EDITORIALS 361 



The institution of the new labora- The annual loss from forest fires 

 tory and of the corresponding sta- cannot be put into figures. All at- 

 tistical office in Chicago are further tempts to reduce it to statistics have 

 steps in the policy of dispersal of the proved inadequate and unsatisfactory, 

 activities of the Forest Service to bring Estimates of loss are seldom supported 

 them nearer to the people whom it by sufficient knowledge and judgment 

 serves. This will make the people bet- on the part of the estimators, and the 

 ter acquainted with the personnel and great damage to the future that may 

 work of the service, from which knowl- be done even by a ground fire that de- 

 edge will result, we believe, a greater stroys little actually existent and avail- 

 understanding and better confidence, able property is outside of statistical 

 The first and greatest step in this di- computation. We can see, however, 

 rection was the establishment of the without exact figures, the terrible re- 

 district offices in the national forest suits of the burns that not only destroy 

 states, each with its district forester and standing timber and all property in 

 full staff. This brings the workers their path, but affect for years the pro- 

 nearer their work and nearer the people ductive capacity of the soil and set 

 whom this work directly affects. The back often for a generation the young 

 results have already approved the plan, growth. 



There is increasing efficiency in the This is a form of waste that, if not 



service and a much better feeling in the absolutely preventable, can be reduced 



west for it. to an inappreciable minimum, and must 



Now comes the laboratory in Wis- be if ^ our forestry work is to be made 



consin and the office of utilization in practicable. The cost will be no greater 



Chicago. We are building up by de- proportionally than that involved in the 



grees a great national forest admin- protection from fire of town and city 



istrative service which we have good property. Prevention is easier in the 



reason to hope and expect will soon case of _ the forest, because man is the 



compare with any in the world. uncertain element in the fire problem, 



, and the human conditions are much 



simpler in the forest than in populous 



The Forest Fire Season communities. 



Insurance of forest property can only 



THIS month we have given much be obtained at prohibitive rates under 

 space to the subject of waste present conditions, and prudent men 

 and its prevention. Meanwhile dis- hesitate before entering upon long-term 

 patches in the newspapers from many investments in property that is pro- 

 sections of the country apprise us that tected neither by insurance nor by ade- 

 forest fires, one of the most constant quate exercise of the state's police 

 sources of preventable waste, are get- power. States and municipalities rec- 

 ting in their usual work and prepar- ognize their obligation to protect all 

 ing the annual lesson which legislators other property from fire and other 

 are so unaccountably slow to learn. perils. The owner of a stand of tim- 

 And yet this legislative indifference ber who holds it in good condition cer- 

 is not so unaccountable when one thinks tainly deserves as well of his corn- 

 that it is only the natural reflection of munity as the man who salts his prop- 

 the indifference of a large part of the erty down in stocks and bonds. Fur- 

 community to a danger which the av- thermore, as a property owner and, un- 

 erage citizen regards as remote and (ler present laws, an inequitably bur- 

 lacking in interest to him. It is a good dened taxpayer, he has a right to claim 

 piece of work for all of our forestry protection 



associations to educate the public to J? ^ e ^ a { ,' lumber f th u is m ^~ 



, . . zme, Mr. Gaskill showed us how New 



the general economic importance of j is directin ^ {Q w 



this matter. That is the best way to at present solely against the fire evil 



break down legislative indifference. believing that other things will take 



