Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-08-25
NEWSPPINT PAPER SITUATION

Washington, Aug. 25.-In view OF the de-
creasng supply of American pulpwood used
in the manufacture OF newsprint paper, Sena-
tor Watson of Indiana introduced resolution
in the senate authorizing the secretary of agri-
culture to make a survey and preliminary in
vestigation OF the approximate and possible
available pulpwood timber supply not only in
the northeastern part of the United States but
also in the central and western sections. The
secretary OF agriculture. also under the reso-
luton, is directed to make recommendations for
pulpwood utilization. The sum Of 100000 is
asked to carry on the survey and investigation
"Two-thirds of the newsprint paper used
by American newspapers, Senator Watson
said in introducing the resolution, is import
ed or is manufactured from wood or pulp i'm
ported from Canada. One-third is made in the
United States from wood grown in the United
States. The former proportion is steadily in
creasing, the latter is steadily decreasing" the
senator explained.
Nearly all of the American newsprint man
ufacturing industry is located in the northeast
ern states-half of it in New York" the senator
continued. But in the Pacific northwest
Washington, oregon and part of California
and the inland empire of northwestern Montana
and northern Idaho are great forests that have
been no more than touched by the few pulp
mills in that section of the country" he added.
The senator told the senate that in Alaska
are enormous areas of forests, the annual
growth of which would supply pulp enough for
half of the newsprint paper used in the United
States but no pulp mills are there.
Senator Watson also warned that American
newspapers are being more and more depend
ent upon foreign sources for the raw material
from which newsprint paper is made; the raw
material is being exhausted in the section
where the domestic industry is concentrated,
and mills are moving from this country to Can
ada; while at the time the United States con-
tains forest resources in the northwest and in
Alaska that promise abundant supply for many
years. and indefinitely under proper conserva-
ton, if the industry can be built up IN these
regions.
"A condition of dependence upon foreign
supplies of newsprint carries with it serious
possibilities not for consumers of newSprint
(chiefy our newspapers) but aSso for other
business interests and the pubic generally"
the senator emphasized.
The senator sounded the Importance Of a
permanent domestic newsprint industry and
recommended that the forest service of the
United States department of agriculture be en-
couraged in its work to prevent American
newspapers from becoming totally dependent
upon foreign supply. To stimulate American
ing governmental policy should be carried out:
Immediately, an adequate governmental
survey of American resources in this field
Immediately, steps to bring about the prac-
tice of forestry and the conservation of forests
in the pulp-producing regions, to the end that
the annual inroads upon the forests will be
lesseued, and eventually will be no more than
equal to the annual growth. This part of the
program would require federal and State leg
islation.
AS soon as practicable, development of the
making industry in the northwest and in
Alaska.
The resolution was referred to the commit
tee agriculture and it is expected that the
senator will bring it up for early action in view
of the alarming situation in the American pulp
wood supply, which the report points out.