GENEKAL ADMINISTKATION AND PKOTECTION. 29 



inefficiency, drunkenness, disreputability, or a prejudicial personal interest in 

 the exploitation of the resources of the Forest, renders the offending officer sub- 

 ject to disciplinary measures. Members in doubt as to the application of the 

 rules to their private actions should seek the advice of their official superiors. 



Rules for Conduct. 

 The following specific rules for conduct have been adopted : 



(1) No member of the Forest Service shall, under any circumstances, file or 

 initiate a claim, directly or indirectly, under any of the public-land laws, to 

 land within the limits of a National Forest. A member who has secured a 

 claim under any of the public-land laws to such land, before its inclusion within 

 a National Forest or before his appointment as a Forest officer, will be allowed 

 to perfect his title, but he may be compelled to choose between his claim and 

 his position should his duties make it impossible for him to comply with the 

 residence or improvement requirements. 



(2) A member of the Forest Service may acquire land not included within 

 a National Forest, under any of the Federal or State land laws, or have an 

 interest in any association, partnership, or company formed with a view to ac- 

 quiring such land, unless such action might prejudice his standing as a Forest 

 officer, influence his official action, or tend to bring criticism upon the Forest 

 Serviced 



(3) A member of the Forest Service may purchase private land within or 

 near a National Forest, unless such action might prejudice his standing as a 

 Forest officer, influence his official action, or tend to bring criticism upon the 

 Forest Service. 



(4) No member of the Forest Service shall, as principal, partner, or agent, 

 speculate or be commercially interested in timber or other forest products, or 

 in live stock, or in any ownership or lease of any timberland, or in any lumber- 

 ing contract or operation, whether on the National Forests or elsewhere, when 

 snch action will prejudice his standing, influence his official action, or tend to 

 bring criticism upon the Forest Service. 



(5) No member of the Forest Service shall, as principal partner or agent, be 

 interested in any enterprise which profits by the use of any National Forest 

 on which he is employed or by any investigation or other work in which he may 

 be engaged, except as otherwise provided herein. 



(6) No member of the Forest Service shall, directly or indirectly, engage in 

 or profit by private business transactions with or receive gifts from a National 

 Forest user or others with whom he has official relations which might influence 

 his official action or tend to expose the Forest Service to criticism. 



(7) It is imp roper for any member of the Forest Service to grant any privi- 

 lege or permit by which he or any member of his family will profit, directly or 

 indirectly. Such permits may be issued only by his official superior. 



(8) Whenever in granting a permit or in making any decision or recom- 

 mendation the good faith of a member of the Forest Service might be ques- 

 tioned, on the ground that the action was influenced by personal friendship, 

 family relationship, or business interests, the Forest officer may refer the case 

 to his official superior when in his judgment this course is advisable in order 

 to protect himself and the Service. 



(9) No member of the Forest Service shall give or use information acquired 

 by means of his official position to advance the interests of himself, his family, 

 his business associates, or his personal friends over those of other persons. 



(10) No member of the Forest Service shall engage in any speculation, mer- 

 cantile transaction, or other activity of a character to engross his attention or 

 to divert it from his public duty. 



(11) A Forest officer is a representative of the National Government, and as 

 such his acts as a private individual are particularly open to criticism and 

 may reflect on the Service. Consequently he must set and hold to a high stand- 

 ard of personal conduct and integrity that will safeguard the Service against 

 criticism and embarrassment. 



(12) The orders prohibiting political activity, which follow, will be strictly 

 enforced. 



POLITICAL ACTIVITY. Rule 1, section 1, of the civil-service rules reads 

 as follows : 



No person in the executive civil service shall use his official authority 

 or influence for the purpose of interfering with an election or affecting 

 the result thereof. Persons who by the provisions of these rules are in 

 the competitive classified service, while retaining the right to vote as 



