October 14, 1931 – JSA to Rabenold

  • October 14, 1931 – JSA to Rabenold

My dear Rabenold:

Your letter of the ninth is very cheering though it does find me in bed. I have communications showing that great interest is being aroused.

Colonel Bullock is being booked for many talks and claims the Chicago Tribune, through its “Tabloid” will oppose the amendment vigorously.

I had the map, copy of which I sent you, rechecked and find the posters are accurately made. In so far as we can determine, the only possible discrepancy might be in the line drawn o the large poster twelve and a fraction inches scale. This poster represents in area, 4,000,000 acres to a scale which is the average the Commission reports claim need reforesting in the State. The line was supposed to be drawn dividing the poster into two parts, 1,000,000 and 3,000,000, in other words, the line should have been one quarter of the distance from the edge. You may not find this map useful but with the type of men that we deal with here, which is largely engineers, it seems very impressive to know that if the State only proposes to do one quarter of the job and that quarter is not in the most vital place and there are no other agencies or people to reforest the vital areas, they seem to be satisfied that the program is not a good one. Be sure to let me know if there is anything I might do to help you or our cause.

I had a long letter from Mrs. Drier and she seems a bit disturbed, but after all people ought to be disturbed. If you think the effort I made in the comments on the reforestation commission’s nine points leaves the desired impression on the reader, you might suggest that her membership be given a copy of this since they claim to want information on both sides of the question. I should be glad to send down the leaflets by return mail if you think well of the idea.

I received your letter of the 13th and not with interest Mr. Torrey will be the champion of the Tree Cutting Amendment instead of Mr. Howard at the City Club. Though is may not be intended strategy it would look better for our opponents in print to have you combating a representative of the Association for the Preservation of the Adirondacks rather than the Conservation Commission. It is gratifying, nevertheless, that the debate will come off and no doubt the results will be highly beneficial to our side.

Sincerely yours,

JSApperson