EDUCATION 541 



In many instances, labor sides with business and industry when 

 there is a choice of whether to preserve an area of natural beauty or 

 destroy it for residential or industrial development. Perhaps the 

 development would be of great benefit to the area. Perhaps, on the 

 other hand, in the light of the shorter workweek, increased leisure, 

 greater demands for recreational areas, and the desirability of open 

 space areas due to population density and intensive land use might 

 dictate that the greatest benefit to all concerned including labor would 

 be to preserve the area in its state of natural beauty. Leisure time 

 activities of the future should be given consideration now in any 

 city and regional planning. 



It is very gratifying to know that President Johnson will set up a 

 special unit for citizen education to help inform people how they can 

 best combat blight and decay in their own neighborhoods. 



The folio wing suggestions are offered : 



1. It would be very helpful if there could be one coordinated, 

 comprehensive list giving the necessary information on funds avail- 

 able from the various different Federal agencies pertaining to plan- 

 ning, open space, land acquisition, and outdoor recreation. 



2. It would also be very helpful for the missionaries and crusaders 

 if there could be one comprehensive list of all the publications on the 

 above subjects. 



3. If possible, it would be most helpful if there could be a periodic 

 list put out during the time Congress is in session of all the bills that 

 would affect natural beauty or the environment. 



4. Citizens would be most grateful to have at hand information on 

 the legal and economic aspects of natural beauty, such as scenic 

 easements, multiple-use possibilities of private land, tax costs vs. tax 

 gains, zoning to protect agricultural land, etc. 



It is all very well to be philosophical about natural beauty, but, 

 with the current economic and population pressures, action is of 

 paramount importance. 



Conservationists and lovers of natural beauty for many years have 

 been attending meetings and conferences where the well considered 

 and well expressed messages go out to other conservationists and 

 other beauty lovers. These ideas must become ingrained in our 

 whole population. It is a selling job. Cars, foods, and automobiles 

 are sold by the use of repetitious slogans and jingles on TV, radio, 

 and in the press. Why not use this same means as one way to pro- 

 mote and broaden the cause of conservation and natural beauty? 



