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Sierra Club Bulletin 



A National The importance of having a National Park Service or 

 Park Bureau created by Congress as a branch of the Depart- 



Service ment of the Interior, becomes greater each day. If we 



are to have a consistent policy of protecting and im- 

 proving these parks and promoting their general welfare it can only 

 be accomplished by means of some such branch of the Government 

 which shall devote all its time and energy to these important questions. 

 During the past year the policy of poHcing and protecting our national 

 parks by means of officers and soldiers detailed from the United States 

 Army, was abandoned. While this system had proved quite effective 

 in enforcing park rules, and was also desirable from the standpoint 

 of economy, yet there was some valid criticism to be made of this plan. 

 In place of the Army Patrol, civilians were appointed as park rangers. 

 It is perhaps unjust to criticize this innovation until it has been given 

 a fair trial and until trained rangers can be installed to take the place 

 of many inexperienced ones who had to be selected as a matter of 

 necessity following the suddenness of the change of policy. If a suffi- 

 cient number of experienced rangers can be employed permanently, 

 there is no doubt but that the change will eventually prove to have 

 been for the best, for one of the great objections to the Army was that 

 as soon as an Army detail had become familiar with the park con- 

 ditions, it would be called away to some other post. Under the new 

 system the ability to cope with a serious fire will probably not be as 

 great as where a number of troops could be called on. If the new 

 system produces a set of park rangers who are as well fitted for their 

 work as are the rangers now employed by the Forest Service, and if 

 the employment of temporary rangers of little or no experience can 

 be avoided, then this innovation will probably be justified. In this con- 

 nection we are more than pleased to note the appointment of Stephen 

 T. Mather of Chicago, and formerly of California, who has long been 

 an enthusiastic member of the Sierra Club, to the position of Assistant 

 to the Secretary of the Interior. One of his main functions will be to 

 take charge of all of the national parks, and our acquaintance with 

 Mr. Mather is such that we feel the welfare of these parks could not 

 be in better hands. W. E. C. 



Attention The opening of the Panama-Pacific International Exposi- 

 Alpinists ! tion is at hand. Among the multitudes who will come to 

 San Francisco from other lands there are sure to be 

 members of alpine clubs and other organizations that foster and pro- 

 mote interest in out-door recreation and sports. To such the Sierra 

 Club extends a hearty invitation to make our Club Rooms in the Mills 

 building your headquarters, and mail may be addressed in care of the 

 Club. Expert information about the High Sierra will be placed freely 

 at your disposal, and a register of names and addresses may be made 

 the means of facilitating mutual acquaintance and intercourse. You 

 are invited to join in our local walks and participate in the summer 



