Page:Michael Welsh - Dunes and Dreams, A History of White Sands National Monument (1995).pdf/76

 64 toll charge as in the National Parks." Felton linked the latter to plans to extend the monument road network, believing such revenues to be "justified."

Frank Pinkley's response to Felton indicated the future of monument management, which would not include the 64-year old Tom Charles. "You are the first of our field men who has ever owned up to consideration of an entrance fee with anything but unmitigated horror," said the superintendent. He then warned Felton: "It won't be easy and if we were to clamp down hard right now, much local antagonism would be developed." Pinkley instead asked Felton to consider a "result … achieved by degrees and education," concluding: "One thing about the sands is that they cannot suffer greatly or permanently during the formative period of policy."

Believing that he (Felton), not Charles, should guide White Sands, the new ranger by March was writing the monthly report to the SWNM superintendent. No better evidence of the clash of wills between Charles and Felton existed than their separate letters to Pinkley about the success of Play Day. Both ranger and custodian began with references to the large attendance (2,792). Felton then focused upon the provincialism of the locals. "All day long we had only four out-of-state visitors," complained the ranger. To make matters worse, said Felton: "The majority of them do not care to be bothered with a ranger trying to tell them where the White Sands came from." Felton hoped that the new museum "may make some impression," but he feared that delays in completion would render park service interpretation and education "slow business."

Tom Charles reflected an opposing view, although he conceded problems in managing the Play Day crowds. He had employed "6 Mexican NYA boys to park the cars … with the understanding that the county director would be there and keep them on the job." When the afternoon baseball game began, the NYA workers abandoned their posts, leaving "at least 100 cars … parked without a soul to tell them where." This irritated Ranger Felton, who told other employees that "he has asked for a transfer and it should be coming soon." Charles suggested that Felton's replacement should be "a man who will like the public[;] one who craves contact." Charles bristled at Felton's charge that "I do not know the Park Service rules, that my visitors have been spoiled." The custodian contrasted the ranger's attitude with his own: "He hasn't the insurance salesman's complex of working himself into [the patron's] affections." Most typical of Felton's behavior, said Charles, was his reaction to vehicles with New Mexico license plates. A local car, Felton would say "with more or less disgust." The custodian pleaded with Pinkley: "I am still struggling to sell the White Sands. I'm not the boss out there." He then asked Pinkley about a potential replacement for Felton: "Now, Boss,