Show nOAD DEVELOP DEVELOPMENT I IX IN FORESTS ASSURED I The The develoP development of C the national forest road systems is given great I impetus by the terms of the postoffice appropriations act which the president president president dent has signed Besides increasing b by the total fund available available available avail avail- able under the federal aid Id roads act the new law makes available for expenditure expenditure expenditure ex ex- ex- ex by the secretary of agriculture agriculture agriculture ture for roads and trails within or partly partI within the forests The law als also authorizes es the Ule seers secre secretary tarp tao of war to transfer to the secretary secretary secretary secre secre- tary of agriculture materiel material l equipment equipment equipment equip equip- ment and supplies suitable for highway highway high high- way Improvement and not need needed d by bythe bythe bythe the war department While White most of this will be distributed among the highway commissions of f the tho states for Cor use on federal aid road projects not to exceed 10 per cent ent may be re reserved reserved reserved re- re served b by the secretary of agriculture for Cor use in building national forest roads or other roads constructed under under un un- un der his direct supervision The rhe fund may be used for maintenance as well as survey and construction The new legislation like the federal aid roads act makes the building of roads and trails necessary necessary necessary essary for Cor the use and development o of national forest resources or desirable desirable desira desira- able a ble for the proper a administration and Improvement of any forest where cooperative local contributions contributions contributions con con- can be obtained but in addition to this it contains a new v feature of much Importance Tho The new feature permits the secretary secretary sec sec- of agriculture without the sec sec-I cooperation cooperation co co- co- co I operation of local officials to build I and maintain any road or trail within with 1 In a national forest which he finds i necessary necessary- for the proper administration tion lion protection and Improvement of such forest forestor or which in his opinion Is of n national Importance In the view few of forestry officials this law is the most Important step ever taken for rapid development of a national forest road system and will be of Inestimable in inestimable inestimable In- In estimable benefit to the local public I The measure gives us much broader bronder scope for tor a fully tully developed 1 program than we have had before Bays Henry S. S Graves chief chef of the forest forest forest for for- est service In commenting on the new law Under the tho federal aid roads act we had available for roads within or partly within the forests a year available until ex ex- Owing to the war which practically halted the work we had hadan hadan hadan an accumulated balance of 2500 unexpended and another moth r 1000 which will become available July 1 Of the new appropriation 3 W Is immediately available and will become available July Jub 1 There will m also bo be available f or more moro from the 10 per percent t cent of national forest receipts Altogether Altogether Altogether Alto Alto- gether therefore we have in sight for tor the coming year about If we can use it advantageously Whatever wo we cant can't use advantageously advantageous advantageous- ly so soon will be added to the 4 01 of new mone money that becomes available the following year We Ve already have our plans for approved approved approved ap ap- ap- ap proved road projects sufficiently shaped shape up so 80 that a prompt start will willbe willbe be possible as soon as the weather permits In some cases however these plans must necessarily l he be e suspended on account of pending proposals for tor the creation of national nation nation- nation nation-I al parks affecting national forest lands It would be obviously improper improper improper im im- proper to expend the funds intended r and voted by congress for the development devel devel- r Yo r I an and protection of the national nation nation- al forests on areas which may soon I g-I gIt t I. I 7 cease to bo be national forests This Thill legislation will not only make maIm it easier to protect the forests without costly expenditures to to- to fight i l I ha had bad fi Ores fires res in inaccessible localities but hut will also help enormously the theman man many small communities and scattered scattered scat scat- settlers in and near the forests who now suffer suITer for Cor lack of roads It will wm also enable the tho construction of or Important trunk line roads crossing the mountains with suitable provision provis provis- ion of subsidiary roads One result will unquestionably be marked development development development devel devel- of recreational ue use of these great national playgrounds with their thir wealth of too little Known at- at Altogether the opening up of or the forests to more complete and varied use by the public which is the fundamental object of their administration administration adminis adminis- will be tremendously ed l Under inder the law preference Is given to the employment of honorably discharged discharged discharged dis dis- charged soldiers sailors and marines for the required labor |