594 Forestry Quarterly 



that as fire protection becomes better developed, it will be more 

 fully separated from regular executive lines. 



Where one branch of the work becomes too heavy, as in timber 

 sales for instance, it is perfectly possible to assign another man to 

 the organization from the present District organization. This 

 man might be called a staff specialist, but that term is misleading. 

 Staff indicates advice, while in reality he is an executive or line 

 officer. The true staff officer would seem to have his proper place 

 in the District office, as an adviser. Going back to o\ir railroad 

 type, he is an originator of standard methods and design. Our 

 local forest specialist then becomes a line specialist. He is 

 responsible to the Supervisor for the execution of the work, 

 but carries it out in accordance with the standards and methods 

 of the District staff specialist. Success with this system lies 

 very largely with the ability of the staff specialist to assemble 

 proper methods, uncolored by any strictly local ideas he may 

 have absorbed. It also rests with his complete willingness to 

 change or revise methods as soon as they are shown to be tmsatis- 

 factory. The line men must show a similar willingness to stay by 

 the methods until they are so shown. The Service is handicapped 

 in specializing, owing to the fact that it has very few ready-made 

 specialists, but must develop them as it goes. The idea that most 

 of the specialists are potential should be clearly recognized and 

 allowances made in both directions. 



The question of more inspection is very important, and prob- 

 ably not satisfactorily solved at present. Before it can be solved, 

 a decision must be reached as to just what should be inspected and 

 how closely. Possibly chiefs of branches can turn more routine 

 matters over to the specialists in their departments and give more 

 attention to field inspection in their own and the other branches. 

 Obviously, silviculture would require different inspection methods 

 from grazing. 



Mr. Woolsey's proposition of abolishing the District Offices 

 may possibly work out as a temporary measure of economy, 

 but its chance of as great success as a final economy are not so 

 apparent. His other proposition of making a close study of the 

 organization by a well-balanced committee seems perfectly good 

 business and should be done. 



