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Show 356 Weeks Law.-The Weeks Law of 1911 marked an impor- tant step in the evolution of land-use policy in that it laid the foundation for a federal forest program on a truly national basis.22 To this end, it provided broadly for federal acquisition of lands in watersheds of navigable streams for the purpose of managing them as a part of and in the same manner as national forests. In so doing, this statute marked another step away from the earlier legislative encouragement of disposition of public lands into private ownership. The National Forest Reservation Commission, established by the Weeks Law, consists of the Secretaries of the Army, the Interior, and Agriculture, two members of the Senate, and two members of the House of Representatives.23 Approval by this Commission is prerequisite to the purchase of lands recom- mended by the Secretary of Agriculture, who is authorized and directed to recommend for purchase: M such forested, cut-over, or denuded lands within the watersheds of navigable streams as in his judgment may be necessary to the regulation of the flow of navigable streams or for the production of timber * * *. Before the purchase of any lands, they must be examined by the Secretary of Agriculture in cooperation with the Director of the Geological Survey and a report made by them to the Commission showing that federal control of such lands "will promote or protect the navigation of streams."25 Or a report by the Secretary of Agriculture showing that such control will promote the production of timber thereon.26 This legislation prohibits the purchase of lands until the legislature of the state in which the lands lie shall have con- 88 Act of March 1, 1911, 36 Stat. 961, as amended, 16 U. S. 0. 480, 500? 513-519, 521, 552, 563. It should be noted here that Senator Newlands unsuccessfully sought to effect a still closer legislative tie between land and water by amending the bill which became the Weeks Law to incorporate his proposal for a Waterways Commission. See infra, p. 404. 88 §4, 36 Stat. 962, as amended, 16 U. S. C. 513. 34 §§ 4,6,36 Stat. 962, as amended, 16 U. S. C. 513,515. M § 6,36 Stat. 962, as amended, 16 U. S. 0. 515. 89 Id. |