The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1919-09-19
THE LUMBER SITUATION.

..no nine market is apparently upward
IN trend il the shipments through this port may De
taken as evidence number OF cargoes lave -
rentIy been cleared and the demand IS cohsean''s
~ ire increase There is also quite an ihtsiio'
demand. which win probably take care OF all ths
at the present time, according 10 snip
pers here.
I'm view of the fact that one pr the prlhcipai
ort movements through this port is lumber the io
'rye, fror the Lumber Trade Journal will be reat
here with interests
THE limited states shipping Board announces
en- reduction in rates from the River fiate III
south America to all United States ports as a
result of an Improvement in labor conoitions
,vhgch make AZ easier to load the vessels with
cargo for return United States Ine same
condition also makes IL easier TO unload Nessei'
bound to the River Plate from United Seates
norts The Improvement of conditions In tne
section mentioned will also result in an increas-
"a movement of lumber from United states
ports ca
ure in the foreign demand for American ium-
Der Is the belief expressed in a recent state
ment BY L. l.. Chapman, manager OF the export
dAnsrtn,ent of the Long Bell Lumber Company.
Mr. Chapman has acted in the capacity mention
ed since before the war and having kept In ciose
touch with the European situation through
visits abroad and otherwise. is in peculiarly
good position to size up the situation accurately
which he has done as to Germany as follows;
nCferrnany can not buy. no matter how much
they m ight desire to do so. Their mark wnich
IL worth Approximately % cents in our money
when at par is down to six and three quarter
cents. On top of this, everything mas aoVahc-
ed making it cut both ways.
IN round numbers lumber could be deliv-
cred to the Germans before the war Tor 80
thousand. which would mean 100 marks IN
their money. Today, it would cost slio 10
deliver the same thousand feet of lumber
This a. by computing freight Sc, which is
less than lumber is being delivered to any con-
tinental European port.
by taking the depreciation Of their money
and the increase in prices into account, TINS
means that 1000 feet Of lumber that cost them
100 marks In 1914. will cost them just 24oo
marks at the present time increase of 1900
per cent.
This can be better understood by reversing )
the position and figure what the average home
owner would be up against In 1914 the mod
crate wage owner could afford to build home
costing $4,000 and pay 1t out without partic-
ularly embarrassing himself II he was living
in Germany today and wished to duplicate
that home ID would cost him just $4,000.
with these facts before us. IL would be foolish
to look upon Germany extensive pur-
chaser OF American goods until they can get
their money back to something like par
TT was reported some time ago that Ger
many was exporting lumber and 1t some
thing hard TO believe. But after you analyze
the situation there may be some truth In it.
Germany has always been nation which con-
served its natural resources and only GER
tain number of trees could be each year
What they needed over that amount had to be
imported.
Germany finds itself today in need of the
necessities of life and must go length to
procure them. Taking this into consideration
IL II not impossible TO believe that they are
doing without the buildings and exchanging
their lumber for things they must have"