serve and economically produce and use the timber supply. 



The past history, the present conditions, and the awak- 

 ened public interest, leading to this conservation move- 

 ment, all indicate the necessity for changed methods in the 

 production and distribution of the natural supplies and espe- 

 cially in handling the forests. This will necessarily in- 

 volve a change of attitude, policies, and methods by the 

 Government, and a somewhat changed attitude of private 

 owners of timber, soil, and mines. As to the forests, there 

 will be no further, or but little, sale or transfer to private 

 ownership. The large forest reserves, mostly in the West- 

 ern States, will necessarily form the nucleus in the beginning 

 of the conservation movement, so far as it is related to di- 

 rect Government action and supervision. As the Govern- 

 ment holds or owns but a fraction, or less than a quarter 

 part, of the remaining western timberland, it makes the 

 conservation and reproduction of timber on these private 

 holdings a necessary part of the movement to secure the 

 best results and to serve the public interest to best advantage 

 in the handling of the forests. The same conservative meth- 

 ods for manufacturing as well as protecting and reforesting 

 should apply to these private holdings, as to the reserved 

 lands still in the hands of the Government. Under present 

 conditions, the attitude of the Government towards the tim- 

 ber and lumber industry and the prejudices of the people, 

 which are without just cause, must necessarily be modified, 

 before a co-operative plan could be agreed upon consistent 

 with the public interests and the vested rights of the own- 

 ers. 



The owners of timber should bear in mind that the for- 

 ests were created as an inheritance for all, to supply the 

 most necessary and essential commodity for the public wel- 

 fare next to the food supply. 



The transfer to private ownerships was only a step taken 

 (whether or not a wise policy) towards placing these for- 



