LOS ANGELES, CALIF., July 19, 1958. Senator JAMES E. MURRAY, Chairman, Senate Interior Committee, Washington, D. C. DEAR SENATOR: I respectfully urge you to use all possible influence at the hearings on S. 4028, the revised wilderness bill, on July 23, 1958, to accomplish this legislation. Our remaining natural and wild areas, already so much reduced, must be kept and safeguarded for the future in every way. Thank you. Respectfully yours, ELSA H. VAN SOEST, M. D. Senator JAMES E. MURRAY, Senate Interior Committee, Senate Office Building, Washington, D. C.: CHICAGO, ILL., July 23, 1958. We strongly urge you to report favorably on the wilderness bill, S. 4028. It is good and necessary legislation. Senator JAMES E. MURRAY, IRMA AND ELLIOTT SILVERSTEIN. SEAVIEW AVENUE, Branford, Conn., July 26, 1958. Senate Office Building, Washington, D. C.: ELIZABETH AND JULIAN STURTEVANT. COLORADO STATE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, Denver, Colo., July 22, 1958. Senator JAMES MURRAY, Senate Office Building, Washington, D. C.: Due to President's signing National Outdoor Recreation Resources Review Commission, we urge delay of wilderness hearings until Commission able to give preliminary report. When hearings are to be held, request that they be in the areas to be affected. If not able to postpone hearing, we remain opposed to S. 4028. Also request that you give serious examination to appointments to Commission regarding their feelings on multiple-use theory and expansion and growth of the Western States. Hon. JAMES E. MURRAY, HOWARD N. YATES, Executive Vice President. SPARTANBURG, S. C., July 25, 1958. Chairman of the Senate Interior Committee, DEAR SENATOR MURRAY: I wish to express my hearty support of the revised wilderness bill now before your committee. Very truly yours, ELLEN B. TALBOT. BLOOMINGTON, IND., July 25, 1958. Senator JAMES MURRAY, Senate Office Building, Washington, D. C. DEAR SIR: With adjournment near I understand that the wilderness bill, S. 4028, has not yet reached the floor. I hope you can arrange to bring this bill up for action, and that it will be passed this session. May I express my appreciation for your efforts to see that a very fine bill was written. Yours, MARE ROSs. Senator JAMES E. MURRAY, CHINA LAKE, CALIF., July 23, 1958. Chairman, Senate Interior Committee, Washington, D. C. DEAR SIR: I am most concerned in having the wilderness bill, S. 4028, passed at this session of Congress. I realize that hearings were held today. I was late in receiving this information. It is vital, in my opinion, that as much protection as possible be given remaining wilderness areas on this continent. I hope that you will consider that my letter also represents the views of many other of my fellow citizens at China Lake. At a recent Forest Service hearing regarding opening up a wilderness area for commercial lumbering, the voters of China Lake, without one dissenting voice, went on record as opposing either roads or lumbering, in favor of retaining the area in as much as possible its natural state. Please do all you can to pass the revised wilderness bill. Mrs. HARRY S. CONNABLE. PHILADELPHIA CONSERVATIONISTS, INC., Hon. JAMES E. MURRAY, Senate Office Building, Washington, D. C.: Our organization of over 600 members strongly in favor of revised wilderness bill, S. 4028. We respectfully urge that Senate Interior Committee report this bill favorably in time for action at present session of Congress. ALLSTON JENKINS, President. SANTA BARBARA, Calif., July 26, 1958. Hon. JAMES E. MURRAY, DEAR SENATOR: I wish to add my support to the revised wilderness bill, S. 1176, and sincerely hope that in the hearing scheduled for July 23 on S. 4028 this modest claim to your consideration, will meet with favorable response by your committee. I am well aware that even so important a subject as conservation has its overenthusiastic supporters but the sound policies worked out in this bill, S. 1176 and S. 4028 hold promise of fulfilling needs where idealism and statesmanship can feel proud to be recorded in our history as having opened the door to action divorced from political practicalities of the past. While a member of the California Board of Forestry for some 5 years covering two administrations of opposite political faith, I had opportunity to see the crying need of such constructive legislation. I will deeply appreciate your committee's favorable consideration of these wilderness needs. Sincerely, FREDERICK H. COWLES, Member of Forestry Board, California, 1939–43. COLUMBUS, OHIO, July 25, 1958. Hon. JAMES E. MURRAY, Senate Office Building, Washington, D. C. DEAR SENATOR MURRAY: As one who is a strong believer in private ownership and one who is strongly opposed to the Government little by little taking over more and more of the land of this country and as one who never goes near a wilderness, but who is nonetheless in love with the primeval beauty of certain sections of this country, even though he seldom gets to enjoy them, I nonetheless wish to indicate my approval of the objectives set forth in the wilderness bill, S. 4028 and H. R. 13013 and to urge the enactment of this legislation. I agree entirely with the remarks made by William H. Whyte, Jr., when he says "If we are in error in establishing these wilderness areas we can always rectify it later, but once the wilderness is destroyed it can never be restored." Thank you for your consideration and I hope that you pass this message on to your colleagues and please do not feel that this communication requires any acknowledgement of any kind. Yours sincerely, CHARLES W. PAVEY, M. D. P. S.