CHAPTER IX 



HOSTILITY TO THE NATIONAL FORESTS IN RECENT 



YEARS (continued): CRITICISM OF THE 



FOREST SERVICE 



The complaints mentioned above were directed at the general policy 

 of reservation. There were also many complaints, not regarding the 

 policy itself, but regarding the way in which that policy has been 

 carried out, complaints of inefficiency and malfeasance on the part 

 of the Forest Service. 



THE "INSOLVENCY" OF THE NATIONAL FORESTS AND ALLEGED 

 EXTRAVAGANCE OF THE FOREST SERVICE 



The alleged failure of the national forests to support themselves 

 has brought much criticism in recent years. Pinchot predicted in 1907 

 that within five years the reserves would be self-supporting, but 

 enemies of the reserves have produced figures purporting to show that 

 every year but one during the next decade, there was a deficit of from 

 $300,000 to $1,400,000.' 



This so-called "insolvency" of the reserves was attributed to the 

 extravagance of the Forest Service ; and complaints on this point have 



1 Receipts from National Forests and Amounts Expended for 



Maintenance of Forests from 1908 to 1917 Inclusive 

 expenditures 



