FOREST FIRES IN WASHINGTON 653 



over patches for wild blackberries, or stow for their heroic efforts in behalf of 



open places where grass could be grown the government and the people compris- 



for pastures. In some instances, it is ing the nation. They make it possible 



asserted, parties took the fire plan for for mature timber to be removed with- 



getting even with land owners and oth- out damage to the growing forest, and 



ers. Again, it is stated that men set fire encourage the spirit of national conser- 



to timber in order to obtain work, at 30 vation. 



cents an hour, fighting the fires. A system of patrol for national, state 



The wasteful methods of logging may and private forests, similar to that in- 



be held responsible for the origin of troduced on the reserves, should be 



many fires. Loggers take out market- adopted everywhere that trees are 



able timber in the easiest and cheapest grown for use, now or hereafter. It is 



way possible. They fell trees in all di- too late to lock the stable door after the 



rections and leave the limbs and horse is stolen. And it is generally too 



branches where they fall. They knock late to stop a forest fire after it is once 



down enormous quantities of young under good headway. The remedy lies 



timber and thereby leave slashings for in preventing the blaze in its incipiency. 



fire, whether it comes as an accident or Some men will set forest fires, in un- 



for other purposes. No efforts are put guarded places, so long as the world 



forth by the average loggers to guard stands. Some men will get drunk so 



the property of the land owner or the long as liquors are manufactured, re- 



surrounding citizens. They simply garclless of the wants of their families. 



skim off the cream and kick over the W e need laws that will curtail the de- 



bucket to prevent others from securing structive forces in depraved manhood, 



benefits from the remnants. in the forest and saloon. 



Clearing land by burning slashings is l n Japan the man who plants a tree 



one prolific source of fires. That method for posterity is considered a philanthro- 



appears to me to be an obsolete, dan- pi s t, while in the United States the man 



gerous, and slovenly way to clear w ho destroys the native forest, in quest 



logged-off land. I would not slash and o f present money, and is successful, is 



burn any portion of my land, nor permit i ie i c i tl p as a capitalist. It is just as 



others to do so. It destroys the soil fer- sensible for the orchardist to cut down 



tility that every farmer needs and must hi s trees to harvest the fruit as for the 



replace at much expense. There is no logger to w r aste the young forest in re- 



time gained by resorting to such meth- mov ing the marketable timber. The 



ods. The slashing burner endangers his Forest Service is trying to remedy this 



own property and that of his neighbors eyil It shouM be hdd by every loyal 



unnecessarily The only way to prop- A j iti and its plans should 



s,e rh cd and ^ adopted everywhere that timber is a 



burn under safe restrictions. Our fore- commodity. 



fathers cleared land that way, and they The Washington Forest Fire Associ- 



lived and prospered and did not menace ation is an important factor in saving 



others. the timber of this State. It works in 



Many valuable lessons may be gleaned harmony with the warden system, pro- 



from the forest fires of 1910. One of vided for by the state legislature. They 



the first is the wise, efficient, and capa- cooperate with the timberland owners, 



ble system of the United States Forest and ass j st materially in preventing fires 



Service, exemplified in the national for- and stopp j ng the course of those which 



ests. The plan adopted by that branch frQm undcr control of private par . 



of our government _ for protecting the g organized forces need 



forests and conserving their resources ... , 



for use now and in the future, is most >re assistance from the state and na- 



commendable. And the men engaged t on. They cannot perform impossibili- 



in that department are entitled to all the ties. A fire warden cannot be in many 



praise the people of Washington can be- places at the same time. Their powers 



