Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 236, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 September 1919 — Page 3

HE National Parks association 18 something “new under the sun.” despite the dictum of the adage. It Is organized by unofficial friends of the national parks to enter a field jf the national -ark movement which it is not the function of the federal government to occupy. This nala llvest cause which is not primarily a cause growing out of the great war. Our entrance into war in 1917 caused temporary postponement of the plans then well under way for the organization of this association. In its place the National Parks Educational committee wps formed to hold the ground already gained and to organize the association at a propitious time. The committee has done its work and the National Parks association is now doing business, with headquarters in the Union Trust buildin#, Washington, D. C. , The purpose of the association is splendidly patriotic. Wholly independent of the federal government, it will closely co-operate with the national park service, the new bureau of the department of the interior established by congress to administer the national parks. It is nonpolitical and one of its purposes is to keep politics out of the national parks. - It stands lor the outdooflife, for recreation amid scenic beauty; for “See America First;” for the development of the national parks as great economic assets of the nation; for keeping billions of American dollars at home —before the war something like $500,000,000 a year was spent by American tourists abroad in sightseeing, of which Switzerland alone got more than $200,000,000. Yet. notwithstandlng these many actlvities, the main purpose of the association is educational. It says to the,, people of the nation who are to use these public playgrounds: “Do you know that our national parks are nature’s great laboratories and museums —that the splendid spectacles which our national parks present are not only ‘wonders,’ not merely ‘seer ery,’ but also the conspicuous exhibits of a • passing stage in the eternal progress of creation — that they show us, upon a mighty scale, the processes by which she has been and is making America—that you may double your pleasure in these spectacles by comprehending their meaning and that an intelligent study of them will Introduce you to a new-and wonderful world? Let us know America, and let us really know it Let us know its natural as well as its national history. Let us differentiate and distinguish and appreciate. Thenonly shall we know." The purposes of the National Parks association may therefore be concisely summed up thus: To interpret the natural sciences which are illustrated in the scenic features, flora and fauna of tiie national parks and monuments, 1 * and circulate popular Information concerning them in text and picture. ’ To encourage the popular study of the history, exploration, tradition and folk lore of the national parks and monuments. To encourage art with national parks subjects, and the literature of national parks travel, wild life and wilderness living, and the interpretation of scenery. To encourage the extension of the national parks system to represent by consistently great examples the full range of American scenery, flora and fauna, yet confined to areas of, significance so extraordinary that they shall make the name natltion for the world’s travel; and the development of the national monuments into a system illustrative of the range of prehistoric civilization, early exploration and history, land forms, American forest type, wild life, etc. To enlist the personal services of individuals .md the co-operation ’of societies, organizations, schools, universities, and institutions in the cause of the national parks and monuments. The National Parks Educational committee consisted of 25 members. Charles D. Walcott, secretary of the Smithsonian institution, was chairnfan. The vice chairman was William Kent, former congressman from California and the donor of Muir Woods National monument to the nation. Btmry B. F. Macfarland of Washington waa chair- ’ . - 1 .

The NATIONAL PARKS ASSOCIATION

by John Dickinson Sherman

man of the executive committee and the secretary was R. S. Yard of the national parks service. Among the outdoor men were Belmore Browne, explorer, author and artist; Henry CT. Bryant, explorer and president of the Geographical society of Philadelphia; William E. Colby, president of the Sierra club; George Bird Grinnell of the Boone and Crockett club and Glacier. National park pioneer ; George D. Pratt, president of the Camp Fire club, and Charles Sheldon, explorer, hunter and author. The American Game Protective and Propagation association and the American Bison society were represented by their presidents, John B. Burnham and Edmund Seymour. George F. Kunz, president of the American Scenie and Historic Preservation society, was a member. The colleges contributed W. W. Atwood, department of physiography at Harvard; President John iff. Finley ~of the University oftW^taYdbFNewYork; E. M. Lehnerts, dOphrtnienfof geologv of the UniverSitv of Minnesota and a pioneer in national parks classes. Others well known were Arthur E. Bestor, president of the Chautauqua institution; Dr. J. Walter Fewkes, chief of the bureau of American ethnology; LaVerne W. Noyes, president of the board of trustees of the Chicago Academy of Sciences, and Mrs. John Dickinson Sherman, conservation chairman of the General Federation of Women’s' clubs (the only woman). This personnel assures the co-operation of many public-spirited organizations, popular and learned, from the beginning. The Officers of the association are: Presidfent, Henry B. F. Macfarland of Washington, D. C. Vice presidents, Nicholas Murray Butler, president of Columbia university; John Mason Clarke, chairman of geology and paleontology; National Academy of Sciences 7 William Kent of California; Henry Suzzallo, presiderit of the University of the state of Washington. Treasurer, Charles J. Bell, president of the American Security and Trust company of Washington. Executive secretary, R. S. Yard. Chairman ways and means committee, Huston Thompson. Congress conceives the national parks as concrete possessions of the people. As such, it provides for the protection, maintenance and development of the parks. What use the people will make of them is for the people to determine. Here, then, is where the National Parks association finds its work. It is, in effect, an organization of the people themselves to enable them to use effectively the magnificent reservations which congress creates and the national parks service maintains and develops. ' . It will be-seen that, while the functions of the governmental bureau and the popular association do not overlap, they are nevertheless intimately associated. In a practical way the two are partners, each with its individual duties, both working toward a common end. To emphasize this individuality, the National Parks association is entirely separate and distinct from* government. The association is nongovernmental and nonpartisan. The association purposes to be of use’ to its members. It will, among other things, issue a series of beautifully and usefully illustrated popular-science papers upon the scenery and the wild life of the national parks and monuments; issue bulletins reporting national parks development, state and other movements affecting national parks, progress of significant bills before congress, find the progress of association activities; place members’ names on bureau lists to receive new government publications concerning na-

