We sincerely hope you and your committee will see fit to honor our request. If we may be of service to you in setting up such a hearing in this area, we look forward to your invitation. Sincerely yours, LEE VANN, Executive Secretary. APPALACHIAN MOUNTAIN CLUB, Senator JAMES E. MURRAY, Chairman, Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs, Senate Office Building, Washington, D. C.: We strongly advocate the wilderness bill and urge a favorable report and prompt passage of S. 4028. A national policy to protect our unspoiled lands is of vital importance to our people. DONALD P. SERVERANCE, President. THURSTON COUNTY POGGIE CLUB, Olympia, Wash., July 19, 1958. Senator JAMES E. MURRAY, Chairman, Interior and Insular Affairs Committee, Senate Office Building, Washington, D. C.: Membership of this organization urgently requests passage of S. 4028 as necessary recreational and educational protective measure for the American people. This Congress can perform no more valuable accomplishment for all time to come than passage of this bill. J. M. PETERSON, Secretary. 10026 35TH SW., Senator JAMES E. MURRAY, Seattle, Wash., July 18, 1958. Chairman, Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs, Senate Office Building, Washington, D. C.: The Mountaineers, an organization of 3,500 members, wish to again urge the passage of the wilderness bill, S. 4028. PAUL WISEMAN, President, the Mountaineers, Seattle. SEATTLE AUDUBON SOCIETY, Senator JAMES E. MURRAY, Chairman, Interior and Insular Affairs Committee, United States Senate, Washington, D. C. DEAR SENATOR MURRAY: I understand there are to be hearings held in room 224, Senate Office Building, on July 23, on S. 4028, the revised wilderness preservation bill. Being unable to attend although I will be in Washington the middle of August, I would appreciate it if you would enter the following statement in the record. "Having carefully read all of the revisions made in the wilderness preservation bill, S. 4028, I am heartily in accord with the present bill. I am sure that the many provisions made to meet the desires and requests of the several organizations and governmental departments will now assure passage of this important bill." Mrs. NEIL HAIG. WEST VIRGINIA SPORTSMEN UNLIMITED, Senator JAMES E. MURRAY, Chairman, Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs, Senate Office Building, Washington, D. C. DEAR SIR: West Virginia Sportsmen Unlimited, a statewide organization of hunting and fishing clubs, individuals, farmers, and conservationists, wish to go on record as favoring the revised wilderness bill, S. 4028, as introduced by Senator Hubert H. Humphrey. We respectfully ask that this letter be made a part of the public hearing record. Yours respectfully, H. O. POWERS, Executive Secretary. SOUND MATTRESS & FELT Co., Senator JAMES E. MURRAY, Chairman, Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs, Senate Office Building. DEAR SENATOR MURRAY: I note with interest a new wilderness bill has been introduced as S. 4028. I have just read a copy of the proceedings on this in a published copy of the Congressional Record and note with interest your statement. Knowing that this bill will greatly protect the wilderness areas in your own State and the State of Washington as well as all other States that have wilderness areas, I know you will give this bill the support that will enact it. I am leaving Saturday to spend 2 weeks in the Eagle Cap Wilderness area of the Wallowa Mountains of eastern Oregon so as one who uses these areas I have had the opportunity to observe how important it is to have these areas protected by S. 4028. Cordially yours, LEO GALLAGHER. KALISPELL, MONT., July 19, 1958. Hon. JAMES E. MURRAY, Chairman, Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs, DEAR SENATOR MURRAY: Please place this in the record of the hearing to be held July 23. I am strongly in favor of the revised wilderness bill, S. 4028, and urge its speedy enactment into legislation as a vital step in preserving our valuable wild lands. As former secretary of district 1 of the Montana Wildlife Federation, a nonprofit conservation organization of more than 6,600 affiliated members of western Montana, I have witnessed repeated attempts to encroach upon and whittle away the wild and wilderness areas of Montana. These areas, of prime importance in their natural state for recreational, scientific, and educational purposes, need the established policy of Congress to preserve them. Very sincerely, CLIFTON MERRITT. BANNING, CALIF., July 15, 1958. Hon. JAMES E. MURRAY, Chairman, Senate Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs, The Desert Protective Council urges approval by your committee of present BANNING, CALIF., July 15, 1958. Hon. JAMES E. MURRAY, Chairman, Senate Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs, Senate, Washington, D. C.: The Trailfinders reiterate our support of wilderness bill in its present revised form and trust it will be passed by your committee and by present session of Congress. HARRY C. JAMES, President. Senator JAMES E. MURRAY, BEAVER COUNTY CONSERVATION LEAGUE, Chairman, Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs, Senate Office Building, Washington, D. C. DEAR SENATOR MURRAY: Some time ago we corresponded