122 FORESTRY AND IRRIGATION March 



arguments thus far made have been the American people, present or to 

 based primarily on this clause. Ob- come, whether their land is desolated 

 viously, the question of interstate com- by a military or an industrial army ; 

 merce is clearly involved, for the Ap- whether they be impoverished for the 

 palachian-White Mountain rivers are enrichment of kings, or of million- 

 interstate rivers and carry commerce aires ; whether their wealth be drain- 

 which the destruction of the forests ed away from them in the form of 

 s gravely imperiling. tribute to conquerors, or through the 



erosion of their fields and the flood- 



What Are But suppose there were in " of their homes and hives of in- 



Constitutions no interstate rivers and dustl 7? 



interstate commerce in- What do we mean by "the blessings 

 volved, are we to concede the validity ot ' liberty." unless we include in the 

 of the constitutional objection? As list of such blessings the liberty to sup- 

 the Great Teacher asked regarding the P 1 }' our material wants? And if the 

 Sabbath, so we may ask regarding the "general welfare" be not involved in 

 constitution: "What is its reason for this question, in what question, pray, 

 existence? Is it to help men, or to ma y we expect to find it? 

 hinder them? Is it to build up, or to And if the general welfare is in- 

 pulldown ; to save life, or to destroy ? deed involved, and specific constitu- 

 Is it designed to stand as a barrier in tional warrant is still desired, let the 

 the way of National progress and anxious, hesitating legislator read the 

 well-being, or as a vehicle to bear our ni ~st of the enumerated powers of Con- 

 people on to the realization of their gress (Clause i of Section VIII): 

 possibilities and the fulfillment of their "The Congress shall have power to 

 destinies? lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts 



The answer to this question is found an d excises, to pay the debts and pro- 

 in the preamble, which gives six rea- y ide for the common defence and gen- 

 sons why this constitution was or- eral welfare of the United States." 

 dained and established. Of these, the What more can he ask than this? At 

 last three bear directly upon the pro- the hearing, on January 3Oth, it was 

 position in hand. the constitution demonstrated beyond all question or 

 was designed to "provide for the doubt, to the Committee on Agricul- 

 common defence, promote the general ttire, as it had been demonstrated to 

 welfare, and secure the blessings of the same committee some two years 

 libertv" to the generation then living ago, and is being constantly proved to 

 and to posterity. Congress is specifi- the public, that the general welfare is 

 cally authorized (Clause 15 of Sec- vitally concerned in this question. I ,H 

 tion YT1I) to "repel* invasions." But Congress now proceed to exercise its 

 suppose, by oversight, these two specific and "expressly delegated" 

 words had been omitted. Shall we be- power and "provide for the general 

 lieve that, with an invading army welfare" by passing the Appalachian 

 landing upon our coast, the two houses Bill, 

 of Congress would sit mute and impo- 



:ent in their seats and permit the The menace to that 



to be desolated by flame and i a e k ^" great amount of forest 



In case constitutional phrase- land which belongs to 



ology were desired as a warrant, private owners from unjustly hi^h 



would they not quickly seize upon the i a xation is recognized. This menace 



language of the preamble and "pro- j s most dangerous. If it is worth 



/ide for the common defence" by con- w hil e for the United States to estab 



appropriate means for repel- |i sn National Forests and for the 



the enemy? States to plant trees and encourage 



And what difference can it make to the planting of trees, it is preposter- 



