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AMER1 CAN FORESTRY 



has had a far-reaching influence in stimulating forest pro- 

 tection in almost every section of the United States and 

 which, under its logical and necessary development, 

 should go a long way toward the solution of our national 

 forestry problems. 



The past decade has also witnessed significant ad- 

 vances in forest research. One of the first acts of Colonel 

 Graves upon assuming his duties was to formally open 

 the Forest Products Laboratory, at Madison, Wisconsin. 

 In ten years' time the usefulness of this institution in 

 almost every phase of the utilization of forest products 

 has been completely demonstrated. Research in silvi- 

 culture and technical forest practice has kept pace. A 

 series of forest experiment stations located in several 

 important forest regions of the West are steadily build- 

 ing up the science of American silviculture. The techni- 

 cal study of forage resources in the National Forests, 

 which was begun in 1907, has been carried forward on 

 an extended scale. This study is not only furnishing 

 the data necessary for the most effective use of the 

 stock ranges in the National Forests, but is furnishing 

 the information on which the whole livestock industry of 

 the Western States can utilize their grazing lands in a 

 farsighted way which will make them increasingly pro- 

 ductive. It is doing for the forage resources of the 

 West essentially what other branches of the Service are 

 doing for its timber resources. During the severe depres- 

 sion and uncertainty prevailing in the lumber industry 

 for a period of several years, the Forest Service took off 

 its coat and made a thorough study of the whole situa- 

 tion, by means of which it was possible for the first time 

 to present to the country in a comprehensive way the 



fundamental facts in our forest economics which underlie 

 many pending problems. During the past year, Colonel 

 Graves himself has put before the country a clear 

 statement of what these problems are and has inaugu- 

 rated a new movement for national action to put a stop 

 to forest devastation. 



The war brought many acute problems to the Forest 

 Service. A large number of men enlisted for forestry 

 operations in France, whose preliminary organization was 

 carried out by Colonel Graves in person. At the same 

 time it was possible to maintain the essential adminis- 

 trative activities on the National Forests unimpaired and 

 to aid the Government in many vital problems related 

 to war supplies of forest products. 



In the past decade, much of the old opposition to 

 the National Forests has disappeared with the steadily 

 increasing recognition of their local and national useful- 

 ness and of the soundness of their principles of adminis- 

 tration. Nevertheless, the Forest Service has been con- 

 fronted with many difficulties. It has been unable to 

 extend its work along many needed lines, notwithstanding 

 their obvious public benefit. Colonel Graves has had a 

 hard fight to maintain the spirit and effectivness of his 

 organization in the face of these difficulties. The stand- 

 ing of the Forest Service today and the recognition of 

 the value of its many lines of work are sufficient proof 

 that he has succeeded. But it rests upon all of us who 

 believe in forests as a vital thing in our national life 

 and economy to see to it that the work of the organiza- 

 tion which he has so ably led goes on with the public 

 support which it merits. 



BACK UP OUR PUBLIC SERVICE 



rpHE resignation of the Chief of the Forest Service 

 -" may well make all good citizens pause to consider 

 whither we are driving in respect to our public service. 

 Colonel Graves is not dropping the work which he has 

 directed so ably for the past ten years to accept a more 

 remunerative position. It is evident that the principal 

 reason for his action is to protest against the difficulties 

 and handicaps placed upon the maintenance of an efficient 

 public service by the Government itself. 



The Forest Service is simply a striking illustration of 

 the general condition. It was created not many years 

 ago, imbued with the high ideals of public service 

 inspired by President Roosevelt and Gifford Pinchot. It 

 has always carried before it a high standard of efficiency 

 and the vision of a constantly widening field of useful- 

 ness ; and it has sought to make them real and vital things 

 in the daily work of its members down to the summer 

 guard on his lookout peak. It has accomplished a 

 prodigious task and met many crises successfully be- 

 cause of the conception of public service which drove 

 it forward. But to maintain its efficiency as a business 

 organization and its driving power has steadily become 

 more difficult because of the failure of the Government 

 to recognize the importance and responsibility of its 



work and to provide adequately for its needs. No 

 machine can run indefinitely on its initial momentum ; 

 and human machines demand, above all things, encour- 

 agement and recognition. The Forest Service is a human 

 machine, whose needs and interests Colonel Graves has 

 carried close to his heart. Because he has been unable 

 adequately to provide for these needs, because he sees 

 clearly that the efficiency of his organization and its 

 capacity for public service are at stake, he has taken the 

 only means open to him to protest against the Govern- 

 mental indifference which is responsible. 



A few facts show how serious has become the problem 

 of "turn-over" in personnel in the Forest Service. Dur- 

 ing the fourteen months prior to last September this 

 organization lost 28 per cent of its men, including 18 

 forest supervisors and 214 forest rangers. Out of six 

 logging engineers, four resigned for outside employment. 

 In the vast majority of these cases the sole reason was 

 economic necessity. Many of these men have obtained 

 in outside employment two or three times the remunera- 

 tion received for Government work. The process is still 

 going on, with additional men quitting every month. 

 Since December 1, six officers occupying responsible 

 positions have resigned in a single district. A large 



