; AMERICAN FORESTRY 



erner The young men of the South more vital in all their state problems. 



e indeed seeing visions and incorpo- What is necessary can be done in large 



ting them into realities in anew measure by the states, but there is one 



d wonderful development of a won- element in the problm which involves so 



rfuT country. And still only the many states and is so large in its scope 



I -ace of its possibilities has been that it calls for national action, 



ratched The southern states have those who have read this magazine m 



[told wealth of natural resources, coal the past we hardly need to say that we 



1 ron and other minerals and metals, refer to the reservation and protection 



vers for power and navigation, forests of the .great central water-shed of the 



hich are to-day the chief source of Southern Appalachians, with the condi- 



ir supply of timber, soil and climate tion of which every southern state east 



lited for a rich and varied agriculture of the Mississippi is concerned. ^ 



he development of these resources will and the White Mountain region of New 



deed mean a greater Union as well as England are the two great national 



greater South. Hence every good forest problems of the East In the 



merican should watch with approval last number of this magazine Mr. John 



id encouragement the splendid work H. Finney, secretary of the Appalachian 



f the Congress and hope for its fulfil- National Forest Association, pressed 



lent on the broadest lines that its pro- home the importance of this question to 



loters can conceive. the South, and showed how many of the 



This means conservation in the full- southern congressmen have failed to 



>t sense of that but half-understood recognize the needs of their section and 



. orc l not exploitation, not waste, nor of the Nation in their action upon it. 



mere selling of the people's heritage The extent of river navigation which is 

 > boom business for the moment at the dependent upon these mountain forests 

 xpense of the next .generation. We has been recognized as giving the Na- 

 ave perhaps learned our lesson in that tion a clear right to act, even if the 

 aspect, partially at least, and the able general welfare were not broad enough 

 entlemen who are making their new and insistent enough to give such a 

 rganization so successful have their right, and every one knows that the 

 linds clear on this point. Therefore, general-welfare clause has always been 

 re look to them for such a support successfully invoked in the face of 

 f the forestry movement in the South urgent public need like this, 

 s it has not yet had in that section. The Southern Commercial Congress 

 )f all branches of conservation work can be a power in securing action in 

 one is so fundamentally important to this regard, and in no way can it better 

 11 of the southern states. When oil demonstrate the close connection be- 

 nd gas and metals and minerals are tween a greater South and a greater 

 xhausted, if the forests in the moun- Union, 

 ains are cared for they will still be % & & 

 ielding wealth in steady crops from Inaugurating State Forests in the South 

 ear to year. More than that, how- 



ver, the countless rivers that they A T THE recent Southern Commer- 



;uard and nourish will flow steadily on ** cial Congress in Washington Mr. 



generating power and providing cheap J onn H. Finney, secretary of the Ap- 



n'ghways for commerce the people's palachian National Forest Association, 



liglnvays and watering and draining made a pregnant suggestion. 



he agricultural lands. Here is the real He called attention to the state's 



vealth of nations, continuous and in- two-fold duty toward the forests, 



stitnable. and the South is richly en- namely: first, that of conserving them 



lowed with it. itself; second, that of aiding the indi- 



Evcry southern state should take up vidual in so doing. 



problem within its That it may adequately perform its 



/hen tlie ultimate effect of function toward forests, the state must 



'onsidered. nothing is maintain forests. 



