FIFTH NATIONAL CONSERVATION CONGRFSS 31 



Could it become publicly established as such, it would afford every advantage of 

 the ordinary technical convention, with the addition of cheaper fares, opportunity 

 to come in contact with other lines of work, and tremendously greater publicity 

 and influence. Nor is it by any means certain that it would appeal less to the 

 public, for most laymen have some favorite subject, and, gravitating to the 

 section attracting them, would get more out of it than at a promiscuous con- 

 vention. 



Obviously the other branches as well as forestry would have to adapt them- 

 selves to this plan. It could hardly be established for this congress, but its 

 possible adoption hereafter should be given consideration. 



There remains to be discussed the subsequent publicity to be given the 

 forestry proceedings of this congress. Since all committees go out with this 

 meeting, to be superseded by those appointed by the incoming president, we can 

 do no more than recommend. It is our belief, however, that they are worthy 

 of more space and circulation than can be afforded by the usual publication of 

 the proceedings of the congress as a whole, and that steps should be taken before 

 this meeting adjourns to provide for separate publication in ample numbers to 

 permit comprehensive distribution. 



PUBLICITY THROUGH THE PRESS 



THIS topic, as assigned to-the subcommittee for report, concerns "Particu- 

 larly the arousing of public interest in fire protection, taxation, and State 

 forestry." As a matter of fact, all forest problems are so related, and 

 the improvement of public sentiment toward any is so much a matter of educa- 

 tion in forest economics, that discussion must be of the principles of general 

 forest campaigning in the public prints. 



Probably all foresters and lumbermen appreciate fully the power of this 

 medium. Its aid is widely sought. Its counter-influence, through attacks due 

 to misunderstanding, is correspondingly deplored. Nevertheless, forest industry 

 has not developed anything like the systematic and skilful use of newspaper and 

 magazine publicity that is employed so successfully by other industries. The 

 ingenuity of theatrical, railroad, political and individual press agencies is pro- 

 verbial. Activities of this kind are now regarded as a business necessity. They 

 are needed and legitimate nowhere more than in forest propaganda, which has 

 nothing to conceal but everything to teach and all for the public good. 



To get the maximum co-operation of the press in the work we are doing 

 requires equally intelligent co-operation on our part. The conduct of news- 

 papers and magazines is a highly organized business with its own rules and 

 necessities. It is reasonable to suppose they are founded on experience and 

 that failure to comply with them is bad business, which in this instance means 

 smaller circulation and consequently less value as a publicity m.edium. Then is 

 it not profitable for us, as well as only fair to the press, to approach this work 

 ■with the fullest possible undertsanding of the technique of the newspaper business 

 as well as of our own which we seek to exploit? It is unreasonable for forester 

 ■or lumberman to complain when the newspapers take a wrong viewpoint through 



