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ERE is one phase of the policy of the conservation of natural resources, now prominently before the country, that has not as yet been widely exploited, although it has been officially recognized as well worthy of serious consideration. In fact, it may be confidently asserted that, as a Nation, the United States has put itself upon record as valuing its notable scenery as a public asset deserving of careful conservation. In the formal declaration of views and recommendations adopted by the historic White House Conference of Governors it was proclaimed "that the beauty. . . of our country should be preserved and increased." Later the National Conservation Commission, in its report to the President, reiterated these views, but in more definite form, when it recommended that "public lands more valuable for conserving . . . natural beauties or wonders than for agriculture should be held for the use of the people." In these concurrent declarations the people have asserted their faith in the intrinsic value of sentiment.

It is significant that these bodies of essentially practical and wholly representative men, with their minds bent on a problem so purely and vitally economic,

should have granted this meed of recognition to this phase of the subject. It shows at least that as a people we are not entirely incapable of recognizing the true worth of beauty as a necessary adjunct to a normal and healthy human life. Nor is it in any wise discreditable that the more materialistic value of beautiful things should thus have been given recognition.

During the past few years Congress has reflected the growing public interest in these matters in a notable manner, not only by greatly increasing the number of our National parks, but also by giving to the President the power to proclaim as "National monuments " (to all intents and purposes National parks) such Government-owned lands as he believes to be of sufficient historic or scientific interest to warrant their being thus set aside. The rapid growth of State and municipal parks and the preservation of scenic spots in all parts of the country by the direct will of the people further testifies to a widespread appreciation of the value of scenery and of things beautiful. Witness also the recent earnest efforts to protect the Falls of Niagara from disfigurement through a too complete development of their commercial power. Yet another

sign of the times is found in the storm of protest which rose from every corner of the land when San Francisco sought to acquire the right to dam a gorge and thereby destroy the Hetch-Hetchy, one of the most beautiful valleys of the Yosemite National Park. All this indicates an active interest in the recreative value and generally uplifting power of natural beauty.

Notwithstanding so great a public interest in this subject, it will surprise no one to find that, in their inventory of our natural resources, the National Conservation Commission presented but a meager exhibit covering this field. The people of the country are fairly well posted to-day on the National forests, and what they stand for, since that matter has been much in the public press in recent years. Of National parks, however, little seems to be known either East or West. During a recent trip which included several of the National forests, parks, and monuments, it was found that even the people in the immediate neighborhood of those properties failed to differentiate between these establishments. Few realized that they were not all under one control, or that they were not established in some ununknown but uniform manner.

Ask your neighbors to name half a dozen of the National parks. The chances are that almost every one will begin with the Yellowstone, because that park has been widely advertised by the railways for many years. Some will hazard a guess that the Yosemite Valley is a park. It is, in fact, one of the chief features of the Yosemite National Park, which as a whole is one hundred times larger than the valley from which it derives its name. Some will include in their list the Grand Cañon of the Colorado, which is technically a National monument, and there the guessing breaks down in the majority of cases. Even those individuals whose tastes and inclinations lead them to take the greatest interest in such affairs have but an indefinite idea as to the actual location and extent of our National parks, to say nothing about such details as the statutory provisions which relate to them.

As a people we are awakening to a realization that it is unsafe to allow large Governmental interests to become too completely subject to the individual caprice

of whoever may be for the time in office. The danger of misrepresentation by the best-intentioned official is fully appreciated. Το encourage honest and efficient government the citizen must keep himself informed in a general way at least. For that reason, and since it is manifest that the Nation approves of the conservation of scenery through the establishment of National parks and monuments, it seems important that some positive information concerning these properties should be made publicly available.

In National parks, National monuments, and National military parks, all of which were created or authorized by Congressional action, there are now considerably more than five million acres. Here are some of the world's sublimest scenes, many wonderful records of past ages, relics of the prehistoric occupants of portions of our land, and inspiring mementoes of the patriotism of a rapidly passing generation. These properties are managed for the people by three Government departments, those of the Interior, of Agriculture, and of War. In some cases all three departments are involved in the control, direct or indirect, of a single reservation. It speaks well for the harmony of purpose and effort that no serious clashes of authority ever reach the public ear as a result of this complex arrangement. That it is unsatisfactory and uneconomical from the standpoint of the departments is evinced by the official recommendation of President Roosevelt and of his Secretary. of the Interior, that most of the parks and all of the monuments should be placed entirely in the control of the Secretary of Agriculture.

It means but little to the average mind to read that in these parks are five million acres. To say that this amounts to twotenths of one per cent of the total area of the continental United States, exclusive of Alaska, is not particularly enlightening. The State of Massachusetts, however, furnishes an excellent yardstick for this purpose. Ninety-six per cent of its area is approximately equal to the total area of the parks, monuments, and battlefield reservations. All of the twelve parks and the twenty-two monuments are located west of the Mississippi River, in thirteen of the twenty-two States which lie on that