Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-06-16
RYAN SAYS LITTLE.
BUT GETS RESULTS
Director Of Aircraft Production
Succeeds in Producing Spruce
for Airplanes.
HUNS BOUGHT 1T BEFORE WAR
Trees Grow Only in Scattered
Belts Accessible to Fog From
Pacific Ocean.
TBy Associated Prrsr.l


WASHINGTON. June lJ.-John D.
Ryan, nnancier and copper magnatc.
has been saying nothing ever since he
took over direction Of aircraft pro-
duction. but considerable evidence has
accumulated that points towards
definite accomplishment in one direc-
tion that military men say It would be
most dangerous to neglect.
That is the production OF airplane
spruce.
War figures arc all large, too large
for most people to digest. but lumber
men say that Mr. Ryan has demanded
100000 feet month from the Cas-
cade forests. and little things like the
drafting OF 1000 men. the planning OF
logging railroads and the mobilization
OF rather large existing industry
for war production. indicate that he
intends to get it.
The consoling fact is that IL Ameri-
can factories arc late in making planes.
30 long as the raw material flow to
France and Englan is maintained. the
allies will have machines.
Mr.. Ryan's first move was TO call in
Colonel Disque. head OF the spruce
division. from Portland. ore. and
thereafter something; was tartcd.
There had always been less criticism
OF the spruce production efforts than
OF anything else that mad been done
largely because the expected consuinp-
ton OF the raw material did not de-
relop About 100000 feet of spruce
was the by-product OF norma! fir and
other lumber cutting in the Northwest
each month. The allies were getting
all OF that from the open markets. and
1T vas simple matter for the Amer.-
can government; to step in and take 1t
nil. II was also comparatively simple
10 Increase prices a tribe. and double
tho normal production.
sTTIIA SPRUCE HEQUIR. u
To MAKE Army LANES
But when !; comes TO running the
output w 10 the mark. Mr.. Ryan is
Credited with setting, Il task is pro-
Jected that Is immense when com pa re d
TO even the inflated standards Of war
WORK ], Is because OF the peculiar
qualities Of Sitka spruce that +, sus-
IA ns ,he stresses OF h.gh-specd air
planes better tEan any other substance
she world knows, and !; is because OF
ita Acuiiar distribution and habitat,
that @.e United states is finding (, !,
difficult task TO sc; enough Of il, L.
had but low esteem as a commercial
wood In the prc-war days most OF IL
getting into the waste piles Of saw:n!i!
yards, though little OF the best and
thickest. specially prepared. went Into
the sounding boards of pianos Queer
ly enough. Germany was always big
buyer OF that portion OF the product,
Now that the world needs spruce. a
lot Of Americans Will have TO buy Lib
erty bonds AID keep on dong il In
definitely Just because the Sitku spruce
has Il retiring disposition and is iinickv
about the places where II grows 1t
grows only when surrounded by trees
OF different species. which habi, tn
lumberman is describing when he SAYS
that from . to 40 per cent OF a given
timber stand is the best that spruce
shows. 1t likes the sea fog from the
Pacific OceaA. and grows TO valuable
size only In scattered belts where tn.
fog comes regularly
Lastly only about 80 or 40 per cent
OF the wood III Tie trunk has the
strength. toughness and resiliancy thar
airplane struts and spars require. 1t
takes special machinery and spec.al
handling in hundreds OF mills small
and large, TO get out this 80 per cen,
MILLIONS OF FEET OF
WASTE IN THE TREES
II isn't practical or possible. the
lumber operators find. to take ont the
spruce unless surrounding trees are
also removed. All the logs are i'm
meEse in size. and IL takes railroads
[ motor trucks or donkey engine cables
to move them. Working out the prob-
lem means that TO get the $4,000, ouu
feet OF airplanc spruce Will require
the handling Of at least 10000. 900 fee;
OF other timber monthly. II will In
rolve also problems concerning the d,s-
position. present and future, OF the
unused FIR ana other timber that comes
out with the spruce.
Bu; immense as the task is, there
are signs that it IS being done MIR
Ryan continues his refusal to talk
about the method. And IL only takes
200 board feet of spruce To make one
airplane.