INTRODUCTION XXXI 



the earth itself, the atmosphere that envelopes it and which 

 may be considered an outer layer of it, and the sunshine. 

 From these three, and all the materials and forces that 

 are in them contained, we derive the conditions of our 

 existence and express our outlook to destiny. We can 

 do little to control or modify the atmosphere or the 

 sunlight; but the surface of the earth is ours to do with 

 it much as we will. It is the one great resource over which 

 we have dominion. Within this crust are great stores of 

 minerals and of metals and of other materials that we 

 can use for our comfort; these materials we can save 

 and we may use them with economy, but we cannot 

 cause them to increase. But the soil may be made better 

 as well as worse, more as well as less; and to save the 

 producing powers of it is far and away the most import- 

 ant consideration in the conservation of natural resources. 

 The man who owns and tills the soil, therefore, owes 

 an obligation to his fellowmen for the use that he makes 

 of his land; and his fellowmen owe an equal obligation to 

 him to see that his lot in society is such that he will 

 not be obliged to rob the earth in order to maintain his 

 life. The natural resources of the earth are the heritage 

 and the property of every one and all of us. We shall 

 reach the time when we shall not allow a man to till the 

 earth unless he is able to leave it at least as fertile as he 

 found it. A man has no moral right to skin the earth, 

 unless he is forced to do it in sheer self-defence and to 



