GIFFORD PINCHOT 
MILFORD PIKE CO PA 
 
 
 
 
                                            1615 Rhode Island Avenue, N.
W. 
                                            Washington, D. C., Dec. 11, 1939

 
 
 
 
 
 
       Prof. Aldo Leopold, 
       University of Wisconsin, 
       Madison, Wisconsin 
 
       Dear Leopold: 
 
             You and I are old-timers. You know what you personally and the

       Service went through in the early days. You and I both had a part
in 
       those days when the foundations of the Forest Service were laid. 
 
             The record of how the Forest Service was born, fought, conquered,

       and grew up is of National importance, and surely ought to be preserved

       in full. 
 
              I want to do what I can toward assuring that the story of what

       we did, what we faced, and why, gets told straight; and I am trying
to 
       put down what I know about it and what I had to do with it, with the

       idea of printing it in a book. In this undertaking I need and very
much 
       want your help. 
 
             Many of the men who were in the Service during my time have
already 
       been of immense assistance. They have sent me personal narratives
telling 
       what each one did and saw, what he and the Service were up against,
and 
       what he thought about it. The result is a composite account of the
Service 
       that I am finding invaluable. 
 
             But that is not all. Taken together, the narratives are of almost

       unbelievable historical value. I want to make the collection as complete

       as possible, and to provide for its preservation, so that the story
of 
       the Service may never be lost. 
 
             Would you be willing to write down and give me an account of

       your connection with the Forest work of the Government? If so, I hope

       you will let me have, as soon as you conveniently can, whatever you
are 
       willing to give, at least for the period prior to the World War. 
 
             What you send not only will help me with my book, but also will
be 
       permanently preserved, with other similar historical material in my

       possession, in the Library of Congress. Your experience is of great

       value and should be made part of the record.