The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1919-06-14

lators, In the opinion OF forestry experts,
by assessing lower federal and state
taxes on the timberlands, by taking
measures to stabilize phases OF the in
dustry by giving them scientific aid in
the technical phases on the industry.
IL Is contemplated, in word, that the
public should be assured that its tim
berlands are being conserved, not de-
stroyed. and that the industry should be
assured Of reasonable profit Neither
of these results is being obtained by
the present system.
Labor Is the third human factor In
the problem, and the forest service has
paid special attention to it. In some
branches Of the labor industry labor
conditions are perhaps worse than in
any other industry in America. The
II. w. w. is particularly strong among
the lumberjacks. and labor troubles
have not little to do with the present
condition OF the labor industry.
The chief cause for the miserable
condition of so many OF the woodsmen
| Is that The nature Of their calling makes
| 1t impossible for them to have homes.
They are constantly moving from one
operation to another. But If the forests
were worked on a conservative basis
they would become the permanent
bones of the men to cut the timber
guarded against fires, and did the other
work of forestry. just as farms are the
homes of the men who work them VII
lagos. could be built The lumberjack
would have home, wife, family, church
and school,
This policy OF state and federal SUI
lpervision of privately owned timber
lands would be supplemented by policy
of government purchase of eut-over
Itimberlands, which are not Mt for agri-
culture, in order to reforest them.
II this policy were carried out, all
| timberlands of. the nation, private and
would q ar n ata tnff
This would help to stabilize prices and
would be a. benefit to. the industry as
well as to the public.
This plan has been presented to the
lumber industry. by Chief Forester
Graves In several speeches. and the
government men expect to carry on the
discussion with the operators in a Sc
ries Of conferences. The attitude of
large percentage of the lumber industry
is very favorable to the forest service
plan. In fact. some of the foresters de-
scribe it as surprisingly favorable.
Leading New England lumbermen have
practically made the plan their own,
and are supporting it vigorously. The
northwestern -lumbermen are also
friendly. On the other hand. some of
the big southern operators and owners
are openly antagonistic to any form of
government control. From the stand
point Of conservation, however, the
southern forests are the least impor-
tant, for they are rapidly being de-
voured: while many of the western
timberlands are not now being cut, and
can still be saved.
Prompt action is necessary. Ever
since the panic of 1907 the lumber in
dustry has been in bad fix, due to
overinvestment and poor market Now
the domestic market is about to boom,
and there promises to be an enormous
and high foreign market. If the great |
numbering boom of the next ten years !
is carried out in the old wasteful way. |
our timber resources will be almost ir- |
reparably damaged, and building costs /
AMI prices of wood products will be I
forced higher than ever. On the other |
hand. if while expansion of the indus
try is carried out with the nd OF con-
servation in view, as we'll as that of
making profit the industry will be put
upon a basis of permanent productivity,
greatly to its own benefit, as well as to
that of the public.
Subject of Mondays Letter. "Hejaz."