PREFACE 



In writing this book we had one main object in mind. This 

 was to present the problems of land use as they are. Since 

 the United States has reached maturity from the point of view 

 of its resources, there have been periodical waves of what might 

 be called conservation sentiment. This sentiment has supported 

 the Forest Service, created an Arbor Day, and filled a great 

 many people with righteous indignation. It is only recently that 

 we have begun to create social and political institutions capable 

 of reconciling the need for conservation and the necessity to 

 make a living on the land. 



The most valuable resource of this nation is the soil. Gold 

 is more spectacular; iron has in two generations made men 

 richer; copper has opened up greater possibilities of advancing 

 techniques. But, it is the soil which produces the lasting and 

 essential wealth of the nation. 



We have spent three centuries in America, living and grow 

 ing rich on our soil without really realising how important it 

 is to us. But we know now that we cannot go on in this 

 prodigal fashion. Waste is cutting away the foundations of our 

 economy. We realise that we must act to stop that waste. 



The federal government is leading the program of saving 

 and restoring the land. It has attacked the problem from two 

 angles. It has tried to save the soil, and it has tried to revive the 

 market for the products of the soil. This is a new departure in 

 government in America, and if it is to become a part of our 

 democratic structure it must be examined critically and with 

 understanding as it develops. 



If a citizen is going to make wise decisions about our grow 

 ing program of land'use management, he must understand the 



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