most States could not 
undertake such a financial 
burden; hence, Federal 
assistance was needed 
(Fernow 1917). 
In the spring of 1919, the 
president of the Society of 
American Foresters 
appointed a committee for 
the "application of forestry." It 
was chaired by Gifford 
Pinchot, an active proponent 
of Federal regulation of the 
management of private 
timberlands. Pinchot argued 
that the industry had not 
acted and would not act for 
the public good. The 
committee report late in 
1919 outlined a proposal 
that included as a major 
provision direct Federal 
control over the management 
of privately owned 
timberlands. Because of the 
well-known views of the 
committee chairman, this 
report became known as the 
“Pinchot Report," and the 
program as the “Pinchot 
Program" (Society of 
American Foresters 1919, 
Peirce and Stahl 1964). 
Forest industry responded 
immediately to the society’s 
committee report. The 
American Paper and Pulp 
Association released a 
28 
proposal that, among other 
points, recommended an 
increased annual Federal 
appropriation for cooperation 
with the States in fire control 
but eliminated any public 
regulation of private lands. It 
favored voluntary cooperation 
with the States regarding 
cutting practices and 
provided that the States 
furnish assistance to private 
owners of forest lands 
through planning and 
technical supervision of 
silvicultural operations free of 
charge or at cost (Peirce 
and Stahl 1964). 
The National Lumber 
Manufacturers Association 
had also drawn up a 
proposed forestry program 
that resembled the American 
Pulp and Paper Association 
proposal; it differed from it, 
however, in recognizing the 
possibility of regulation and 
favoring the idea that any 
regulatory legislation should 
originate with and be 
administered by the States 
rather than the Federal 
Government. 
Industry had formed a political 
action group, the National 
Forestry Program Committee, 
under the leadership of Royal 
S. Kellogg. Kellogg had 