THE EVENING REPUBLICAN. RENSSELAER. IND.

tional parks and popular science; keep members informed concerning new books on American travel, exploration, archaeological research, plant and animal life, and the njeaning of scenery; refer travel and route inquiries from members to that governmental or other agency, railroad, or automobile association, which will give each inquiry the kind of attention it needs. The association has prepared an elaborate plan of popularizing natural science through universities and schools, public libraries, writers and lecturers and artists, and motion picture activities. A feature of its work will be the assembling of material by intensively studying the parks, through committees, separately and as a system, especially their history, nomenclature, folklore, geology, fauna and flora; by collecting this material in ready reference shape as the basis of a practical library; by compiling a working bibl'ograph. by park and~suß]ect, of material of every sort available especially hithe library ofcongressand the scientific libraries of the government departments. The association will establish volunteer working committees of scientists, professors, students and other public-spirited members, and will utilize, as far as possible, the machinery already established and in operation by university and school organizations, state and county educational organizations, state park organizations, scientific institutions, the national government, public-spirited organizations of all sorts, automobile and highway associations, business organizations, like railroads, automobile manufacturers and national parks concessioners, whose business will be helped by the work of the National Parks association. The executive committee is assured of one subscription of $5,000; it is planned to secure fiveyear pledges amounting to a minimum of SIO,OOO a year. It also, expects atleast 3,000 -members at $3 a year. The association already reports results. The University of the City of New York has prepared sets of national parks lantern slides. The University of Minnesota has been sending study classes to the-national parks for two years; Chicago sends one to Rocky Mountain National park this summer and Columbia will send one next year. Columbia has also included a lecture course on the meaning of scenery in this season’s summer school. A prominent has arranged film stories to show how glaciers work on Mount Rainier, how the Grand canyon was cut; how water carved the Yosemite valley, etc If well handled, the National Parks association, with a membership, may do a great work; it has a large field and a great opportunity. It may even succeed In forcing congress to adopt a consistent park policy. About 500,000 people nzxYQ* visit’ nfttionfli TWirkQ pvpt*v root* ttio JIUW VIBIL i.iAct— unuuimi —puxas cxxiti increase promises to be very large. There is, therefore, a body of national parks enthusiasts numbering several .millions. While the association is organized on a nonpolitical basis, It will presumably have to go Into politics to accomplish its ends, since the agricultural department is waging a Campaign to secure the control of the national parts from the interior department and is setting up the national forests and the forest service as scenic and recreation rivals of the national parks and the national parka service. Also, in its plans to increase the national parks system it will encounter both the open and jjecret opposition of the forest sendee, the bigfest and smoothest running political machine In itif 1 United State* \

ALL SHOW RIBBON

Dresses for Midsummer Are the Prettiest in Years. - i—* y™—— — —» - I I II ■ «• «M————————— Net, Lace and Sheer Organdie Frocks In Particular Call for the New Effects in Way of Trimming. Nothing prettier or more daintily feminine could be wagined than the ribbon-run midsummer dresses of this year. Net, lace ahd sheet organdie frocks have satin ribbon of two-inch width run through shirred casings, the ribbon emerging here and there to make a coquettish bow. Several of these dainty frocks have been worn en the stage this winter. There were three at least in “Glorianna” <and the determined ingenue in “Miss Neil o’ New Orleans” wears a delectably youthful frock run with pink ribbons; one across the bodice and three across the skirt, the emerging bows of ribbon coming under each other, all the way down the frock. A lovely summer afternoon dress for a young girl is of white net, with several shirred casings on bodice, tunic and skirt and blue satin ribbon run through each casing. Care should be taken, in planning such a frock, to have the rft>bon-run casings at equal distances apart. One across the bodice just below the bust; one at the hip and another at the knee, usually makes a graceful proportion of trimming. Of course, the wide elbow sleeve wjll be finished at its edge with a shirring ribbon, and a smart bow of the ribbon on the other side of the sleeve.

