Letter on the North American Wildlife Conference.

My dear Mr. Silcox:

Conservation of our remaining natural resources through use is vital to the social and economic welfare of the Nation. Despite real progress in conservation of such resources as minerals, forage, forests, and the soil itself, much remains to be accomplished. This is particularly true with respect to the restoration of wildlife.

I have, therefore, called a North American Wildlife Conference, to be held in Washington on February 3d to 7th, next and have asked you to serve as its Chairman. You have accepted. This letter will confirm your appointment.

My purpose is to bring together individuals, organizations, and agencies interested in the restoration and conservation of wildlife resources. My hope is that through this conference new cooperation between public and private interests, and between Canada, Mexico, and this country, will be developed; that from it will come constructive proposals for concrete action; that through those proposals existing State and Federal governmental agencies and conservation groups can work cooperatively for the common good.

I am asking you to extend on my behalf an invitation to the various Governors, for it is my earnest hope that each of them or his personal representative may attend this conference. And I trust you will arrange through proper channels for the appointment in each State, by wildlife and allied organizations, of delegates not to exceed in number twice the number which each individual State has as members of the Congress.

It is also my thought that there should be a citizens' committee, composed of outstanding leaders in the field of conservation, to assist you in planning an agenda which might perhaps include such matters as uses of forest, forage, soil and water in relation to conservation of wildlife.

A North American Wildlife Conference is, as you know, a logical outcome of the work of the National Resources Board within the wildlife field.

Very sincerely yours,

Honorable F. A. Silcox,

Chief, Forest Service, Department of Agriculture,

Washington, D. C.