GENERAL ADMINISTRATION AND PROTECTION. 39 



Severity, 



Severity of expression will be avoided in conveying reprimands in corre- 

 spondence. 



Impersonal Tone. 



So far as practicable, letters should be impersonal in expression. 

 Punctuation. 



It should be borne in mind that the purpose of punctuation is a clear under- 

 standing of the text by the reader. Too little punctuation is almost as bad as 

 too much. 



Promises. 



When a promise is made, do not use such indefinite phrases as " within a 

 few days," " before long." Specify the date upon which action will be taken, 

 or, in the rare cases when that is impossible, give the approximate date, as 

 " not later than ." 



Letters of Identical Instructions. 



Letters of identical instructions from the Washington office to the six district 

 foresters will not be typewritten six times in order to furnish each District 

 Forester with an original addressed to him individually, but such letters will 

 be addressed simply " District Forester," and the necessary number of car- 

 bons will be marked at the top " ORIGINAL." It will be understood that a thin 

 paper carbon copy of a letter from Washington, when thus marked, so far 

 from being less important than the ordinary letter, is a letter of exceptional 

 importance, since it contains instructions for all the districts, and must be 

 treated as such by the district foresters. Such letters will tear the original 

 signatures of the administrative officers who send them. 



NATIONAL FOREST OFFICES. 



Supervisors' Offices. 



Wherever they will apply to the business conducted by the supervisor the 

 foregoing general instructions will be followed in the preparation and han ; 

 dling of his correspondence. 



The following additional rules will govern: 



Never write a letter of transmittal in forwarding any document unless some 

 explanation about it is needed. Indorse the document " Respectfully forwarded 

 to the District Forester," sign, and forward it with the recommendation, if 

 any is required, to the District Forester. 



Supervisors will conduct all their correspondence in typewriting, except when 

 away from their offices. Machines will be furnished upon requisition. 



Letters and reports of subordinates transmitted by a supervisor to the Dis- 

 trict Forester must be originals, not copies made by the supervisor. The su- 

 pervisor will keep copies when needed for his own records or, when necessary, 

 request the return of the originals. 



Bangers' Correspondence. 



Unless a ranger is equipped with a typewriter all rangers' letters will be 

 written in ink or indelible pencil, and on only one side of the sheet. The 

 subject designation for supervisors' letters will be followed by the rangers. 

 Correspondence with the public should be through the supervisor's office, but 

 if it is essential to the prompt dispatch of business for the ranger to corre- 

 spond directly with a user he will do so. A carbon copy will be kept of each 

 letter and telegram written by a ranger. 



RECORD OF PROMISES. 



The Promise-Card Box. 



Record of all promises involving future action will be kept in all permanent 

 headquarters. 



Except in rangers' headquarters, where the records will be kept on desk 

 calendars, the equipment will consist of a standard promise-card box, daily and 

 monthly guide cards, 3 by 5 inches, and plain white cards, 3 by 5 inches. 



A promise will always be recorded at the time it is made. The date of ful- 

 fillment will be written on the first line of the promise card, and any change 

 which may later become necessary should be entered on the same line. Be- 

 low the date will be written the name of the person to whom the promise is 

 made or who is otherwise concerned. The card will be dated in the lower left- 



