tion. Taxes on mature forests are often so burdensome that they 
force wasteful cuttmg; and most states still collect a tax each year 
during the growing period. A forest is a long-time agricultural 
crop. It is so recognized by several states that are applying some 
form of a “forest yield tax” in an effort to meet the peculiar nature 
of the business of growing crops of trees. The “forest yield tax” 
collects the bulk of the tax when the forest is ready to be harvested, 
and when the owner will have money to pay the tax, instead of 
paying each year during the growing period. 
It is natural that the American public should look to those 
closely associated with the forests—saw-mill operators, paper and 
pulp men, and others—to assume leadership in the development of 
commercial forestry. The public recognize that these industries 
are informed on the problems and have an instinctive desire to per- 
petuate enterprises which often represent large investments and 
organizations built up through years of business effort. But com- 
mercial forestry cannot be made a success without the sympathetic 
support of public opinion. This means public understanding of 
its value to nation and community, the difficulties that beset it, and 
che action that must be taken to make it a success. 
During the past two decades, great strides have been made in 
this direction. Many agencies have cooperated to this end—local, 
state and national. Chambers of commerce and trade associations 
have interested themselves in many different phases of our forest 
problem. There has been a lack, however, of definite purpose and 
concerted effort. These organizations should now assume leader- 
ship in developing the necessary public understanding of our for- 
estry problems and in furthering measures for their solution. 
The National Chamber approved in Referendum No. 42 
principles which should underlie a national forestry policy. The 
outstanding points are cooperative action between the federal and 
state governments to assure efficient fire protection, and the adop- 
sion by the states of the principle of the “yield tax.” 
Federal laws—first the Weeks Act, of 1911, which provided 
for cooperative action between the federal government and the 
states in fire prevention, and later the Clarke-McNary Act of 
(924—have been steps in the direction of a national forestry policy 
as approved by the Chamber's membership. 
Under the Clarke-McNary Act a state must match the amount 
spent for fire prevention by the federal government in that state. 
In reality the states spend much more. Under this Act, also, the 
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