With 51.2 percent of Wyoming's area under Federal ownership or management, the policy regarding the utilization of these lands has a material effect upon the future economic growth of Wyoming and the West. The policy trend has been one of restricting use rather than encouraging increased development through private or State ownership. S. 174 would be another step in a series of legislative and administrative moves aimed at curtailing development. The next item which received the attention of the council was consideration of the Federal Government's "rural areas development" program, a program designed to cause Federal agencies in the State to stimulate crash efforts to "move forward" in economic development. We recognize the present demand and the future needs for recreation. We also recognize, through firsthand information, the compatibility of recreation as a phase of multiple use. The vast tracts of near-timberline areas sealed off under the wilderness proposal will be accessible to only the few who can afford to hire someone to pack into these lands. One would have to stretch the imagination considerably to conceive this to be in the public interest. We appreciate the opportunity to present our comments to the committee. We respectfully urge disapproval of S. 174 in its present form. STATEMENT OF WYOMING WOOL GROWERS ASSOCIATION, DOUGLAS, WYO. The Wyoming Wool Growers Association, which represents an industry that is the second largest of its kind in the Nation and contributes $71 million annually to the economy of Wyoming, strongly opposes the further withdrawal of public lands for the extension of wilderness areas and national parks. More than enough wilderness areas exist in the West. The principle of multiple use should apply to all public lands. Wyoming's economy, as well as the economy of all the Western States, is highly dependent on the use made of the public lands lying within its boundaries. It is highly important to the people of Wyoming and the West that the public lands remain accessible and be utilized to benefit the industries that are keeping the economy of Wyoming and the West strong. Furthermore, the Wyoming Wool Growers Association strongly feels that any withdrawal of public lands be at the authorization of Congress and not the executive branch of Government. STATEMENT SUBMITTED BY HON. WALTER S. BARING, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF NEVADA Madam Chairman, in the hearings of the Public Lands Subcommittee reference was made to the letters that have been received by the committee and individual members of the committee requesting favorable action on the so-called wilderness bill with a specific request that the letter "be made a part of the printed record of the hearings." The committee announcement, of course, said that statements would be accepted for the record. It is not customary to accept and print in the record letters from individuals that merely ask that the committee or a member take action one way or another on a specific piece of legislation where the letter does not present any reasons or arguments for the position taken. Because of the number of letters asking that they be made part of the printed record, the subcommittee agreed that, while printing the letters in full would serve no useful purpose, we would print in the record lists of names of those who asked that their pleas for action be printed in the record. Since that agreement was reached, and after we finished taking oral testimony, my attention has been called to the fact that these requests were not spontaneous and, in fact, that they were part of an organized campaign by lobbyists. I think the committee and the people should know this. As you know, we have many, many letters opposed to the wilderness legislation, but they just did not ask "to be made part of the printed record." The campaign was undertaken in a letter dated April 19, 1962, which was sent out from Washington, D.C., and reprinted in the publication of the Wilderness Society. For the information of all concerned, a copy of the letter follows. In an effort to distort the public attitude toward this legislation, the letter spe cifically urges people to send letters and ask that they be made part of the printed record. Madam Chairman, I request that my statement and the attached letter be included in the record immediately before listing of names of those who wrote to the committee asking that their letters be made part of the record. (The letter referred to follows:) CITIZENS COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES, DEAR FRIEND OF CONSERVATION: The House Subcommittee on Public Lands will hold wilderness bill hearings here in Washington, D.C., on May 7, 8, and 9, and executive sessions on May 10 and 11. "All persons who desire to do so," the subcommittee chairman has emphasized, "will be permitted to file written statements for the consideration of the committee and for inclusion in the printed record.” This long-awaited hearing comes at a time when prompt action is imperative if the Wilderness Act, S. 174, is to be passed this year. The Senate approved S. 174 last September, 78 to 8, but well-financed opponents have organized an all-out effor to kill it in the House. Conservation-minded citizens, who for the last 6 years have worked untiringly for passage of the wilderness bill, must counteract this opposition. It can be counteracted if these same conservation-minded people write to their Congressmen urging them to support the Wilderness Act and to work for its passage. Each Member of the House of Representatives should be asked to urge members of the committee to report the Wilderness Act promptly without weakening amendments so that it may be brought to a vote on the House floor before time runs out. (President Kennedy recently called this a key element in our conservation program.) You can help now by taking these steps: 1. Send a letter (or statement) in support of S. 174 to Mrs. Gracie Pfost, chairman, Public Lands Subcommittee, room 1324, New House Office Building, Washington, D.C. Ask that it be made a part of the printed record of the hearings. A short, sincere expression of support (handwritten or typewritten) is most effective. If possible, send a copy of your letter or statement to your own Congressman (House Office Building, Washington, D.C.). You can get his name with a call to your local newspaper or chamber of commerce. 