Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1914-08-21
ALONG new LINES.
Plans Being Perfected for Lum.
Der Industry Investigation.
Government Seeking TO Realize condI
lions Which VIII Safeguard tho
Public Against Wasteful Meth
DDS Of Exploitation.

DDS OF Exploitation.
Washington.-The plans now being
perfected for the forest service part
Of the inquiry to be made jointly by
the departments OF commerce and az
riculture into timber and lumber-trade
conditions tn the United States pro-
vide for covering entirely new ground.
Lumbermen are now admittedly con-
Quoting their operations with large
percentage OF waste, said to be largely
due to market conditions which make
close utilization Improbable. There
is no general agreement as to the act
ual causes OF existing conditions and
the responsibility for present undoubt-
ed evils. With rapidly diminishing
supplies of timber to draw upon.
wasteful numbering has come to be
recognized as matter Of serious pub
lie concern, and an inquiry to discover
the causes and seek for possible reme-
dies Is regarded by forest service off,
Gals as an urgent need. 1t is believed
that the lumber industry itself recog-
nizes the need and will welcome an In
quiry conducted along conservative
lines.
Private capital invested in timber
lands, mills, logging railroads and 9TH
er forms Of equipment reach an enor-
nous aggregate. and the timber indus.
try, which employs $4,000 persons
and has an annual output valued at
SLIGO. 666,666, is the third largest in
the country. In seeking to realize con-
ditions which will safeguard the public
against wasteful methods Of timber ex-
ploitation, possible timber monopoly.
and other Objectionable practices
while insuring healthy conditions and
fair treatment for the lumber trade,
m understanding of the basic facts is
indispensable. These facts, however,
have never been ascertained in their
entirety. It is the purpose Of the for
est service to obtain and interpret
them impartially, In cooperation with
the other bureaus assigned to the
study. s~
Lumbermen complain that the carry
ing charges created by interest on
long-term investments, taxes and cost
Of fire protection where such protec-
ton Is given. compel them to operate
even where lumber prices will not re-
pay them the costs involved. The ne
cessity OF operating under these condi-
tons Is advanced as the principal
cause of waste since the market is
most easily glutted with lumber Of
the poorer grades, which must then be
left manufactured. On the other
hand, the public complains that the
cost of lumber is so high. Over-com-
petition may result in destruction OF
timber resources with no common
surate advantage to the consumer but
with the certainty Of unnecessarily
high prices later. Yet restriction Of
competition on the part Of lumbermen
with view to greater profits for
themselves through higher prices is
both contrary to law and highly OBJ
jectionable from the standpoint of pub
lie policy. Thus a highly complex sit
uation exists. Any attempt to adjust
the present conflict of interests on a
basis fair both to the public and to
the lumber industry demands full
knowledge Of all the facts.
Lines of inquiry provided for by the
plans Of the forest service include the
present lumber output and demand.
the conditions known to the trade as
over-production, the effects upon pro-
duction and market prices Of specula-
ton in timber and Of carrying charges,
producing and distributing costs in
Guiding freight and the charges lev
led upon the product by wholesalers
and retailers, and the amount of waste
under present methods of exploitation.
Special attention will be given to
means Of utilizing low grades Of lum-
Der and by-products.
It Is recognized that the national
forests are becoming an increasingly
important factor in the timber market
through the offerings Of government
stumpage. and this aspect Of the stu
alton will receive careful analysis.
The question of future supplies and
the need for the general practice of
forestry to provide them is another i'm
portant part of the field to be COW
cred.
From the outset the data gathered
by the bureau Of domestic and foreign
commerce OF the department of COM
MERGE will be correlated with those in
possession Of the forest service and
the bureau of corporations. to the end
that a complete and exhaustive study
may be assured. Importations of tim
Der products from foreign countries
and the possible extension of foreign
markets for our own timber are rec
ognized as factors which must be thor
oughly considered. ~
h Lands Just approved by the national
forest reservation commission for pur-
Uncle Sans eminent include
Forest Holdings. 1 1s,s7s acres. acres IN
which II tracts comprising 12.40O
acres are situated in Buncombe. Yam.
cey and Mcdowell counties in the Mt