The Washington herald., 1920-12-05
. FORESTRY
! LAWS NEEDED
Legislation Demanded for
Industries Depending on
Wood Products.
To INTRODUCE BILL
National Policy Conserving
;Resources Imperative,
s{ Saws S. P. Weston.

Forestry has come to the front
in1 the clamor for immediate legis-
Istion. Unless Congress gives ear
I've relief many Of the nations most
dependable industries. il is feared,
facs disaster. Hardly a man. wom-
al or child is unaffected. The house
shortage, for example. is laid chief
" to the scarcity of lumber, and
senator Kenyon says 16,Ooo.oso
fs4nilies are improperly sheltered.
Tie high price Of coal is blamed
upon transportation rroblems,. Gre
ated. to some extent, by the use Of
cars for hauling lumber from Cal
Hernia, which State has become the
center of the dwindling supply.
Scarcity of pulp for print paper
IS still critical. Oak flooring, that
once marketed for $50 per 1000
feet. Is now $3.50 per thousand, and
motor car manufacturers are pay
ing fabulous prices for their wood
materials.
GApdnSlOn. pTOteClIOn anu COu-
ssrvation of forests are purposes of
a1biH to be introduced, outstanding
features of which include:
authorizing the Secretary of Ag-
riculture after consulting appro-
pirate local agencies to approve an
adequate policy for each State, COW
efing the essentials of fire protec-
ton on timbered and restocking
lands. reforestation of denuded
lands, and, where and to the extent
necessary, the cutting and removing
OF timber crops so as to promote
continuous production of timber on
lands chiefly suitable therefor. and
authorizing his cooperation in the
work required, provided there Is
also satisfactory local compliance
in State legislation or administra-
tive practice. Chief although not
entire emphasis for the time being
on fire prevention. as the most i'm
portant single step, and not less
than sl,00o.000 annually available
for such cooperation with States.
A survey to obtain necessary in
formation as to forest resources
forest production and forest re-
quirements of the nation.
Provision for studies and expe-
riments in forest reproduction
methods. wood utilization, timber
tests. wood preservation, develop
raent of by-products and other steps
to bring about the most effective
use of the nakon's forest resources.
Provision for more rapid replant-
ing of the vast areas of denuded
lands within the national forests.
Appropriation Of ten million dol
lars a year for five years for the
purchase Of lands which should be
added to the national forest sys-
TEN, whether or not on the head
waters of navigable, streams, as
such purchases are now limited.
Authorizing acquisition Of sim
liar lands by exchanges Of land or
timber when clearly in the public
interest
The needs were discussed at a
conference in New York. attended
by men representing industries
worth billions OF dollars that DE-
pend upon forest products. The
ideas that were approved have Deem
Incorporated in the bill. The same
program has appealed to Col. Gree
ley. Chief Of the United States For
estry Service. Sentiment in favor
Of substantial legislation has be-
come more general, according to
President Pack, Of the American
Forestry Association. and Russell
T. Edwards, compiler and publisher
Of forestry publications for the as
sociation.
s. p. Weston, of the American
Publishers Associations: George s.
Long. National Lumber Manufac-
turers Association; Elbert II.
Baker. of the Cleveland Plain Deal
or: George W. Sisson, jr, r. S. Kel-
logs. W. z. Haskell. c. II. worces-
ter and d. A. Crocker, Of the Amer
lean Paper and Pulp Association:
e. W. Mccullough. of the Chamber
of Commerce of the United States;
Charles Lathrop Pack and u s.
Rdsdale. of the American Forestry
Association; j.. T. Perry. National
Wholesale Lumber Dealers Associ-
alton; z. T. Allen. Western For
estry and Conservation Association: !:
John Foley. OF the Association of
Wood Using Industries. and Col.
William B. Greeley. Chief of the
United States Forest Service. at
tended the conference. d..
national policy which will per-
init the utilization of the remain
ing forest resources on an intelli-
gent basis is Imperative according
10 Weston.
1T must be obvious TO all that
immediate action is pressing" ne
said, There appears to be two
schools of thought in connection
with this situation. The extreme
conservationists appear TO be advo-
eating absolute government control
OF timber. not only that owned by
the government. but also timber
owned by States and individuals.
The other school advocates the de-
velopment of a uniform policy pro-
viding for cooperation with State
and individual owners. While the
first may be THEORETICALLY ideal, yet
before II can be put into practice
the government would invade the
rights of the States and the individ-
uals to an extent unprecedented in
history"