The patriot. (Glenmora, La.) 1918-1955, 1919-08-08

1.-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 n 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
terials, strong export trade should be encour-
aged. But the gains which we may make in the
markets of the world be kept only in so far
as they are based on a permanent supply OF tlm-
Der If they are to be based merely on cur
which, as in the case of old-growth southern pine,
Will not supply even our domestic needs for more
than the next ten 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"
Furnpe's emergency need for lumber, above its
consumption in normal times, is put at about
1000 100000 feet of lumber year for the near
future, Il conservative estimate; and her own iol>
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-
ton in lumber, he says offers IAN undoubted OPP
portunity for permanent export trade from this
country of proportions that would TO he
limited only by our own powers to sustain the
production of saw material.
Senator Sherman presented 20 IT." senate the
other day memorial from the Illinois legiSla-
ture which was in part follows:
"Whereas the wood-using industries not de
pending upon uncertain local forest supplies have
become centeredtto very large extent in the
thickIy 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 q 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-
focture 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
plies have been drawn. They now face fhe neces
sity of bringing timber from the Pacific coast
with heavy freight charges added to the cost. TIC
the same Pacific coast supply the country mns'
look for lumber for general construction purposes
The TRANSFORMATION system of the country must
add TO its present burdens the trnnscontinenta
shipment of very large quantities of lumber
bulkv product upon which high freight rate
greatly Increases the cost to the consumer.
"ResoIved, That the Fffty-frst general assembly
of the state of Illinois urges the attention OF the
president and the congress of the United States
to the present timber situation and recommends
that. without delay. there be formulated such q
national program of forestry as will insure the
future timber supplies required by the industries
Of the country. AS an example of what should be
done tlis general assembly points to the wise
course of the republic of France in so managing
its forests for more than a century that they con
trbuted substantially TO the winning of the great
war.
at is further urged that the federal govern
mont acting independently In cooperation
with the states inaugurate action looking toward
such measure of public control of the reinain';.s
bodies Of original timber as will make sure that
their supplies will be available as needed by the
industries.
sIt is furthermore urged that comprehensive
plans be put into effect for restoring the forest
on cut-oyer lands which are nonagriculturnl IN
character in the eastern states IN the states
bordering the Great Lakes. and in he South. IN
order that timber supplies from these regions
may he available TO the established Industries g
The ee3fraI and eastern stasaa'