Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-09-15
TO PRESERVE OUR FORESTS
state Organization Tells Of Waste In
the Past and Promise Of
the Future
ny GEORGE NOX MCCAIN
TOO FEW people in this state know

= care about our timber and its prodrc-
ton.
They only know that whereas lumber, the
manufactured timber of our forests, was
plentiful and cheap some years back II Is
now scarce and high In price.
But. in this age OF the wider diffusion Of
knowledge and the. attempted at least,
greater conservation of our natural re-
sources, there are springing into existence
lines.
One of these has for its object the restora-
tion OF Pennsylvana's timber production.
1t Is regularly organised with a staff Of
emcient officers. It proposes to carry Its
activities into Legislative fields and secure IL
possible the necessary laws to protect our
diminishing forest area and promote its re-
forestation.
A NEVIN DIETRICH is the secretary
A' Of what is officially known as the
committee on the Restoration of Pcnnsyl-
vania's Timber Production.
lie cites some odd and interesting facts
on lumber in PENNSYLVANIA. which annually
uses about $500, 900 900 board feet of lum-
Der. Some lumber bill
Of this amount, though. Mr.. Dietrich
points out the state is producing less than
one. third OF that.
The states freight bill for lumber alone
every twelve months is approximately S25,-
100000. And at that there Is a steady de-
cline In wood working industries in Penn
Until 1907 Pennsylvania was a lumber.
exporting state We shipped to all the
neghboring commonwealths and to the West
Indies.
From that year there was a steady de-
cline In production, till today we are i'm
porting three times the amount we produce.
MR. DIETRICH says that this condition
ASA will continue steadily to grow worse
Until forest fires are checked, forest dev9sta-
ton stopped and young trees ore given a
chance to grow into timber.
He further points out that we lose $685.
600 900 every year in forest destruction, In
the closing of industries and in foods that
could be prevented.
Then there is the increased cost Of wood
pulp to the newspapers, the loss in popula
tion that Is driven to other states, and teci.
nation of fish, game and the injury to resort
business.
Lumber that thirty five years ago could
be purchased at a Pennsylvania mill for
$50 thousand. now costs 500 thousand
at an Oregon mill and must be bought in
Oregon or Washington or some equally dis
tant point.
Here are a few facts upon which this
campaign ~ DnSPd:
Ten cents worth of timber is needed for
every ton of coal mined in the state. The
annual timber consumption for the anthrn
cite region involves the cutting Of approx"
mately $50, 900 acres of forests.
Pennsylvania's steel industry would be at
a standstill without wood. From the char.
coal operation in refining the raw material
to the final shipment Of the finished product
wood enters into the entire steel business.
Newspapers would stop without wood.
One of the most serious situations In the
entire timber question is the shortage of pulp
wood. Twenty years ago most of the news
print was made inside the state. Now prac-
tically none Is made here.
Without wood agriculture would stop
Despite the quantities of wood used in all
other industries, the farmer is the largest
consumer of wood among them all. lie
uses more than 80 per cent of our national
production of all kinds of lumber, and 30
per cent of all the wood.
CHARLES EMORY SMITH was diplo-
Omat by instinct as we'll as by training.
He never neglected an opportunity to make
good with the great American public.
little incident in his career was recalled
by an Item that appeared In a news dispatch
from Gallon. o., where Senator Harding
met 5000 railroad men.
1t was noon when he reached the camp
of the railroaders. He took his place in
the mess line. had his plate filed up la
doughboy and then dined al fresco with the
crowd. The chronicler added these words:
THE candidate observed q good old agri-
cultural custom by eating his pie held in
his fingers"
CHARLES EMORY SMITH was selected
Oby the PENNSYLVANIA commissioners to
the Trans Mississippi and International
Exposition at Omaha in 1893 to be orator
on Pennsylvania Day.
After the exercises, which were attended
by thousands Of former Pennsyvanians re.
siding in Nebraska, a big picnic was held
In honor Of the commission and the speaker
of the Gay.
1t was then and there tnat Charles Emory
Smith endeared himself to the bucolic
brethren.
There was little formality observed ut
the long dining tables and, of course, the
distinguished editor and orator was the
When he was called upon to speak he
arose with a chicken leg in one hand and
| a quarter section of apple pie in the other.
There was a laugh at this homely touch
Of nature that grew into roar and hnal!y
broke into a cheer
premeditated or not it caught the crowd.
and Mr.. Smith was the most popular man
In Omaha that day.
NOlhEh ihs'uhS'' NV Va " "'her'ht
| n character, occurred one night at the
executive mansion in Harrisburg during
| Governor Hastings's administration.
The Governor, as was his custom, gave Il
dinner to the legislative correspondents
every session. 1t was served with the same
] attention to detail and decoration as when
| his guests were the members of the supreme
| bench.
| Rut one point was relaxed; the CORE
snondents we're invited to diGregard the con .
Sentions in the way Of dress coats and come
| directly from their desks to the mansion
I,non this occasion the late Sam F. Hud
| son. who was as noted for his bohemian
,onIencies and unconventional manners rs
bn Was for his ability and wit, arrived jus,
as the party was seated,
=" The soup had barely given away to the
s.h when the perspiring Hudson pushed
hack his chair, rose to his feet and said
"Goyernor, feel about half baked II