Show american forest week april 2228 22 28 1928 I 1 ity BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF 1 1 for several years a special week has been set apart tor for public discussion of our forests and of what must be e done to safeguard and restore them among the agencies making for or progress in this direction amer can forest week has proved its use ulness falness and I 1 am glad to proclaim it again and to announce that canada is s again concurrently ib observing serving a similar week the rehabilitation of our forests demands first of all that the forest ire fire evil be suppressed many of the forested ore states with the cooperation of timberland owners have undertaken organized protection against forest fires and in recent years under the clark e mcnary law the federal government has given its support to the movement this great cooperative enterprise must be extended and strengthened until every forested county in the united states is tafe hate guarded against forest tires fires but we are still tar far from the goal of complete protection every year on the average tires fires ri courage our woodlands wod lands steadily undermining their vitality for this bad situation the blame falls equally on us all public agencies rarely provide adequate protection against fire the timberland owner la is too often indifferent to his property the forest worker Is too often neglectful of the future forest the average citizen la is too often careless with fire in the woods we must all gain such buch respect apece for the forest that its destruction through indifference or carelessness shall be unthinkable we can not permanently abuse our forests with impunity the soil la is the ultimate source ot of all our wealth and of life itself one fourth of our american soil Is best suited stilted tor for forests much of this land la Is already idle more afore ot of it Is being made idle by destructive logging and tiro fire yet we can not safely permit our forest land to lie ile tallow fallow and useless any moer than we can permit our farms and factories to lie ile idle to make our vast empire of forest land fully productive of continuous crops of timber will have momentous consequences in our nati national omal life 4 it will give agriculture the edvan tage of a new and valuable crop it II will afford permanent employment to millions of men in the forest industries dus tries it will provide raw materials tor for many industries it will furnish traffic tor for our railroads I 1 it wll will maintain foreign and domestic commerce it will restore our forests 1 as conservers con servers of soli soil slid and water and as givers of health and pleasure to our people we already have made a beginning in forest fores t renewal but the task is stupendous and wo we should permit no satisfaction over what has been done to blind us its to the magnitude of 0 what remains to be done NOW THEREFORE I 1 CALVIN COOLIDGE president of the united states of america do hereby designate and set aside as american forest week and week beginning april 22 and ending april 28 in this year of 0 1928 1 I recommend to the governors of the various states that they also designate this week for special observance by all our people and that where practicable and not In conflict with law or custom arbor day be observed during the course of the same week I 1 urge that during that week all citizens and appropriate organizations including public officials legislators business organizations educators editors clergymen landowners and others give thought to the preservation and wise use of our forests to the end that energetic forest policies will be adopted in all comman ties aties IN WITNESS WHEREOF I 1 have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal ot of the united states to be affixed DONE at the city of 0 washington this day ot of february in the year ot of our bordone Lor done thousand nine hundred and twenty eight and ot of the independence ot of the united states ot of america the one hundred and tidy fifty second dy by the president CALVIN COOLIDGE secretary of 0 state |