xiv PREFACE 



background of American land use. He must know the condi' 

 tion of the land, and the full implications in our present land- 

 use methods. 



This book is an attempt to supply such understanding in 

 this way. In the seven phases of land use which we are con' 

 sidering here, we have tried to show why the problems have 

 arisen, the extent of the problems today, the kind of controls 

 which have been set up to solve these problems, and the mean' 

 ing of these controls to the land and to the citizens who live 

 on the land. 



We do not think that the solution of these multifarious 

 problems is simply a matter of saving resources. Rather, it is 

 a question of intelligent use. Therefore, we have made no at' 

 tempt to compile a complete list of our resources and the rate 

 of their depletion. A catalogue of our land will not add to our 

 understanding of it. 



We could not pretend that this book is primarily an origi' 

 nal document. It contains very little new material beyond 

 that which comes from the author's personal observation of 

 land use throughout the nation, and his experiences in work' 

 ing with the land. It is a synthesis of existing basic material, 

 and an attempt to organic that material so that it will have 

 meaning to those who must someday decide on our land'use 

 programs. 



This book is to show the government in action, attempting 

 to solve one of our basic problems. It is an approach to the 

 teaching of civics by treating government as a living force 

 rather than as a series of dead categories. At the same time, it 

 is intended to explain the problems of our resources in terms 

 of their use. It is our hope that by combining these two sub 

 jects government will be seen in its dynamic relation to the 

 people and the land. 



Beyond these uses we hope that this book may serve yet an' 

 other purpose, a purpose clearly stated in the concluding para' 

 graph of Russell Lord's excellent book, Behold Our Land. 



