Pueblo chieftain., 1921-07-17
INCREASING The WOOD SUPPLY

The annual cutting of this wood in
New England and New York is about
S,262.000 cords. and at this rate the
supply will last II years. The yearly
cutting in the Lake states is $780,
900 cords, and there is left only
supply sufficient for is years. Penn
sylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and
NORTH Carolina have smaller supplies.
the annual cutting amounting to
40, 900. and at this rate the sup
ply in these states will last only 10
years. only in Alaska, Washington.
Oregon and California are the re-
serves in no immediate danger of ex-
haustion, providing that the cutting
proceeds at the present yearly rate of
about 2,21S,0OO cords.
When the supplies of timber for
newsprin. paper in the East and Mid
die West are exhausted. it will mean
the shipment across the continent OF
the wood for making the paper. This
is necessary because about % per
cent of the paper mills are located in
the East In some cases. If this
comes to pass. the Pacific coast
would be the worst sufferer, because
the manufa ctured paper would have
. to be shipped back across the con-
tinent, with additional freight rates
pilirg up.
The Smell measure is designed to
meet this situation in all of its angles.
1t calls for an appropriation of about
SIC, 900 annually for putting the
otherwise useless S1,o0O.o00 acres of
American land to work growing trees.
There is also provision for fighting
forest fires. so that the labor of years
would not he wiped out by single
great wave of flame sweeping thru
the woods.
The United States used to be in
dependent with regard to newsprint,
l., 4, 10, the con-
sumption has exceeded the home sup
ply Canada is stepping into the
breach, and now operates 30 paper
and pulp mills. with an aggregate pro
duction of 200 tons of newsprint
paper daily. Roughly. SO per cent of
this production is available for ex-
port. America in its present plight
depends on Canada for about one
third of all the supplies 1t requires of
paper, wood, and plup.
Lumber Tariff Harmful
To complicate the situation, the
pending permanent tariff bill pro-
vides for a tariff on lumber. and this
the American Forestry Association is
making every effort to combat.
Charles Lathrop Pack. president OF
the organization. has embodied the
views of the organization and sent
them to President Harding for his
consideration.
In this statement. II Is pointed out
that the country ir believed to be In
need of at least n million additional
homes and that quite as many II not
more farm buildings are needed and
| awaiting erection Any tariff on
lumber. Mr. Pack said. would add to
the cost Of this construction. and
would result in serious delay in solving
the housing problem and the equally
important problem of providing ade-
h,iIJinre
Ry the tariff, II Is urged. the cost
Of paper to newspapers and maya
zines, the great mediums of educa-
ton turnout the country. would he
materially affected. and that in many
cases II would mean the curtailment
or suspension of highly necessary
publications.
II is urged also that putting tariff
on lumber would be an economic
mistake hasically. as II would be re-
strictins the use of natural resources
Of other nations at a time when the
United States Is badly in need OF
them. as its own resources of similar
character are being exhausted at an
alarming rate thru constnt use OF
them.
By making imported wood more
expensive, It is pointed out in con-
cIusion. the demand on the fast fail
Ing domestic supply would be in
creased considerably. an dthis would
be false economy OF glaring sort,
Summed up, students of the for
ostry situation sec n very gloomy fu-
ture for generations unless immediate
and wise legislative steps are taken
now for perpetuatinS American
forests forever.