AMERICAN FORESTRY 



303 



Transfer United States Forest Service 



decide that the Government has set certain 

 areas aside for the purpose of growing 

 trees and has gone into the tree-growing 

 business on them, then it is proper to leave 

 the Forest Service where it is, in the crop- 

 growing department. 



San Francisco Journal : The enemies of 

 the forests are the private interests that 

 seek to make a temporary present profit 

 out of their destruction. Their arguments 

 for the marketing of the timber are un- 

 sound because a little temporary relief to- 

 day followed by a famine tomorrow is no 

 benefit. 



Chattanooga 'limes: The chief and most 

 conclusive argument against 

 the proposition to transfer the 

 government Forest Service 

 from the Department of Agri- 

 culture to the Department of 

 the Interior was offered the 

 other day by representatives of 

 the American Forestry Associ- 

 ation. "To do that," said Col. 

 Henry S. Graves, formerly 

 chief of the Service, "would 

 simply mean two forest serv- 

 ices for the growing of forest 

 crops is the business of agri- 

 culture. Such a transfer 

 would, therefore, mean dupli- 

 cation of effort and loss of effi- 

 ciency." 



ators and representatives of the state a pro- 

 test against the proposed transfer of the 

 United States Bureau of Markets and the 

 Forest Service from the Department of Ag- 

 riculture to the Department of Com- 

 merce and the Interior. The United States 

 Government functions merely as a trustee 

 in the administration of the country's agri- 

 cultural and forest interests, and in the 

 face of such pronounced opposition to a 

 change like the one now proposed some 

 very material arguments in favor of the 

 transfer will have to be forthcoming and 

 so far they have not been given before it 

 will have a chance of attaining any meas- 

 ure of popularity. 



"WALKIN' THE PLANK" 



Syracuse Post Standard : Secretary Fall 

 would not have the confidence of the for- 

 estry associations. It is not objection to 

 the Interior Department, but to the h>;ad 

 of that department that stirs them. 



Bangor {Me.) Commercial: We see no 

 reason for this action and many reasons 

 why it should not be carried out. There 

 is no occasion to centralize the various in- 

 terests of Alaska and many will see in the 

 attempt another effort to turn the riches of 

 Alaska over to private interests for the 

 exploitation of this rich territory. 



Christian 



Daily Oklahoman : There is 

 no reason to conclude that the 

 forests would be handled bet- 

 ter by the present Department 

 of the Interior than by the De- 

 partment of .Agriculture, as 

 constituted at this time. 



Sacramento Bee : For one 

 thing is certain the people are 

 determined that no desecrating 

 hand shall be laid on what re- 

 mains of their once notable 

 public domain. Nothing is to be gained by 

 the proposed change, and much might be 

 lost. 



' cgv 



Science Monitor: The lid has 

 been taken off, and the truth 

 about -Alaska is being told. 

 That is the solvent. Foremost 

 in the organized campaign of 

 education which is being car- 

 ried on in behalf of Alaska is 

 the American Forestry Asso- 

 ciation. Today Alaska is a 

 vast storehouse, the ownership 

 of which is vested in the peo- 

 ple of the United States. Its 

 riches should not be made the 

 pawn of politicians and land- 

 grabbers. 



Portland {Ore.) Telegram: 

 Until taken over by the De- 

 partment of Agriculture the 

 National Forests were at the 

 mercy of politicians. Under 

 that department forest preser- 

 vation and rehabilitation has 

 made all the growth it ever has 

 made. 



Santa Fe New Mexican : 

 The newspapers of America 

 are almost a unit in condemn- 

 ing the proposed transfer of 

 the Forest Service. 



St. Paul Pioneer Press : There is little 

 to be said about the transfer of the United 

 States Forest Service from the Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture into that of the In- 

 terior, as advocated by Secretary Fall, ex- 

 cept in protest. Not a single potent rea- 

 son has been advanced for a change. 



Talbiirt For the Scripps McRae Alliance Papers. 



Pueblo Journal: Pueblo is in line with 

 many other communities in objecting to the 

 passage by Congress of the proposed bill 

 providing for transfer of the national for- 

 ests from the Department of .Agriculture to 

 the Department of the Interior. Why make 

 a change when the forests are handled so 

 admirably? 



Grand Island {Neb.) Inde- 

 pendent : Commercialism is 

 now attempting to brush aside the Roose- 

 vdt caution, and to exploit the compara- 

 tively newer region of .Alaska for its own 

 individual profit. 



Kaliinuizoo (iacettc: Michigan's state 

 farm bureau has just addressed to the sen- 



Cincinnati Post : The forests seem to 

 be doing well, treated as they are as crops 

 instead of real estate deals. Who aside 

 from Secretary Fall wants them changed 

 over from crops to real estate? 



Washington Herald: One of the great 

 constructive achievements of President 

 Rooseve'lt appears in danger. Forestry is 

 doing admirably where it is. There is not 

 one sound reason of any kind for the pro- 

 posed transfer. It is neither good adminis- 

 tration, good business, nor good politics. 

 The forests should remain under the pres- 

 ent direction. 



