



2) A larger proportion of the appropriations should be spent 

 on the Forests ; in other words, overhead charges are too high. 



3) Routine which cannot be performed in the Forest Super- 

 visor's office might be centralized in Washington ; the Super- 

 visor is the true executive. Under present conditions much execu- 

 tive work is performed by the Districts. 



4) Scientific forest investigations should be more completely 

 divorced from administration. 



5) General inspection on Forests is necessary and should not 

 be made solely by administrative officers. An independent inspec- 

 tion system is advisable if the District Offices can be largely 

 cut down or abolished. 



6) Too high a standard of efficiency in the methods of routine 

 administration is often maintained. By having a less top-heavy 

 organization, the routine would be handled a shade less efficiently 

 and with loss of speed ; but the resulting efficiency would be ample 

 and perhaps $100,000 or more could be saved annually. 



7) A committee might be appointed to study the administrative 

 re-organization of the Forest Service and to recommend definite 

 changes. 



8) To make the Forest Service self-supporting, the fees 

 charged for grazing and for commercial rentals should be largely 

 increased. With this increase and a simplified organization, the 

 Forest Service would be self-supporting within a year. 



All these conclusions are tentative and subject to modification 

 after further study. 



