PROPOSED CHANGE IN THE BY-LAWS 



In view of the fact that the by-laws of the American 

 Forestry Association, as amended last February provide 

 for seven permanent directors for the purpose of assuring 

 proper control and direction of the Association's endow- 

 ment funds and other property, and that this is believed 

 by some members of the Association as not being the most 

 democratic and serviceable form of management, the 

 action outlined in the following report has been taken 

 by the Board of Directors: 



On Thursday, August 25th, Col. W. B. Greeley, Col. H. 

 S. Graves, Mr. F. W. Besley, Dr. H. S. Drinker, Mr. 

 Chester W. Lyman, and Mr. Nelson C. Brown met by 

 appointment at the University Club, in Washington, as 

 tions recently agitated ind discussed in regard to the By- 

 an informal, voluntary Committee, to confer on the ques- 

 Laws of the American Forestry Association. After a 

 full discussion of the whole situation, they reached the 

 following conclusions, which were laid before the Di- 

 rectors of the Association at a meeting held Tuesday, 

 August 30th : 



"(i) The provision for 7 permanent Directors was 

 agreed to be eliminated. As to this. Col. Greeley sug- 

 gested that a system somewhat similar to that which for- 

 merly prevailed in the Association could be adopted, 

 leaving the choice and election of all the Directors whol- 

 ly in the hands of the members of the Association. He 

 suggested the substitution of an elective Board of 15 

 members, 3 to be elected annually by ballot by the mem- 

 bers of the Association, to hold office for 5 years. The 

 Committee unanimously approved this suggestion. 



"It was further suggested that in place of the appoint- 

 ment of a number of permanent Directors, a plan of hav- 

 ing a Committee of three permanent Trustees to hold the 

 Association's endowment funds and life membership 

 payments be considered by the Board. 



"(2) All non-salaried officers (at present, the Presi- 

 dent, Vice-Presidents, and Treasurer) to be elected an- 

 nually by letter ballot by the members of the Association 

 instead of by the Directors. Nominations for Directors 

 and for the non-salaried officers to be made annually by 

 a nominating Committee of representative character ap- 

 pointed by the Directors, any group or groups of 25 mem- 

 bers also to have the right to nominate tickets, to be sent 

 out to the members by the Secretary with the ticket sug- 

 gested by the nominating Committee. 



"(3) The power of the Directors to amend the By- 

 Laws to be eliminated. All amendments to be made by 

 the members of the Association. 



"(4) The plan of the Directors that has been under 

 consideration, to appoint a competent, trained and experi- 

 enced Forester as a member of the working and editorial 

 staff, under the direction of the Directors, to assist in 

 taking the leadership in promoting forestry in the nation, 

 was heartily endorsed and strongly recommended. 



"It is the policy of the Directors to employ a Forester 

 for this purpose as a permanent feature of the work of the 

 Association as soon as that can be brought about, and to 

 place him in a responsible relationship toward the editorial 

 policy of the magazine on forestry matters." 

 (Signed) W. B. GREELEY, 

 H. S. GRAVES, 

 F. W. BESLEY, 

 H. S. DRINKER, 

 CHESTER W. LYMAN, 

 NELSON C. BROWN, 



The Board of Directors of the American Forestry As- 

 sociation at their meeting held August 30, 1921, unani- 

 mously approved the above recommendations. 



COL. HENRY S. GRAVES' LETTER TO FORESTERS 



Col. Henry S. Graves whose petition to the Board of 

 Directors of the American Forestry Association in re- 

 gard to the changes in the by-laws of the Association 

 referred to above was signed by a number of foresters, 

 has sent the following letter to these foresters : 



"At a recent meeting of the Directors of the American 

 Forestry Association, a resolution was passed requesting 

 Col. Greeley to name a committee of three foresters to 

 confer with a committee of the Directors, with reference 

 to the matters contained in the petition which was signed 

 by you in the Spring. 



"Col. Greeley, Mr. Besley, and I, acting in the informal 

 capacity of advisers, met with Dr. Drinker, Mr. Lyman 

 and Mr. Brown on August 25th.~ The representatives of 

 the Directors received our suggestions regarding the by- 

 laws very cordially and were glad to join in specific rec- 

 ommendations to the Board in regard to them. They 

 were also as one with us in the suggestions about the 

 aims of the Association and the means to forward the 



interests of forestry through the Association, especially 

 in the appointment of a forester who would be responsi- 

 ble for the editorial policy of the magazine in forestry 

 matters and for handling other forest activities of the 

 Association. 



"The recommendations of the committee are contained 

 in the enclosed statement. These have already been ap- 

 proved by the Board which will take appropriate steps 

 looking to their adoption at the annual meeting, or sooner, 

 if practicable. 



"The points raised in the petition submitted by us on 

 May 20th, have now been met by the Directors. This 

 action of the Board should receive the appreciation of 

 those who have objected to the changes in the by-laws, 

 and I hope that they will stand ready, as I shall do, to as- 

 sist in carrying out the new plans and otherwise forward- 

 ing the interests of the Association." 

 Very sincerely yours, 



HENRY S. GRAVES. 



