A NATIOISTAL LL'MBER AlTD FOEEST POLICY. 13 



such as Federal taxation, export problems, legislation and coopera- 

 tion in fire protection, economic and technical research, etc. 



One of the important problems is that of extending the p>nblic for- 

 ests. There are many areas in onr mountains which are so important 

 from the standpoint of protection of the slopes and of water re- 

 sources that they should be owned by the public. Private owners 

 can not handle them properly, even imder the most favorable condi- 

 tions. There are also large areas of cut-over lands that v\ ould render 

 their best service in public hands. Most of this land has been badly 

 injured and is now carrying but little forest growth of potential 

 value. The public should acquire large areas of such land and gradu- 

 ally restore it to productive use. 



In view of the situation regarding cut-over nonagricuitural lands 

 and the steps that must be taken to restore them, I am in favor of a 

 greatly enlarged program of acquisition on the part of the Federal 

 Government and the States. The Federal GoTernment has been 

 acquiring cut-over and culled lands in the Southern Appalachians 

 and White Mountains at the rate of about $2,000,000 per year since 

 1911, and the plan has worked out most successfulhv. Some of the 

 States, too, are engaged upon programs of acquisition. New York 

 State, v/ith already a holding of nearly 2,000,000 acres, has voted 

 bonds for $7,500,000 to be expended for this class of lands. Cities 

 also sliould undertake the acquisition of forest lands, especially those 

 tributary to their citj watersheds. This policy should be pursued 

 until large areas of cut-over land, second-growth forest, and protec- 

 tive forest have been restored to public ownership. These publicl^y 

 owned forests should be well distributed through all the forest re- 

 gions. As these areas are acquired, they should be organized as 

 Municipal, State, or National Forests. 



EARLY ACTION URGENT. 



We ma}/ discuss these questions in meetings and conferences and 

 accomplish little. We have the problems to solve, and Ave can not 

 continue to ignore them. I regard the industrial problems as very 

 urgent. Some action is inevitable in regard to the question of better 

 forest protection, of forest renewal, and growth after logging. Pub- 

 lic demand for action is increasingly insistent. Now is the time, 

 therefore, to bring about action in accordance u^ith broad construc- 

 tive plans, rather than by piecemeal legislation by diiferent States, 

 uncorrelated with each other, and with action of the Federal Gov- 

 ernment. 



I have taken it upon myself to ask for cooperation in laying the 

 groundwork for a national policy. I have already initiated a series 

 of conferences with forest agencies of the States and Avith representa- 