-I feel the same way about S. 3898 relative to the Indiana Dunes. THE ANIMALS' CRUSADERS, INC., In re S. 4028, the revised wilderness bill. Senator JAMES E. MURRAY, Chairman, Committee on the Interior, Washington, D. C. DEAR SENATOR: We urge you most strongly to advise your committee to vote "Do pass" on this bill. It is not necessary to bring all the arguments up before you as to the wisdom of saving our wilderness, both for its own sake, as well as for the enjoyment and observation of future generations. Trusting in your cooperation in this important measure. Yours very sincerely, Senator JAMES E. MURRAY, Senate Office Building, Washington, D. C.: C. M. BARTON, Executive Secretary. EVANSTON, ILL., July 21, 1958. Registering this family's approval and support of revised wilderness bill. Hon. JAMES E. MURRAY, Mrs. CHARLES WATSON. FLATHEAD WILDLIFE, INC., Chairman, Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs, Senate Office Building, Washington, D. C. DEAR SENATOR MURRAY: This is to reaffirm that Flathead Wildlife, Inc., is strongly in favor of the wilderness-preservation bill, S. 4028, as revised. Flathead Wildlife, Inc., is a nonprofit conservation organization composed of some 700 conservationists who reside in northwestern Montana. Our members feel that only through a national policy of preserving wilderness can we hope to prevent several valuable wilderness species of wildlife, now existing primarily in Montana, from becoming extinct in the United States. Among others, these rare wilderness creatures include the bighorn sheep, Rocky Mountain goat, moose, grizzly bear, Montana black-spotted cutthroat, and Dolly Varden trout. It goes without saying, of course, that Montana's wilderness areas are beyond price, and their recreational importance to the Nation will grow with the years. In this revised bill there can be no reason for anyone who favors wilderness preservation from giving other than enthusiastic support toward its passage. Sincerely, ROBERT C. SYKES, President. MAYWOOD, CALIF., July 17, 1958. Re S. 4028. Senator JAMES E. MURRAY, Chairman, Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs, Senate Office Building, Washington, D. C. DEAR SENATOR MURRAY: The entire membership of the Roamer Hiking Club wishes to reiterate its approval of the wilderness bill in its revised form and urge its passage. Any legislation for conservation is very apropos, since private interests are rapidly undermining our wilderness. Your continued support is greatly appreciated. Thank you. Sincerely, WALTER TISCHHAUSER, President. FAY SCHOOL, Hon. JAMES E. MURRAY, Chairman, Senate Interior Committee. Southborough, Mass., July 23, 1958. DEAR MR. MURRAY: Having a great interest in the revised wilderness-preservation bill, I write to say that I hope you will give it all possible support. Such forward-looking prospects to safeguard our priceless national areas surely deserves the support of all those who are concerned in its success. Yours sincerely, MARION BREULEY. MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa, July 23, 1985. Chairman JAMES E. MURRAY, Senate Interior Committee, Senate Office Building, Washington, D. C.: Strongly urge committee to take early favorable action on S. 4028, wildernesspreservation bill. There is vital need for clear national policy on such areas. Rapidly increasing population pressures make properly maintained wilderness essential for general human welfare. Mr. and Mrs. EVERETT DIXON. MINNEAPOLIS, MINN., July 23, 1958. Senator JAMES E. MURRAY, Senate Office Building, Washington, D. C. DEAR SENATOR MURRAY: My attention has been called to the fact that Senate bill 4028 is currently up for consideration by the Senate Interior and Insular Affairs Committee. With the steady increase in population and the resultant pressure on the Nation's recreational facilities, it strikes me as urgent that congressional approval and support be given to what has thus far only been executive action aimed at preserving the primitive character of the Minnesota-Ontario wilderness area. I should like to join with the many others who, for the sake of tomorrow's citizens, are interested in this matter, in respectfully urging positive action by you and your fellow committee members. Sincerely, KENNETH K. WUNSCH. NATIONAL FOREST MULTIPLE USE ASSOCIATION, DEAR SENATOR JACKSON: As you are aware, there has been a considerable amount of pressure brought to bear on Congressmen to support wilderness legislation. A number of bills similar to Senate bill 1176 (Humphrey, Minnesota, 85th Cong.) are being introduced proposing "to establish on public lands of the United States a national wilderness preservation system" and hearings before the Senate Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs are now scheduled for July 23 on S. 4028. If enacted into law, these bills would have a very devastating effect on the economy and mass recreational facilities of this country. The basic principle of multiple use of national-forest lands as advocated by the United States Forest Service would be utterly ignored. Dr. Richard E. McArdle, Chief of the United States Forest Service, in testimony before the Senate Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs has stated as follows: "Mass recreational use of the national forests has increased about 21⁄2 times in the last decade. In 1956, there were about 53 million recreational