Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1919-08-14

"The United States, standing second among the
countries of the world in forest area and produc-
ing more than half Of the sawed lumber, should
play q more important part in the export trade
of the world than it does now. With proper safe
guards in the way of maintaining the raw ma
t%erials, a strong export trade should be encour-
aged. But the gains which we may make in the
markets of the world can be kept only in so far
as they are based on a permanent supply of tim
Der. If they are to be based merely on a cut
which, as in the case Of old-growth southern pine,
will not supply even our domestic needs for more
than the next ten or fifteen years, we shall soon
be crowded out of the foreign markets by coun-
tries which base their export trade on a continu-
GUS self-perpetuating resource"
Europe's emergency need for lumber, above its
consumption in normal times, is put at about
7,000,000,000 feet Of lumber a year for the near
future, a conservative estimate; and her own for
ests have been depleted by the war.
Europe, however, needs cheap lumber above all,
and our product will not be attractive for the
principal needs of reconstruction, according to
Colonel Graves. Nevertheless, the world situa-
tion in lumber, he says, offers ian undoubted op-
p~ortilnity for a permanent export trade from this
country Of proportions that would seem to be
limited only by our own powers to sustain the
production of saw material"
Senator Sherman presented to the senate the
other day a memorial from the Illinois legisla-
ture, which was In part as follows:
"Whereas the wood-using industries not de-
nending upon uncertain local forest supplies have
become conferred to a very large extent In the
thickly populated districts east Of the Mississippi
river and are drawing their supplies from the
remaining forests in the eastern states, the gulf
states and the states adjacent to the Great Lakes.
A large number Of such industries are located in
the state of Illinois, with the city Of Chicago the
center Of a very large and important group. Chi
cago has for many years been the chief lumber
distribution point Of the United States and the
greatest point of lumber distribution in the world.
These important industries, including the manu-
facture of railway cars. boxes, sashes and doors,
farm machinery, furniture, pianos, vehicles, and
many other articles, are now threatened by the
exhaustion of the forests from which their sup
niles have been drawn. They now face the neces-
sity of bringing timber from the Pacific coast
with heavy freight charges added to the cost. To
tbe same Pacific coast supply the country must
look for lumbersfor general construction purposes
The transportation system of the country must
add TO It's present burdens the ranscontinenta
shipment of very large quantities Of lumber, a
buIky product upon which a high freight rate
greatly increases the cost 70 the consumer.
"Resolved, That the Fffty1irst general assembly
of the state Of Illinois urges the attention of the
president ana the cOnBTeSS VI LS OHitSu tut
to the present timber situation and recommends
that. without delay, there be formulated such 6
national program of forestry as will insure thu
future timber supplies required by the industries
of fine country. Al an example Of what should bt
done. this general assembly points to the wis'
course of the republic of France in so managing
its forests for more than a century that they con
tributed substantially to the winning of the grea'
war.
ut is further urged that the federal govern
ment, acting independently or in cooperation
with the states, inaugurate action looking toward
such measure of public control Of the remaining
bodies Of original timber as will make sure tina
their supplies will be available as needed by thu
industries.
at Is furthermore urged that comprehensive
pIans be put into effect for restoring the fores
on cut-over lands which are nonagricultural II
character in the eastern states, in the states
bordering the Great Lakes, and in the South, ii
order that timber supplies from these reglona
may be available to the established industries o
the central and eastern states"