EDITORIAL 295 



maintain the fixed charges of these organizations, or to carry on special lines 

 of work which they have the opportunity, the knowledge and the desire to 

 develop, would enlarge their usefulness and enhance their efficiency, making 

 them more than ever real forces for the national welfare. In the case of 

 these associations these endowments should not be large enough to put them 

 beyond the need of popular support, in wliich lies their strength ; but to put 

 them in such a position that their activities need not be crippled and limited 

 by entire dependence upon the necessarily small income from popular mem- 

 bership. 



This suggestion is offered for careful consideration and Investigation by 

 those who have under consideration the opportunities that may be open to them 

 for promoting the public welfare and the permanent prosperity of our people. 

 The nature of forestry is peculiar. It is at once a business proposition and a 

 public service work which entails some sacrifice of immediate business returns. 

 For this reason it can better reach its full development if assisted, this assist- 

 ance being an offset to the financial sacrifices which make men hesitate to 

 practice it from a purely business standpoint. 



A FLANK ATTACK 



Editor Amebican Fobestbt, 



Washington, D. C. 

 Dear Sir: 



I have noted various comments regarding the effect that the amendment to the 

 Agricultural Appropriation bill, proposed by Senator Heybiirn in the closing days of the 

 last Congress, would have upon national forests and national forest conservation. 

 Knowing that the Senator has been a consistent opponent of the national foresty policy, I 

 should assume that an amendment which he would propose would certainly not be 

 helpful; yet I should like to have you state for the benefit not only of myself but of multi- 

 tudes of your readers who are not so closely in touch with the situation as you are, the 

 words of the amendment and show why limitation of the Forest Service work to areas 

 growing 4,000 feet or more to the acre would be harmful. 



Respectfully yours, 



"Inquibee." 



CHE national forest system is too firmly entrenched to be openly assailed 

 but it is still subject to flank attacks by those who realize the impossi- 

 bility of securing a victory over it in the open. The Heyburu amend- 

 ment to the agricultural appropriation bill, offered in the Senate at the last 

 session of Congress, and thrown out on a point of order, provided for the 

 elimination from the mational forests of all land, in 160-acre tracts, containing 

 an average of less than 4,000 feet of timber per acre. It might properly have 

 been called an amendment to emasculate the national forests and was doubtless 

 so intended by the author, whose perceptions, although somewhat slow on many 

 subjects, are quick enough to see an opportunity to weaken the United States 

 Forest Service and the national forest system. The proposed amendment 

 was a shrewd move in that its real character would hardly be seen by one 

 unacquainted with the conditions obtaining in the national forests. Let us 

 see what the effect of the proposed elimination would be. 



In tlie national forests there are three classes of lands which would be 

 materially affected by the amendment: (1) extensive areas of chaparral in the 

 southwest which can never grow merchantable timber but which are needed 

 for the protection of watersheds. These are maintained by the government 

 because of their conserving effect upon stream flow. They can never be a 