2. Write your own Congressman and ask him either to appear at the May 7 hearings of the Public Lands Subcommittee, or to submit a statement in support of S. 174. Ask him to send you a copy of his statement. 3. Get others, and groups also, to write to their Congressmen to present a statement to the subcommittee in support of S. 174 for the hearing record. By following these steps, and by taking this action now, you can help in a most important way to gain passage of S. 174. Please write today. Sincerely yours, IRA N. GABRIELSON, Chairman. In addition to the eligible statements that were submitted, the following requested that their position on S. 174, be printed in the record: Audubon Societies-Continued IN FAVOR continued Michigan Audubon Society, 3309 Onondaga Audubon Society, Syru- Sewickley Valley Audubon Society, Southwest Florida Audubon So- Tropical Audubon Society, Miami, Tucson Audubon Society, 1225 West Wabash Street, Tucson, Ariz. Mrs. Carol I. Alderson, New York, N.Y. Mr. George Alderson, Portland, Oreg. Mr. Larry D. Alford, Long Beach, Calif. Ohio Mr. Nicholas J. Allen, Cincinnati, Ohio Minn. Mr. Harry B. Anderson, Los Angeles, Mr. Kenneth R. Anderson, Roseville, Calif. Dr. and Mrs. David C. Angell, Ann Arbor, Mich. Mr. and Mrs. Harold Angelroth, Cu dahy, Wis. Mr. Reed P. Anthony, Jr., Concord, Mass. Mr. Donald F. Anthrop, Berkeley, Calif. Mrs. Laird Archer, Fayetteville, Ark. Mr. Douglas B. Armstrong, Bedminster, Mr. Peter Arnold, Concord, Mass. Mrs. George O. Atkinson, Dearborn, Mr. Henry R. Atkinson, Brookline, Mr. C. M. Ayars, Brookline, Mass. Boone County Sportsmen's Club, Boone, Boy Scouts of America, Explorer Post Buck Ridge Ski Club, 976 Springhaven Mrs. Ernest H. Baker, Depoe Bay, Oreg. Mr. and Mrs. Roy O. Baker, Summer- James C. Balderston, Contoocook, N.H. E. Eugene Barker, Crown Point, N.Y. Dorothy I. Barnett, Lucas, Ohio N.Y. George W. Becic and others, Cicero, IL Jeannette C. Birchard, Radnor, Pa. Mr. and Mrs. Richard E. Bishop, Phila- E. Purot Bissett, Jr., Haverford, Pa. Cecil B. Blankenship, San Lorenzo, Mr. Randolph Ashton, Morrisville, Pa. James F. Bodine, Rosemont, Pa. IN FAVOR continued Caroline Boekelheide and Virgil C. Joseph M. Buswell and others, Seattle, Boekelheide, Eugene, Oreg. Preston L. Bonney, Everett, Wash. Charles S. Boyer, Mary U. Boyer, and Mr. and Mrs. James M. Brame, Yakima, Wash. Mrs. W. R. Breck, Rosemont, Pa. Mary M. Breck, Philadelphia, Pa. Roger C. Brown, Philadelphia, Pa. J. H. Brueggeman, Cour d'Alene, Idaho Amelia E. Burns, Lillian E. Burns, Spokane, Wash. John S. H. Burns, Salisbury, N.C. Irving W. Burr, West Lafayette, Ind. Prof. Irven O. Buss, Pullman, Wash. Carnegie Tech Explorers Club, Box 825, Carnegie Institute of Technology, Pittsburgh, Pa. Carteret County Wildlife Club, Inc., Morehead City, N.C. Cascade County Wildlife Association, Post Office Box 626, Great Falls, Mont. Chicago Ornithological Society, 134 South La Salle Street, Chicago, Ill. Citizens Natural Resources Association of Wisconsin, Hickory Hill Farm, Loganville, Wis. Clinton Fish & Game Protective Association, Inc., 181 Oak Street, Clinton, Mass. Colorado Mountain Club, 1400 Josephine Street, Denver, Colo. Colorado White Water Association, Denver, Colo. Committee for the Preservation of the Tule Elk, 829 North Bushnell, Alhambra, Calif. Comstock Society, Philadelphia, Pa. Conservation Council of Eastern Penn sylvania, 131 Rex Avenue, Philadelphia, Pa. Conservation League, 110 West 71 Street, New York, N.Y. Capt. John Cadwalader, USNR, Annapolis, Md. Mrs. John Cadwalader, Ambler, Pa. Mrs. Ernest Cain, Morgantown, Ind. IN FAVOR continued H. William A Calder, Pullman, Wash. Mrs. Thomas R. Campbell, White Bear Raymond B. Canfield and others, Ted W. Carlson, Seattle, Wash. Alan W. Carrick, Princeton, N.J. Brownstown, Wash. Jane Carruthers, Pasadena, Calif. Mrs. Frank E. Condon, Morris, Ill. Leo J. Connor and 11 other ranchers, J. M. Conrader, Constance Conrader, Harvey Converse, Kellogg, Idaho Harris N. Cookingham, Red Hook on Mr. and Mrs. E. T. Coombs Fayetteville, Ark. Elliot H. Corey, Hayward, Calif. Charles I. Corp, Sierra Madre, Calif. Walter H. Corson II, Plymouth Meeting, Pa. Dorothy Carter, Luke Carter, West Mrs. Earl W. Covey, Northfield, Mass. Palm Beach, Fla. W. G. Cary, Memphis, Tenn. Mrs. Richard Casad, Mansfield, Ohio. Gertrude Cates, Everett, Wash. Henry M. Chance II, Philadelphia, Pa. Anthony Clark, Medalia Clark, Grand Percy H. Clark, Philadelphia, Pa. Bill Clede, Cheshire, Conn. Mrs. Howard L. Coffman, Columbus, Miss Janet Cohn, Bedford Village, N.Y. Mrs. Anita Cowan, Tehachapi, Calif. Robert K. Crane, Chicago, Ill. Shaker Mrs. Morris D. Cultra, Jacksonville, Fla. Delos E. Culver, Drexel Hill, Pa. Florence V. Cummings, John H. Cum mings, Chicago, Ill. Pearson C. Cummin, Jr., Villanova, Pa. Delaware County Fish & Game Protec tive Association, Inc., Manchester, Iowa. Desert Protective Council, Inc., Box 33, Banning, Calif. Desomount Club, 4529 Abbey Place, Los Angeles, Calif. Dormont-Mount Lebanon Sportsmen's Club, Pittsburgh, Pa. Mr. and Mrs. Robert DaCosta, San Francisco, Calif. Francis James Dallett, Philadelphia, Pa. Mary M. Davidge, Albany, N.Y. |