visits to all national-forest lands and, by 1968, it is estimated that this figure will increase to 82 million. In contrast, less than 1 percent of these 53 million recreational visits were to wilderness-type areas in 1956. This means that although these areas occupy 8 percent of the national-forest acreage, they receive less than 1 percent of the recreational visits. The plain fact is that the lack of roads in wilderness areas makes them unavailable to the family car for a day or weekend of picnicking, camping, hunting, or fishing. These areas occupy some of the most scenic portions of the country and the great mass of recreational users is precluded by the lack of roads from seeing and enjoying these areas. Fire, insects, and disease are no respecters of boundaries and occur on wilderness areas as well as other national-forest land. Fire protection without roads is costly, time consuming, and hazardous to the smokejumpers who risk their lives with every jump. If insects and disease are not controlled, wilderness areas may serve as sources of infection to surrounding national-forest land. Aerial spraying is effective against some insects and diseases but not against others. Every blowdown of timber in a wilderness area poses problems and is an ideal breeding ground for subsequent insect epidemics." We are a citizens organization of the general public formed to sponsor an educational and scientific program for developing to their maximum potential the recreational facilities of the national forests for all people who may wish, now or in the future, to travel therein by foot, horse, boat, or motor vehicle and to camp, ski, hunt, and fish therein and, in general, use and enjoy the priceless heritage of our public forests. We further want to develop, promote, maintain, and disseminate for the benefit of our members and the general public a program relating to proper conservation and multiple use of the water, mineral, timber, agricultural, and other natural resources located within the boundaries of the national forests of this country. We have contacted many thousands of the general public with relation to wilderness areas and proposed wilderness areas with factual information. Their response has been overwhelmingly against the reservation of such large areas for the limited use of a few. Recently the National Outdoor Recreation Resources Review Commission has been formed (Senate bill S. 846) to study the outdoor recreation resources of the public lands and other land and water areas of the United States. We of the National Forest Multiple Use Association want to urge that no congressional action with regard to the proposed wilderness bills before Congress today be taken until the findings of the National Outdoor Recreation Resources Review Commission are made public and western regional hearings held. Our concern is the fact that these wilderness and primitive areas needed for mass recreational use will be reserved before the Commission has an opportunity to make its recommendations concerning our recreational requirements for our public lands. The greatest good for the greatest number of people is our goal. We are enclosing a report pertaining to wilderness areas in Washington and Oregon and, in particular, the proposed Glacier Peak wilderness area. Upon reading this report and our letter, I am sure you will agree that this matter is of vital concern to the recreation and economy of this Nation. Yours truly, Rev. R. RILEY JOHNSON, President. Per Ross W. ENSLEY, Secretary. HAVE YOU BEEN TOLD? DO YOU KNOW THE FACTS ON THE PROPOSED GLACIER PEAK WILDERNESS AREA? Do you know the facts about the Glacier Peak Wilderness Area? Do you know how it affects you as a motorist, a picnicker, a hunter, and a fisherman? Do you know the effect it will have upon you as a wage earner, as a businessman and a taxpayer and how it will have a bearing upon the education of your children? You may not know it but it does have a tremendous effect upon every person in the Pacific Northwest. Before we present these facts, we should set forth briefly the overall program of wilderness areas in the Pacific Northwest so that we may all get some idea of its magnitude. By definition, "A wilderness area is an area of over 100,000 acres characterized by primiitive conditions of transportation and location." It prohibits roads or provision for the passage of motorized transportation; resorts, organization camps, and summer homes are also excluded. It is a special type of recreation area catering to special classes of recreationists who possess the physical energy to hike or climb over rugged terrain or who are financially able to hire pack and saddle animals and guides to travel in the area. In wilderness areas, timber removal for any purpose is prohibited and the area cannot be altered in any way. In the national forests of Washington and Oregon, there are at present 3 wilderness areas comprising 1,217,988 acres and 10 wild areas of 462,776 acres that are managed for the same purpose. There are an additional 14 limited areas of 1,342,953 acres that are set aside for possible dedication as wilderness or wild areas at a later date. In addition to the above, there are 192,716 acres of established natural and park division areas in this region. All of these areas together total 3,220,433 acres, or 14 percent of the total national forest area in Oregon and Washington, which are reserved for this limited type of wilderness use. Travel is limited to foot or horseback. No |