214 AGRICULTURAL APPROPRIATIOX BILL, 1924. 



TRAKSFER OK RANGERS Tf) LUMP-SUM STATUTORY ROLL. 



There are no changes in the indivichial items, no promotions or 

 any other changes involved except the new language which we ask 

 to have inserted on page 13o. The statutory roll has previously in- 

 cluded 590 rangere, at SI, 220 each. These men have all heen em- 

 ployed for the year-long period and have been employed effectively. 

 But in endeavoring to meet the situation which I outlined in connec- 

 tion with the increased cut of timl)or and also to eke out a little more 

 leeway to meet the summer fire situation, I finally secured the Direc- 

 tor of the Budget's indorsement on this language, which substitutes 

 a lump sum of S200,080 in lieu of 164 of these ranger positions. It 

 provides that these places shall be carried as forest rangei's, guards, 

 or scalers at the rate of SI, 220 per annum for periods of 12 montlis 

 or less. The rate of compensation is fixed but leeway is given as to 

 period of employment. 



These 164 rangers heretofore have been employed as assistants on 

 our ranger districts. We have, all told, about 900 permanent rangea* 

 districts, each in charge of a responsible man for the year round. 

 On the bulk of these districts the one ranger must handle the work 

 the entire year with additional guards or patrolmen only during the 

 summer season. But on certain of the busiest districts which have 

 heavy improvement or sales work we have been furnished assistant 

 rangers to the extent of 164 men. Some of these assistant rangers 

 will still have to be employed the year round; but in view of the 

 urgency of the additional timber work I would like very much to 

 have leeway to reduce the employment of some of these men to 10 

 months, 8 months, or possibly 6 months and use the money saved 

 for an additional scaler or fu-e guard during the peak season's work: 

 that is, during the summer when everything is going full blast, lii'e 

 protection, grazing, timber, and everything else. 



What this language means is that by exercising economy we may 

 be able to save eight or ten thousand dollars on tlie services of men 

 who have hitherto been employed the year round and use that amount 

 to reinforce the temporary men employed during the summer season. 

 That will have to be chiefly to provide scalers to handle the increased 

 cut of timber. 



Mr. Anderson. You would not get much for S8,000 or SI 0.000. 



Colonel Greeley. $10,000 might provide 20 adilitional scalers 

 during the logging season. This is the only leeway we have got 

 under these estimates. The Director of the Budget did nt)l find it 

 possible to allow the additional men I asked for in order to take care 

 of the timber business directly, and this is the only means of meeting 

 the situation. It will enable us to employ a few more men where 

 most needed during the busiest season. 



MARKING OF FIRE FIGHTERs' GRAVES. 



There is come new language on page 140. That is the first new 

 language we come to after the item I just discussetl. It authorizes 

 the Secretary to use not to exceed SoOO of the fun<ls aj>pr()priate(i 

 for markuig the graves of fire fighters who lost their lives in the 1910 

 forest fires and are now buried at St. Maries, Idalio, and also for 

 caring for the graves of another group of men now buried in the 

 cemetery at Wallace, Idaho. 



