Gunnison Valley News | 1926-12-23 | Page 4 | A Christmas Symbol

A CHRISTMAS SYMBOL Down from the mists of pagan legend and early Christian rit-u-.J, from the Norse tree Yggdrasil of Druidic belief, from the fir tree of Saint Winfred comes the material symbol of Christmas, cherished in the hearts of American childhod, the Christmas tree. Stripped of its baleful pagan aspects, lighted with 'the glad thoughts of "on earth peace, good will to men" it has come to st?.nd for the jov and happiness of the Yuletide season. Must we then ban the Christmas tree custom in the interests of forest conservation? Decidedly, Not Conservation is wise use, to meet the needs of our people, not withholding from use. Who shall say that the Christmas tree is not so important a wood use as furniture, or matches, or rayon silk hose? A crop of young trees may be grown in from ' five to ten ye-.rs; in the East they have Christmas tree farms now. One careless care-less match may destroy ten thousand young' trees. Isn't it better bet-ter to use them at Christmas, rather than burn them up in the summer time? Let the young people have their Yuletide joy. Let us grow and harvest our Christmas tree crop scientifically, with due regard re-gard for the welfare of the forest. Let us take as our motto: Growing Trees for Growing Children!