The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1908-12-10
PERMANENT TIMBER FAMINE
CAN BE AvERTED ONLY BY
IMMEDIATE ACTION TO RE-
STORE WASTED AREAS.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 10.-For.
ner Governor Pardee of California
was made chairman of the resolu-
lions committee at today's morning
session of the national conserva.
ton congress.
Senator Newlands of Nevada
suggested that If the plan for the
full national control of public re-
sources does not meet with the ap-
prevail of the governors, that they.
be empowered to appoint a con-
servation commission in their own
states.
These commissions may gather
Information and present it with
suggestions to the state legisla-
lures. Newlands said this would
result in the enactment of such
laws as public opinion demands.
The mornings session was de-
voted to forestry The considera-
ton of improvements for the ma
tional waterways is scheduled for
this afternoon.
Senator Smoot of Utah, chair
man of the section of forests of the
national conservation committee,
filed the following report, which is
q summary of the great mass of
statistics gathered by six months
hard work in the forest section:
Our forests now cover $4,000, 900
acres, or about one fourth of the
United States The original for
ests covered not less than S50,O00,-
900 acres, or nearly one half.
Forests publicly owned cover
one-fourth of the total forest area,
and contain one-fifth of all timber
standing. Forests.privately owned
cover three-fourths of the AGRA, and
contain four-fifths of the standing
timber. The timber privately own
ed is not only four times that pub
licly owned, but it is generally
more valuable. 4
The yearly growth of wood in
our forests does not average more
than IL cubic feet per acre. This
gives total yearly growth of less
than 7,00O,0O0,00O cubic feet.
We take yearly, including waste
IN logging and in manufacture, 49,
000,O00,O00 cubic feet of wood from
our forests.
Since 1870, forests fires have
each year destroyed an average of
so lives and $5O,00O,O00 worth of
timber Not less than 100000
acres of forest is burned over year.
g.
One-fourth of the standing tim
Der is left or otherwise lost in log
ging. The loss in the mill is from
one-third to two-thirds of the tim
Der sawed. The loss in the mill
product, through seasoning and fit
ting for use, is from oneseventh to
One-fourth.
Only 800 feet of lumber are used
for each 1000 feet which stood in
the forest.
We take from our forests each
year. not counting the loss by fire,
; 3s times their yearly growth.
Our lumber cut has increased
less than Is per cent in the last
seven years. But the-average price
of all kinds of lumber at the mill
has risen 40 per cent, and the rise
will continue.
We invite by overtaxation the
misuse of our forests. We destroy
by fire enough standing timber In
one year to last the nation for
three months. We should plant, to
protect farms from wind and to
make stripped or treeless lands
productive, an area larger than
that of Pennsylvania, Ohio and
West Virginia combined. But so
far, lands successfully planted to
trees made a total acea smaller
than Rhode Island. And year by
year. by careless cutting and by
fire, we lower the capacity of exist
ing forests to produce their like
again, or totally destroy them.
By reasonable thrift, we can pro-
duce constant timber supply be-
yond our present need, and with
1t conserve the usefulness of our
streams for irrigation, water sup
ply, navigation and power.
Under right management, our
forests will yield over four times
as much as now. We can reduce