The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-07-09
TIMBER OF STEEL SHIPS
By HOLLAND

it would be necessary to shut aeNn many manufacturing plants. Il saw evidences of a decline and a hea one
 in the lumber industry of Call r-ia'
 On the other hand, he learned tn a lumber men of British North Al4efle& were rejoicing over conditions MNieN would make it possible for them Sp epF timber, ship it by way of the alna>
 canal to the eastern coast of the Unit ed States, and then by reason Of the low tariff rate, reship to points m the interior where it could be marketed at successful competitive prices.
 There appeared to be gloomy out look for Americans who were engaged in the timber and lumber industry. Now, this industry is about to be pushed, perhaps to it's capacity. In the south millions of feet of lumber and timber have been sold to the gov ernment and shipyards are springing up all along the South Atlantic and the gulf coast which will be driven night and day so that as many ships as pos sibIe can be put upon the water in the shortest time possible. So highly per- fected Is apparatus used in the mills
 that some of the southern manurac- turers say that within two months from the time the birds nestled in these great trees of the south the trees would be concerted into ships.
 The governments recent purchase of many million feet of timber in oregon and the certainty that Oregon, Cali hI1n supplies of timber which can be easily made available for shipbuilding pur- poses, as well as the certainty that we are to go on building ships and if the suggestion of MT. Corey is followed, building every ship possible that can be constructed of wood makes 1t clear that the lumber industry in the far northwest will thus unexpectedly be revived. It Is likely to become, in fact it has already become, in Cali fornia, the leading industry of those states. And yet less than three years ago the lumber men of the northwest were in despair.
 The prediction is made by some who are in close touch with the .adminis- tration that within a short time the United States will be found to have dealt severe blow to Germany and one which may either compel Germany to put an end to it's sham neutrality with Holland and Denmark and prob- ably Norway, or may compel Norway to join the United States, France, Rus- sia, Italy and Great Britain as one of the belligerents Germany must fight. For there seems to be no doubt that the United States in association with Great Britain will be able substantial 1 ly to close the North sea, as far north ae Bergen.
 l The United States will not only be able thoroughly to embargo supplies designed for export through Holland, Denmark and Norway to Germany, but will also go so far as to notify these l countries that merchant ships found in 1 the North sea will be sunk unless they l have the permission of the allies to sail 1 through this sea. As Germany has oft l en destroyed by her submarines and l mines merchant vessels in the North
 sea without any serious protests from Holland, Denmark and Norway, these
 nations cannot consistently complain if
 l the United States and Great Britain
 also act as Germany has done. Some | in this city who have been following closely the course of events regard this
 as equally important as any other step
 l the United States has taken since we ! joined the allies.