IN RESPONDING TO THE POSSIBLE APPOINTMENT OF JACK WARD THOMAS TO
THE POSITION OF CHIEF OF THE NATIONAL FOREST SERVICE, REFERENCED:
NEW YORK TIMES, NATION SECTION, PAGE A20, BY JACK CUSHMAN, THIS
DATE, WE WOULD SUPPORT A NON-BUREAUCRATIC, ENVIRONMENTALLY
CONSCIOUS APPOINTMENT SUCH AS MR. THOMAS TO THIS POSITION. IT IS
TIME FOR NEW DIRECTIONS IN THE FOREST SERVICE.
WE ARE NOT SURPRISED, HOWEVER, THAT THERE ARE FACTIONS WITHIN THE
FOREST SERVICE WHO WOULD OPPOSE SUCH AN APPOINTMENT AS IT WILL
UPSET "BUSINESS AS USUAL" POLICIES THAT HAVE LED TO DETERIORATION
OF FOREST MANAGEMENT AND REGULATORY ABUSE.
IT IS HOPED THAT A NEW MANAGEMENT DIRECTION WILL LEAD TO A
HEALTHIER ENVIRONMENT, SOUNDER RESOURCE UTILIZATION, AND JOB
RETENTION AND SECURITY. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT A PERSON WITH
SOME 20 ODD YEARS OF SERVICE IN THE UNITED STATES FOREST SERVICE
COULD/WOULD/SHOULD BE CONSTRUED AS A CAREER CIVIL SERVANT. IT'S
REFRESHING TO THINK WE MAY AGAIN HAVE "STEWARDS" RATHER THAN
ENFORCERS (INTENT ON REGULATING NON-USE OF THE FOREST BY THE
CITIZENS) APPOINTED TO POSITIONS OF DIRECTORSHIP OF THIS AGENCY
END
EAST TEXAS RAINBOW LEGALIAISON
S. Principle
Rt. 1, Box 6070
Nacogdoches, Texas 75961
409-569-8693
October 27, 1993