with Senator Humphrey to express our complete approval of S. 1176, commonly called the wilderness bill. It has now come to our attention, that due to certain misinterpretations and misunderstandings of this bill in its original form, a revised bill, namely, S. 4028, has been introduced. After studying S. 4028, we wish to go on record as being in complete accord with provisions as set forth in this revised form of the wilderness bill. As we have followed the progress of this wilderness bill we have formed the opinion that the gentleman from Minnesota, Senator Humphrey, is indeed mindful of the intense need to protect America's great wilderness areas. We note that on June 18, 1958, Senator Humphrey addressed the Senate of the United States and urged the adoption of S. 4028. He obviously feels that there is nothing written into the revised bill which defeats the aims and purposes of the wilderness bill as originally drafted. We are certainly going to go along with it, too. We feel that America so direly needs the wilderness preservation system, that we are urging all of our member organizations to express their own individual approval. At any rate this letter represents the views of 19 organized sportmen's clubs which comprise the Beaver County Conservation League. Sincerely yours, ELMER ANDERSON, Corresponding Secretary (Acting). Hon. JAMES E. MURRAY, SANDIA PARK, N. Mex., July 12, 1958. Chairman, Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs, Senate Office Building, Washington, D. C. DEAR SIR: We are writing to you in reference to the revised wilderness bill. My husband and I feel very strongly that this bill should be passed with no further delay. For your information, we write not only as conservationists who love the out-of-doors and use many national forests and parks for recreation, but also as former National Park Service employees. Last year, while working at Grand Teton National Park we especially observed how every new road led to automatic deterioration of adjacent lands in that beating down of underbrush and trees inevitably occurred. And, unfortunately, it was also clear to any observer on the spot that a large majority of the people who used these roads did so only because they happened to be there and not because they particularly wanted to see and appreciate any particular untouched spot. Thus we despoil our heritage to no real purpose nor profit to anyone when we permit such too easy access to our woods and forests. It is pertinent and interesting to observe here that England, for all its vast population in proportion to its small territorial size, has better protected primeval woodlands than we, a much younger country, do. Yours truly, EVELYN CROPPER. FEDERATION OF WESTERN OUTDOOR CLUBS, Senator JAMES E. MURRAY, Chairman, Senate Office Building, Washington, D. C.: Federation of Western Outdoor Clubs with 25,000 members endorses revised wilderness bill, S. 4028. It is important that Congress give recognition to wilderness survival in our Nation and provide the greater protection that congres sional review and consideration will give the small amount of wilderness to be retained in America. Mrs. JOHN A. DYER, President. Senator JAMES E. MURRAY, Chairman of Senate Interior Committee, GLENDALE, CALIF., July 19, 1958. United States Senate, Washington, D. C. DEAR SENATOR MURRAY: Once again I wish to register my unqualified endorse ment of Senator Hubert Humphrey's wilderness bill, more especially in its revised form as S. 4028. With its hearing set for Wednesday, July 23, I am prompted by my firm conviction that this improved version of former S. 1176 should be passed, to urge that you and other Senators vote favorably upon it and bring about its enactment. Our country's future generations will thereby inherit at least a portion of the present remaining undisturbed landscape. In my 72 years I have seen too many encroachments. Respectfully yours, Hon. JAMES E. MURRAY, PHILIP S. BERNAYS. NORTHERN FILMS, Seattle, Wash., July 17, 1958. Chairman, Interior and Insular Affairs Committee, United States Senate, Washington, D. C. DEAR SENATOR MURRAY: I want to urge your committee to act favorably upon and speed the passage of of S. 4028, the bill to preserve wilderness areas. You are aware, I am sure, that wilderness cannot be created once it is altered by man; if not preserved from the beginning, it is lost forever. My work as a producer of documentary films has taken me through some of the most beautiful areas in the world-beautiful because they were as yet unspoiled by man. It has taken me through other areas which once were beautiful but which have needlessly been converted by unwise exploitation into wasteland. It is my understanding that S. 4028 when enacted into law will protect the remaining true wilderness areas whose exploitation would be unwise. For the benefit of generations to come, your committee can do no greater thing than press for enactment of this legislation. Very truly yours, LOUIS R. HUBER, President. ILLINOIS AUDUBON SOCIETY, Chicago, Ill., July 18, 1958. Senator JAMES MURRAY, Chairman, Senate Interior Committee, Senate Office Building, Washington, D. C. DEAR SIR: We should like to reiterate our approval of the wilderness bill sponsored by Senators Humphrey and