The evening herald. (Klamath Falls, Or.) 1906-1942, 1921-02-08
PINE
HAS ADVANTAGE
Of MARKETING

unemployment continues tho most
distressing problem OF depressed Pa
cific Northwest numbering, says the
Weekly Lumber Review OF the West
Coast Lumbermen's Association.
Relief seems impossible until
transcontinental freight rates are
adjusted. Such roadjustmcnt may
not take place until railroad labor
is deflatod.
There has been some Improvement
Of lumber demand In markets east OF
the Mississippi river, from which
West Coast lumber is practically bar
red by tho Interstate commerce COM
mission ratio decision.
Southern pino Is selling freely wcst
Of the Mississippi river In markets
long dominated by fir. Southern pine
boards and dimension have practi-
cally driven like items in fir from the
Minneapolis market by reason OF tho
Southern producers advantages In
freight rates.
Restoration of competitive rela-
tionships. so utterly disrupted by the
Interstate Commerce Commission ap-
plying an Identical percentage IN
crease TO long and short hauls. is
seriously complicated by increased
railroad operating costs, primarily
resultant from enforced initiation OF
railroad labor wages.
In 1914. the railroads OF the coun-
try paid sI.3S7 200. 900 to i.7oo. 900
employees. In 1890. tho same roads
were compelled to pay S3,60o.ooo.-
900 to less than 100000 employ
ees.
This especially created aristocracy
Of labor is disinclined to Join other
labor In taking Its defiation: the en-
tire problem tying itself directly to
freight rate djustments so neces-
sary TO a resumption OF industrial
activity in the Pacific Northwest.
The sitaetion confronting tho West
Coast lumber Industry was summar-
ized in an address by Mr.. A. l.. Clark
OF Dallas, Texas. President Of tho
Southern Pine Association. before
the annual meeting OF the West
Coast Lumbermen's Association at
Seattle. January 2sth. In part. Mr..
Clark said:
"It will be well TO get II out
OF your heads II you have an i'm
preston that southern pine can
not supply the demand east OF
Chicago. II can. and II will. II
will come n very long way west
of Chicago unless you bring your
cost line and your freight ad-
justment to level where you
can compete. You can not COM
pete now. You are shut out east
of Chicago. and Il is a hard pull
for you long distance west OF
Chicago. IL Is whore the popula-
tion is that lumber Is consumed.
Iwould rather have the State Of
Illinois alone than all the terri
tory west OF IL to the Pacific
Ocean.
"And another thing warn
you against. All who embrace
the belief that southern pine
will soon disappear and cease to
be a factor In the competitive
markets. leaving the field to the
West Coast. have Jolt coming
TO them. Just let that 80 home
and sink in. I realize that these
may not be pleasant statements
or automatically put. but facts
are facts. stern and immutable.
You get nowhere by. dodging.
temporizing. or moiiycoddiins
with them" "
Conditions In the industry are also
keenly reflected In the current West
Coast Lumbermen's Association
weekly barometer.
Production In Oregon and WASH
ington Is So per cent below normal.
In actual figures. for the week under
It was 37.s45.147 feet. Ord
ers for the same period. due to Cali
fornia demand and slightly i'm
proved cargo business. totaled 40.-
2Os.717 feet; and shipments 4O,26S.-
994 feet.
In the rail trade. new business fig
ured 1,154 cars. including q consid-
cradle volume of California business.
and was approximately 1900 cars be-
low normal.
The unshipped balance for the rail
trade reached the low level Of 3,06S
cars. The unshipped domestic cargo
orders totaled 5s.147,31s feet; and
the unshipped export orders reached
The low point of s.1s0,477 feet
WEST COAST LUMBERMEN's AS