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Show conditions have called for extraordinary measures, one of which has been the making from this raw material of highly competent guardians of the great forests. The money so expended promises to be returned many fold in efficiency of the service, and, therefore, has much to commend it in a purely economic way. . When there are an ample number of trained young men to bid for these government positions within the forest service, then the time. shall have gone by when the government can longer afford to do the schooling, but, until then, the rangers' school should be maintained. SHOULD RANGERS BE SCHOOLED? O. A. Kennedy, of Ogden, writing to the Salt Lake Tribune, takes issue with that paper on the question of Pinchot's attitude toward the training of rangers for the forest service. In his communication, com-munication, Mr. Kennedy says : I have no desire to enter into any controversy with an editor in his own paper, and especially over a matter of law construction such as is involved in the decison of Solicitor McCabe, that it is illegal to pay the salaries and expenses of the forest rangers while they are attending the agricultural college and being instructed in forestry.. Let the lawyers settle the law points.. I take it for granted that my friend and fellow townsman, George P. McCabe, understands the law and that he is technically correct in his construction of it. But in your editorial of February 11 you take up also the "business and common sense" side of the question. You 'The principle contended for by Mr. Pinchot is this say: matter is not only outside of the law, but it is otvuide of any possibility of law. It is a travesty on business and common I sense. Nobody employs any one to go to school to learn the duties that he is expected to know how to do at the time , of his appointment.. To introduce the Pinchot theory in the public service would be devastating to the public treasury. "There is neither law nor business sense for the proposition proposi-tion to stand upon; and while Mr. Pinchot in undoubtedly able to rally to his support a large influence and following, it seems impossible that that influence and following could support him in the extravagant proposition that an appointee appoin-tee in the public service is to be allowed to go to school to learn his duties after his appointment, and while he is drawing draw-ing pay for performing the duties, which, in fact, he is at , school learnig about." Now I beg to call your attention to the fact that Mr. Pinchot is not the first man to intr'odce this "theory into the public service." The war department maintains West Point as a place to train officers for the army, 0d the navy department has Annapolis, where its officers are educatcd. Again, after the appointment of officers to commands they are often called together in "cavalry schools," in "infantry "in-fantry schools," and in exercises called "maneuvers," where officers and men. are given additional instruction in ''their duties after appointment:" The navy also gives special instruction in schools for its officers and men. In fact, the amy and the navy never seem to get through training and educating their officers and men, and always the salaries and exp3nse3 are paid by the government. In the Indian service, a branch of the lDterioi department, depart-ment, teachers in the Indian schools are assembled at central points during the summer vacation and given istrv.ction in their duties. Their salaries are not stopped Rnd at least a part of their traveling expenses are paid by the government. Just such a convention, or school, vm held in Ogden by the Indian service about four years ago, lasting three weeks. Now, there are three departments of the government where such expenditures are considered to be "business and common sense." Why not in the forest service, a branch of the agricultural department? We agree with Mr. Kennedy that common sense justifies the Echooling of rangers, yet, no doubt, George McCabe was right when .he declared there was no legal authorization of an expenditure of that kind. The government, though, should provide by legislative enactment for the expenses of the special training. Forestry i3 new to the people of the United States. There has been no school for the training of young men, until within the la3t few years. . The forest service has grown so rapidly that many ;vfostrn young men, unschooled in forestry, have had to be taken into ae government employ to guard the national forests. The unusual 1 - |