W EALTH of natural resources is a dominant factor in the American economy. We are a prosperous country primarily because we are a richly endowed country. If we continue to dissipate this natural heritage, if we fail to conserve our land, our forests, our oil and coal and minerals, we shall lose our sources of raw materials and of energy, and shall be hard pressed to maintain or improve our standard of living. Conservation of natural resources does not mean, however, that these resources should be preserved for the use of future generations at the expense of the present. It simply means that we cannot be so profligate with our capital as we have been in the past-that a balance must be struck between present and future needs. To strike such a balance calls for careful planning in the use and the development of our resources.