20 THE USE BOOK. 



structions and enforce the regulations for the protec- 

 tion of the Forests without fear or favor, and^must not 

 allow personal or^ temporary interests to weigh against 

 the p^nngnent good oftheForests ; bu&i^is no less their 

 duty to encourage and assist legitimate jmterprises. 

 They" must make every effort to prevent the misun- 

 derstanding and violation of Forest. regulations by giv- 

 ing information fully and freely. The object should be 

 to prevent mistakes rather than to take action after 

 they have been made. Information should be given 

 tactfully, by advice, and not by offensive^ warnings. 



The excessive use of intoxicants by members of the 

 Forest Service is a bar to their efficiency, and will be 

 dealt with as such. Even moderate drinking can do the 

 Service no good, and in not a few cases has done harm. 

 It is not competent for the Forest Service to require 

 total abstinence. It does, however, strongly discounte- 

 nance drinking by men upon official duty, and it will take 

 the necessary action whenever the dignity of a man's 

 office or the effectiveness of his work is reduced thereby. 

 There is no more effective way in which officers of the 

 Service can strengthen this order than by their own 

 example. Members of the Forest Service are urged to 

 keep in mind that they are officers of the Government, 

 and that the honor of the Service is at stake in the 

 faithful performance of their duties. 



Forest officers will be required to be thoroughly 

 familiar with every part of this book, and to assist the 

 public in making applications for the use of the Forests. 



