NATIONAL WILDERNESS PRESERVATION ACT-1959

TUESDAY, MARCH 31, 1959

U.S. SENATE,

COMMITTEE ON INTERIOR AND INSULAR AFFAIRS,

Seattle, Wash.

The hearing convened at 9:30 a.m., Tuesday, March 31, 1959, in the fourth floor courtroom, U.S. Courthouse, Seattle, Wash., Senator Henry M. Jackson presiding.

Senator JACKSON. The committee will come to order. I am sure that I will have the cooperation of both the proponents and the opponents in an effort to try to finish our hearings this morning. The staff director, Mr. Stong, must leave for the hearing that will be held in Arizona on Thursday. He must get away this afternoon, and we will stay until we finish, even if we don't have lunch. So I can only urge that we try to restrict our presentations as best we can. I don't want to place any limitations on anyone.

At the end we want a good summary of the proponents and the opponents. We want them to do their very best. I feel they will, but it will be helpful if we do get that summary at the termination of, or prior to the termination of, our hearing. I am going to suggest that in connection with the summary that each side have 15 minutes. I will want to ask some questions; Senator Magnuson will be here in a little bit and I am sure he may want to ask some questions. But I want to suggest now to the people who will be summarizing and summing up, that they be prepared to present it in 15 minutes; I mean for a 15-minute presentation.

The Chair observed a story in the Seattle Post Intelligencer this morning which contains a message from the South Pole. A Mr. Edward J. Fremouw, who is one of the American scientists at the Amundsen-Scott IGY station, sent a shortwave radio message to Dan Wright, which is in the paper this morning, and if there is no objection we will include this news article in the record. It was called to my attention this morning.

(The news article referred to follows:)

SOUTH POLE MESSAGE BACKS WILDERNESS BILL

A message addressed to three U.S. Senators who are conducting a hearing in Seattle on proposed Federal legislation to preserve wilderness areas was received late last night by the Post-Intelligencer from a Seattle scientist now stationed at the South Pole.

Edward J. Fremouw, one of the American scientists working at the AmundsenScott IGY station, sent the message via shortwave radio to Dan Wright, 16853 34th Avenue South, operator of amateur radio station K7GCJ.

Fremouw sent this message to Senators Henry M. Jackson, Warren H. Magnuson, Washington, and Senator Frank Moss, Utah:

173

"This message is from the beautiful, but very bleak Continent of Antarctica, where I am stationed. I am looking forward to returning to the beautiful State of Washington and want to come back to a place whose natural beauties will be preserved. Therefore, I fully and enthusiastically support the wilderness bill in its present form."

Senator JACKSON. Now, again we will go out of order temporarily here in the calling of the witnesses. I did call Dr. Spickard yesterday and he was not here, so he will be the first witness this morning.

STATEMENT OF DR. WARREN B. SPICKARD

Dr. SPICKARD. An argument frequently advanced by opponents of the wilderness bill is that we are locking up too many of the picturesque sections of our country in wilderness areas. The feeling is that these areas will be used by only a relatively few strong outdoor types, while thousands of more sedentary Americans will be deprived of enjoying them. It is hard to believe that we must have a road to every scenic area in the country. Can it be that the Nation's physical health and vigor have fallen to such a low level that its people, whose forefathers carved this country from the wilderness, are unable to walk a few miles and enjoy the view? A 1958 report to the President on the state of the Nation's health might tend to prove this; 20 percent of the draftees were physically unfit. Our children on the average were the weakest of six nations studied in doing seven simple physical tests. If so, it is time we stop being a sports spectator Nation and begin to become more physically active as individuals. Hiking is one of the means we can accomplish this.

No one has ever proved that moderate physical activity is deleterious to a person with normal health. In fact, to the contrary, a recent English report concerning coronary artery disease indicates that the coronary arteries of persons engaged in sedentary types of work show arterio changes comparable to persons 15 years older doing moderate to heavy physical work. One of the best methods of increasing coronary circulation is walking a mile a day.

Anyone who can walk or sit on a horse can enjoy a wilderness area. For example, in 1955, a couple of Seattle families I know, since I was one of them, had an enjoyable 11-day trip on horseback to the North Cascades primitive area, which is quite an extensive area and much larger than some of the ones now contemplated. There were children in the party as young as 7 years and a 65-year-old grandfather, and at times we were as far as 20 miles from the nearest road. Had quite an enjoyable trip and struck a lot of virgin country and unfinished lakes.

On another trip last year, 2 families with children, the youngest of which was 412 and the oldest 14, made an 11-mile hike to a mountain lookout and back; climbed 5,000 feet with no difficulty. And these are just average, GI families, not athletes or anything. The whole thing is motivation, I think.

You find that a woman can go out and shop all day and walk 10 miles and think nothing of it, but if you asked her to walk 2 miles and look at a view, she might think she couldn't make it.

