PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE OF FOREST ECONOMICS 59 



human action depends partly upon the fered to promote enterprises of corn- 

 extent of desire for this result but more munity advantages. No one in pn!. 

 upon the extent of knowledge how to life would dare do otheru i 

 achieve it. We are trying to do as a Moreover, they would know hou-. 

 minority what in its very nature must If it were a dairy communilv its 

 be an expression of the majority. We age citizen would know pretu" well what 

 tell the average citizen it is his problem, production costs, what prices are nec- 

 that we have solved it for him, and that essary, what improvements are fea>ib1r. 

 he should support the project. We are what the State can and should do to ai-i 

 wrong. We cannot solve it or reduce and regulate, what public demands are 

 it to a mere supportable project. We reasonable and what are unreasonable. 

 can give him the facts, but he must The relation of forest industry to the 

 solve it by studying the relation of his State or nation is exactly that of our 

 conduct and the community's to his own illustrative industry to our suppositions 

 welfare and then acting accordingly, town and so is its relation to every 

 Then, and only then, will Congress, citizen. Lumbering is one of the three 

 legislatures, lumbermen, foresters and or four greatest American industries- 

 public be able to work together as they it is our greatest manufacturing indus- 

 must work together, knowing that their try and forest products are used in 

 policies are sound and commended, thai almost every other besides being prac- 

 success will be rewarded, and that fail- tically life essentials. Certainly it is 

 ure will be punished. second in usefulness to none except 



We talk and write a great deal about agriculture, and this would fare ill with- 

 methods, as though all that is neces- out its aid in many ways. The only 

 sary is to make foresters proficient and reason the average citizen does not real- 

 lumbermen interested. This is all right ize this and give it the same active and 

 enough, but what is most needed is intelligent interest that he gives home 

 permission to apply what we already town problems is that he cannot see it 

 know. Knowledge and interest are far so clearly. The very immensity and 

 ahead of opportunity. Success depends importance of the industry causes its 

 chiefly upon having conditions under several processes of growing, manufac- 

 which they are encouraged. With such turing and distributing to be conducted 

 conditions you couldn't stop it if you separately and thus confuses the pub- 

 tried, lie mind. Different communities see 



Let us return to our average citizen different parts of the process and get 



who with his fellows constitute the ma- no thorough grasp of forest economic 



jority of our population. Suppose that In many a little German village the 



in his home town, where community re- whole community sees the forest grown, 



lations are so closely under his eye that cut, manufactured and used. Those 



they are familiar and clear to him, a who do not actually participate, serve 



single industry employs a large pro- or supply those who do. All use the 



portion of the population, produces the crop or profit by what is sold elsewhere, 



chief share of all manufactured prod- There forestry needs no propaganda, 



ucts, and pays an essential part of the The people could not understand the 



taxes. Let us say it is fruit-growing, need of it. any more than of pr.p;i- 



or dairying, or furniture making. This ganda for raising wheat and making 



citizen would not think twice before bread. Yet their situation is reall 



conceding its necessity. Anything different it is only more concentrate.] 



threatening its discontinuance would be Here, too, forest industry is an ent 



a menace to be fought vigorously ; any- Man needs wood in \ 



thing promising to increase it would be make the earth supply 



encouraged. Town officials, chamber such labor as is required 



of commerce, citizens all would work suitable and available for hi* 



and spend in earnest for its continu- business. Its permanent 



ance and development just as you have ice to the community 



seen them do often when occasion of- consumer, employing labor, usi 