Douglas. The Illinois Audubon Society has supported the National Wilderness Preservation Act from its inception. The bill in its revised form makes it far stronger than before and incites greater mass appeal. We are especially interested in the creation of the National Wilderness Preservation Council. We feel this is a most sensible approach to a serious problemto inform the general public regarding the existence and preservation of our national wilderness. It is our fond desire that your committee urge all possible speed in the passage of the Humphrey-Saylor wilderness bill in this session of Congress. This bill is known as S. 4028. Your insertion of this statement into the official proceedings has our approval. Truly, RAYMOND MOSTEK, Vice President. STATEMENT OF FRIENDS OF THE WILDERNESS After the hearings held on July 23 in Washington by the Senate Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs, that committee agreed that there should be further hearings in the Western States, probably late in the year and after the adjournment of Congress. Dates and places have not yet been decided upon, but the chairman, the Honorable Senator James E. Murray of the great State of Montana, has informed this organization that we will be notified as soon as they can be planned and arranged. We do not know at present if a hearing will be held in Minnesota and in the area in question, but we will welcome Senator Murray and his whole committee to the last wilderness canoe country of any consequence in the entire Nation. Then they can see for themselves the pristine area that the conservationists of the Nation have fought to preserve for almost 40 years for the use of the boys and girls of tomorrow. The recent resolutions by the St. Louis and Cook County Boards of Commissioners seeking further delay in consideration of the new wilderness bill by the Congress, and further amendment, can only be due to continued misunderstanding of the bill and its provisions. For more than 2 years, the bill has been freely subjected to examination by all shades of opinion regarding it. Criticisms and objections have been gladly met with clarification and revision, with the aim of obtaining a measure that all sincere resource conservationists can strongly support. Exhaustive hearings have been held, not only in Washington, but regionally and in this State. A hearing on the revised bill was held last December in the office of the commissioner of conservation in St. Paul and conducted by him and the Honorable Senator Hubert H. Humphrey, one of the many authors of the bill. In the Superior National Forest, which after all is not a major subject of the national bill but only a small detail among many, not one inch of the roadless area boundaries are changed nor any of the existing provisions altered. The bill changes nothing whatsoever in the Superior National Forest. It does say that a Cabinet Secretary, always politically appointed, could not by the stroke of a pen wipe most of our finest national wilderness areas and parks off the face of the continent tomorrow. This should never occur and this bill will prevent it from ever happening in the years ahead. The wilderness preservation act merely gives expression to a conservation policy that has been a reality in the minds and hearts of the American people, but has never yet been embodied in legislation. It is long past time that this should be done. This bill simply establishes congressional policy for protecting our wildernesses in national parks, national forests, wildlife refuges, and other Federal areas where this can be done consistently with other programs now already underway. The State rights subject raised by the Cook County Board of Commissioners is as old as the national forests themselves and clearly not valid in Minnesota. The Minnesota State Legislature has several times recorded its will on this issue, always on the side of the roadless area reservations. In the case of individual issues, several Federal court decisions—appeal tested—have invariably upheld the preservation of the wilderness areas. These are not new questions just discovered. They are very old, and the people have repeatedly expressed their strong convictions on them, namely, that the unique Superior wilderness area is not to be exploited for private gain but preserved for all of the people. We do not think it necessary to argue here in northeastern Minnesota about the value of superb wilderness areas. Very few of us want to turn over these priceless public assets to those who are always thirsting to grab off choice hunks of the public's lands and convert them for their own personal gain. The wilderness bill will keep in wilderness the best part of the very small part of the whole United States area which is still in wilderness today. Most of this land-and may we repeat, that only Federal-owned land is covered in the billis, for the most part, high, isolated back country and our own wilderness canoe country, which is the cream of the crop. This bill stabilizes the existing Government-owned wilderness areas across the Nation-48 areas now in national parks, 80 wilderness areas in our national forests, 20 areas in the national wildlife refuges, and a few scattered areas on other Government-owned lands. |