The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1920-08-06
The Newsprint Shortage in Canada
(Christian Science Monitor)

(Christian Science Monitor)
There can be no question that the
n%ewsprint shortage in Canada is seri-
Gus. According to authoritative in
formation supplied to The Christian
Science Monitor, in Ottawa, many Ca
madam newspapers and other publ
cations are faced with the possibility
of having to suspend publication. In
deed, already some 80 per cent of
Canadian newspapers have been COM
PEELED to shut down, and numerous
others may be obliged to follow suit
in the neal future. The anomaly of
the situation, and that which renders
it particularly irritating to Canadians
is the fact that Canada, which is cas-
lily the largest producer of pulp wood
in the world, cannot obtain supplies
sufficient, or anything like sufficient,
for her own needs. The whole issue,
indeed, is one of the most important
of those which at present lie between
Canada and the United States. For
it is, of course, almost entirely due
to the enormous demand for news
print in the United States that the
Dominion is in her present position.
AS Mr.. James White, assistant chair
man of the Canadian commission of
conservation, pointed out recently,
the publishing business in the United
States has reached such huge proper
tons that it can no longer be sup
ported by the forests of its w
try. Canada, indeed, today, is man.
ufacturing nearly two-thirds of the
n%ewsprint used in the United States,
and is supplying pulp wood and pulp
to the amount of an additional 25 per
cent.
Now, if there is one thing quite
certain about the newsprint situation,
not only in Canada, but, very gen.
orally, throughout the world, it is
that it calls for a far-sighted and
courageous policy. The worlds pub
fishing business is not likely to de-
crease. 1t is, indeed, quite certain
to attain very much greater proper
tiaOns than at present, and every
effort should certainly be made to
prevent any impeachment to legitimate
growth. Viewed from the broadest
standpoint, the situation presents no
very serious difficulties. Both spruce
and balsam, the two great stand-bys
for pulp wood, are comparatively
quick-growing trees, having a ire
mendous territorial range, and the
vacant lands of Canada, to say moth
ing of the United States, if planted
with spruce and balsam, and kept SO
planted, are quite capable within a
comparatively short time, of sup
plying all the demands for pulp wood
which could possibly be made.
1t comes back, once again, there
fore, to the question of afforestation.
Canada, the United States, and ev-
cry other country need, more than
ever before, to tackle this great ques-
ton; for it is certainly one of the
greatest and most far-reaching ques-
tons of the present time. AS Mr..
White we'll remarked, it affects every
man who buys a newspaper or a per-
iodical, a book for his library or text
books for his children at school. 1t
touches the pocket of every merchant,
manufacturer, or other business man
who buys advertising space. 1t af-
fects every man who wants to build,
buy, rent, or furnish a house. The
list might indeed be extended almost
indefinitely.
For the moment, of course, Canada
is perfectly justified in taking meas
ures to see that her own needs are
met, but merely to supply her own
needs, and let the world take the
rest, is no solution of the matter. To
quote Mr.. White, once again, the on
ly proper way to conserve any re-
source is to develop it to the point
of highest productivity and with the
maximum of efficiency, and to use
every means to maintain productive
ity at that pitch. 1