What’s in the Future for LA.S8? 
by JOSEPH GALBREATH 
Chairman, |.A.S. Long-range Planning Committee 
Before the program of the 1974 annual meeting at Mt. Vernon, a thought- 
provoking book was recommended reading. That book was ONLY ONE 
EARTH by Woodard Dubos. 
In the book, Mr. Dubos points out some world problems and their 
possible solutions. His main question is “Can man long retain his human- 
ness in a desecrated environment?” The Mt. Vernon meeting was built 
around this thesis. 
Just recently an English economist and conservationist, by the name 
of Nicholson, gave us some advice essential to our human survival in his 
book THE BIG CHANGE. Our “use it up, throw it out” philosophy and 
practice of the past is no longer tenable. We are now facing a forced 
revolution of scarcity, shortages and inflation, which demand a change — 
a Big Change — in our life-style. 
“The economic pie” is getting relatively smaller at a time when the 
“Affluent Society” still expects our standard of living to continue rising. 
The world of abundance has turned to a world of scarcity. We are headed 
for a collision of forces between the human appetite and human self- 
respect. We can no longer have our cake and eat it too. A new way of 
life is essential, whether we like it or not, to meet our diminished and 
impoverished natural resources. Needed adjustments are going to be 
forced upon us. 
Not all so-called “progress” is good. Change cannot be avoided; but 
change, just for the sake of change, is not necessarily progress. Conserva- 
tion preserves and respects values of the past. Our vital heritage is in 
danger of disappearing before future generations. It’s time to ask our- 
selves, have we made progress in the I.A.S. in the past five years? Have 
we accomplished our goals? What are our weaknesses? Where do we go 
from here? How do we get there? These are some of the questions 
confronting the Long-range Planning Committee. Therefore, the Committee 
has prepared the following priorities. 
1.A.S. PRIORITIES 
The Long-range Planning Committee selected the following goals for 
1975-80. We followed guidelines set by other conservation organizations 
in establishing the three primary headings: 
1. CONSERVATION 
1. A sensible Scenic Rivers Bill in 1975. 
2. Control of stream channelization and dam construction on our 
fall flowing streams. (No. 1 would initiate the accomplishment of 
No. 2 on some of our most scenic streams.) 
3. Study and formulation of a wise energy policy for all of the U.S. 
which should include: 
a. Zero industrial growth. 
b. Development of mass transit systems in our metropolitan 
areas, beginning with established railroad systems. 
c. Development of alternate energy sources such as the sun and 
wind. 
