9
We Need More Members
The membership contest which ends
October 31 is almost over. New mem
bers are being reported in at the rate
of 100 per month. This is encouraging,
particularly during the summer months
when many chapters were inactive. It
is also interesting to note that 80 per
cent of this gain was made by only six
of the chapters.
Now that vacations are over and
chapters are again active, membership
should show a decided increase provid
ing every one will get in and work to
ward that end. The matter of member
ship cannot be left up to the chapter
officers and membership committee.
They are doing a fine job but they need
the help and cooperation of every
member. Certain individual members
have done an outstanding job of se
curing new members. They are to be
highly commended. The task would be
easy if each member signed up at least
one new member. It is interesting to
note that one third of the state em
ployees who are members of the Asso
ciation have been carrying the ball for
the other two thirds. The field is big
and wide open.
State employees should not lose sight
of the fact that this is their organiza
tion and was organized for their pro
tection and advancement and it should
be kept strong enough to carry out the
purposes for which it was organized.
Such strength is mainly derived from
a large membership and can only be
as strong as employees choose to make
it.
The accomplishments of the Associa
tion to date have been more than satis
factory. The dues are almost on a par
with those of the neighboring Associa
tion to the south and much lower in
deed than those of many comparable
organizations. Benefits already gained,
through the efforts of the Association,
are worth many times over the cost of
membership for many years to come.
New programs in the making and the
protection of the benefits thus far
gained make membership in the Asso
ciation both necessary and desirable.
Now that much of the worry and ur
gent necessities of war are over, the in
dividual state employee should give
some thought and make some plans for
the economic uncertainties that lie
ahead.
Without organization, public em
ployees may again become lost in the
maelstrom of economic manipulation.
BUFFALOES AND TREES
By E. B. Burkenbuell, Portland Patent Attorney
Much is said of the various freedoms
which we must cherish and protect. The
list is endless and not the least o f these
is the freedom to enjoy the beauty and
bounties nature has bestowed upon us.
Here in Oregon where timberland is
rapidly passing into the private owner
ship of a few large operators and is
either being logged by p a n or destroyed
by fire, we find as we drive over our
highways, year after year, more oper
ations close to the highways.. Soon we
will see only a mass of stumps and
snags. Rapidly our own beautiful State
is becoming a cemetery where once
spread mighty forests.
Men of vision who see the inevitable
end of this process, know that just as
the Indian was stripped of his hunting
grounds, so will the white man be
stripped of his playground, beauty spots
and markers of historical interest.
To this end, public spirited men pro
pose to reserve parkways along the high
ways, where we can retreat on occasion,
(Continued on Page 13)