There are indications that a growing number of average American families are coming to know and appreciate a few remnants of our once great wilderness areas that remain. Twenty years ago we made

a hiking trip through the rather primitive Olympic National Park and saw only five people. Last year on the same hike we met over 100 people on the same trail. At Olympic Shelter on the Hoh, there were 35 people from many walks of life, some enjoying fishing, hiking, and some just plain loafing, 9 miles from the nearest road. Many people were also seen at Elk Lake, Hoh Lake, and Blue Glacier, 15 to 18 miles from the road. And these examples can be multiplied indefinitely, but time won't permit.

We have only to realize that our population is rapidly increasing. It will be doubled from 1925 to 1985, according to estimates; and, therefore, I feel we must double our wilderness area if only to remain even. Furthermore, I think that there will be a higher percentage of people utilizing them at this time.

Our forefathers, who built this country, realized the need to get away from the crowds and sedentary life of cities and towns to a completely different type of existence; and this need is even more acute today with the tensions produced with high speed living. It is time that instead of using more tranquilizers, energizers, tobacco, and alcohol, more Americans will want to get completely away from the strain of society. Then they can enjoy being on their own in the few remaining bits of our country as it was originally. It is our duty to preserve these areas for them.

Senator JACKSON. Thank you, Doctor; that is a very fine statement. Sorry we couldn't take care of you yesterday. Mrs. Grace East. You may proceed.

STATEMENT OF MRS. GRACE EAST, SEATTLE, WASH.

Mrs. EAST. Thank you. My name is Grace East; I am Mrs. Clayton L. East of Seattle, Wash. I am appearing in behalf of, and speaking for, myself, and many thousands of unorganized persons who are interested in conservation, hiking, camping, educational benefits, and other values gained from our great outdoors.

I have three sons who are active in scouting. I have a daughter also who is interested in outdoor activities. As a family we go out into the wilderness areas camping, hunting, skiing, and many other outdoor sports, including just getting away. But we have found with the big family, and believe me they range from 17 down to 4, we have been camping since he was 3 months old, that there is a lot of things that have to be carried. And it is a great convenience no matter we are not asking for four-lane highways, but if there is a road into the area. There is lots of exercise; it is not making sissies out of us; it just gets us into the area where we can hike to the other parts, and we go in over very poor forest roads and we still find the campsites crowded, indicating we do need more areas of that type.

We are interested in the preservation of primitive areas. We believe that the National Forest Service, National Park Service, and other governmental agencies are doing a wonderful job of preserving the great outdoors that are ours here in the great Northwest. We cannot see where the passing of new laws setting up advisory boards and other provisions that are a part of this proposed legislation would in any way help the purpose for what it is intended.

Since I am a native Texan and my family in Texas has always been interested in ranching, I have a firsthand knowledge of grazing of livestock. In Texas A. & M. College studies and experiments have shown that deer and other wildlife can be grazed on the same ranges as cattle without either interfering with the other. I also know that grass, as well as timber, is a crop to be harvested. If it is not harvested it will cease to thrive. This I know, both from the education I have received and from observation.

When we hunt in some of these high areas we find cattle at the same places as the deer. Usually the ranchers drive their cattle out before the hunting season is open.

We have observed the practices of the lumber people here in the Northwest and believe they are doing a good job of conservation practice. We do not believe that any theoretical conservationist in the Nation's Capitol could add anything to what is already being done and what has been done.

Therefore, I wish to express my opposition to this kind of legislation until there is a need for it. This kind of legislation should only be considered after much study by a commission of unbiased people. Thank you very much.

Senator JACKSON. Thank you, Mrs. East; we appreciate having your statement.

Now I am going back through the list. Cyril Hart. I called his name last night. Lars Nelson, Washington State Grange. Mr. and Mrs. Henry Kral, of Everett.

Mr. HENRY KRAL. This is my wife's statement. (The statement read by the witness follows:)

STATEMENT OF MRS. HENRY J. KRAL, EVERETT, WASH.

As a mother of three growing children, I am very much concerned about our vanishing wilderness. I believe that furnishing them the basic physical needs, such as food, shelter, and clothing, is only part of their well-being and upbringing. I feel there is a moral responsibility that carries with it teaching them to preserve and cherish the beauty of natural forests, and the so-called lesser of God's creatures.

In our own case, we find that taking the children away from the distractions of TV, radio, etc., and exposing them to the beauty and reverence that such places seem to inspire, all barriers seem to vanish and we feel a unity that is hard to achieve in this hectic modern age.

I would feel very remiss in my duties as a mother and citizen, if I didn't try to do everything possible to prevent these areas from being desecrated before my children and yours have a chance to fight for their own rightful heritage.

Therefore, I urge the passage of Senate bill 1123 and wish this statement to be made a part of the record of this hearing.

STATEMENT OF HENRY KRAL, EVERETT, WASH.

Mr. KRAL. I have a written statement but I will try to ad lib and I will probably add a little bit.

Senator JACKSON. We are trying to adhere to the 5-minute rule here, because, frankly, it is going to hurt some of these other people who may not get a chance to testify.

Mr. KRAL. I was going to say that I am going to skip part of my

statement.

Senator JACKSON. All right; stick to 5 minutes, any way you do it.