SEVERE STYLES COME BACK

Return to Correct and Neat Tallleurs of Ten or Fifteen Years Ago There is a revival of the correct and neat tailleur such aswe wore ten or fifteen years ago. One might even say that there is no difference in the cut, either In skirt or jacket. The little handkerchief in the side pocket and the flowers in the buttonhole have resumed their place. Often a waistcoat in color or a white border coming below the vest adds to the smartness of this costume. The only difference between the severe tailleur of today and that of the older mode is the insistence on the wide waist; there is no indication of corseting or of girdle. This return to the strictly tailored costume for street wear, the resumption of the clear definite lines, and the desire to be free, on street costumes, from incumbering folds and restless fringes and floating panels is very decidedly marked among the women of the smart world. One may see the women who sponsor this new mode jumping out of their cars in front of the hotel looking as if they were ready for horseback, with a flowery buttonhole in the left revers, or perhaps a Spanish carnation. It is with this idea in mind that the great dressmakers are thinking of bringing back the Louis XV jacket, that is to say, the jacket worn by the men of that period, which opened over waistcoats of heavy stuffs imported from London. They are in brilliant colors printed with English hunting scenes of the eighteenth century.From the Paris Letter in Vogue.

COOL-WEATHER COSTUME

Black panne velvet makes this attractive model for Fall.

Those Old Crochet Edges.

Ton probably never thought to use again the crocheted edges already used. And you can, by the very simple expedient of cutting the edge away and crocheting a single chain to connect the remaining loops. It is a very simple matter after that to sew on to the new edge as you would a fresh lace edging. Then should the old edging be obviously old, what say you to treating it to a dye bath? Wonderfully effective are dyed laces of all forts just now. And whether you are going to use the edging on frock or blouse or undies, the dyeing can hold good for all. A further suggestion is to dye the undies and the edging at the same time, so as to be quite sure that they match up. ii i ■

Among Novelty Patterns.

Bouquet designs of simple, field flowers in their natural colors, daisies* popples and cornflowers on vivid grounds, such as yellow and green and on the ever conservative navy blue, are among the other novelty patterns,

FOR MIDSUMMER DAYS

Cool, summery gown of soft autumnleaf brown georgette crepe, suitable for afternoon wear. The Girdle frock, it Is called. The beading Is very unusual, and the girdle of eld blue satin strikes a bright note.

FASHION IN NEW BLOUSES

Probability That the Smartest Will Reach Well Below Normal Waisttine—A« to Sleeves, a i Designers of blouses appear to have finally decided that the model reaching well below the normal waistline is quite the smartest thing. The question of sleeve length is now being bandied about French-desjgned blouses brought over this season generally show very short sleeves —in fact, some are entirely sleeveless. ' American women have never fflvored the very short sleeves for daytime wear, most emphatically not for street wear, but the three-quarter-length sleeve has aP ways been a favorite whether in dresses or blouses. Indications are that the smartest blouses for next season will have three-quarter-length sleeves. Handsome laces are used to make blouses for wear with separate skirts of satin, net or chiffon. In this way an unusual and interesting costume may be developed, and as the waist of a dreSs made of one of the very sheer materials usually wears out before the skirt shows any signs of wear, the sepan excellent investment. Itenables a woman who is economically inclined to utilize every bit of available material and wear each frock until it is wholly worn out. For blouses of georgette, chiffon or crepe de chine is a favorite trimming. Artificial flowers are also effectively used.

FASHION’S FANCIES

All lace frocks are being shown in color. Pinked taffeta ruchings are being introduced. A frock of buff organdie is stitched effectively in green, _ Lace and chiffon , parasols are worn with lace and georgette. Cock feathers are still the best liked decoration for small hats. A sailor of tan pineapple straw, mushroom shape, is smart. An oilcloth motorcoat in white and red has three buckled belts. White, organdie and black velvet appear together, even in capes. Gray and black printed Vblles are often chosen for the matron. A dress of aimond green satin 19 daintily embroidered in silver. Many of the extremely low necks are now being veiled with tulle. Heavy black silk jersey suits are embroidered with tan colored silk. Evening gowns have a new rule} very low fronts and very high backs. Quaint frocks <rf English prints are trimmed simply By bands of plain white braid. - _

Not So Simple.

The gingham gown is the fad of the hour, as it was last year for awhile, and it is anything else than a “simple gingham gown.” A very stylish gingham go«h had a silk waist lining of plain bine with a vest of the silk, an overskirt of the checked blue and white gingham. It is not by any means a gown that can go to the tub, but has to be “dry cleaned,” and, to tell the truth, it is not at all a cool gown, such as it looks to be.