MICHIGAN'S FIRE IDEA. 



It is plain at once that Michigan's forest fire fighting idea seems 

 to be, basically, to have a small force of men widely dispersed over 

 a vast area, to raise the cry of "fire!" when the fire gets going and 

 rally the bucket brigade. The bucket brigade is no slouch, either. 

 For a mob organization it has done enormous work. The forestry 

 statisticians have taken pencil and paper and figured it all out, on the 

 basis of days' work at the going rate 'per day, multiplied into the 

 reported and estimated numbers of up-state natives who have labored 

 in heat and smoke to save themselves and their neighbors. 



"In 1918 and 1919 they did free work they would not have done 

 for $8,000,000 in pay," says Prof. Roth. 



The most ardent of forest and forest land protection advocates 

 have no idea of arguing for a force of regular forest fire fighters that 

 would take the place of any such public co-operation as this rather, 

 to provide, a standing force that would inspire the natives to greater 

 effort of co-operation, because of its visible proof that the state 

 recognizes the size of the problem, the danger to lives and property, 

 and its determination to quit shirking its own share of the labor 

 and cost. , i ..4gj. tj(, ***** 



WHAT PEOPLE WANTED. 



Many things could be set down in explanation of the riteagerness 

 of Michigan's professional forest fire protection organization and the 

 way it works. 



In the first place, this organization is exactly what the people of 

 Michigan, through their Legislature, have said they want. Warden 

 Baird has just demoted the deputy state warden, William J. Pearson, 

 of Boyne Falls, who for years had charge of the district deputy 

 wardens. There is no place in the law fo'r a deputy state warden. 

 Pearson was appointed and his job laid out by William R. Gates, who 

 was Mr. Baird's predecessor. 



Last year was so bad a fire year up north, so much burned that, 

 with the growing interest in forestry and waste land matters, the forest 

 fire protection department evidently began to get apprehensive. They 

 are reorganizing; and in so doing they are falling back on the 'letter 

 of the law which gives them being. The 10 district wardens are 

 hereafter to work under the authority and control of the State Fish, 

 Game and Forest Fire Warden Mr. Baird. 



MORE ARE NEEDED. 



More needs to be done than this. The state warden and his men 

 will need help. In the last analysis the Legislature and the public 

 are responsible. 



This last statement is to make widely known conditions and 

 necessities, changes in laws, and additions to appropriations. The 

 fire fighters hustle around on their vast job, accomplishing a great 

 deal, but overwhelmed by the size of the job, nevertheless; and they 

 are quite willing to explain their troubles, if you take the trouble to 

 ask. As for finding among themselves a man who can and will stand 

 up before the Legislature and tell the people of Michigan what they 

 ought to know about this business, and boldly state the necessities of 

 the case in dollars and cents well, as public educators, they are pretty 

 good fire fighters. 



One senses rather than finds in tangible substance the fact of the 

 Subordination of fire fighting to game interests. To one coming into 

 the state warden's office from days and weeks in the up-state forests 



