The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1921-01-29

- paper and the shortage Oh nousihs'
emphasize the fact that wood IS a vital factor III
our national life.
President-elect Harding not long after his nom-
nation made statement of his views on the SIT
uation for the American Forestry association he
said:
"There is a notable hating in the construction
of homes, because of the almost prohibitlve cost.
Lumber plays its very conspicuous part therein.
Much of this, of course, relates to the lncreaseu
cost of production which dates from the changed
conditions since our entrance into the World war.
but there is permanent inclination to advance In
cost because of the very manifest dimlnuuon OF
supply
mo one can be blind to the fact that during
the tremendous growth of the republic. during the
past half century, we have been drawing on our
natural timber supply without a thought OF the
future. The American Forestry association mas
given us figures to show that three-ffths of the
original timber of the country has been consumed.
1t is of little value to recall the waste with
which we have cut timber, except that we
ought to have learned lessons which will enable
us to avoid so much waste in the future =
81 remember ssss III visit to the Hawaiian
Islands some five years ago. and was greatly in
terested to find a very considerable lumber enter
prise there, which was engaged iii salvaging the
stumpage of "a certain hardwood which had been
cut over wars before. With new realization of
the dirlfhiS6ing supply His lumber enterprise was
MISUNDERSTANDING the stuIhpage from the ground
and turiifiS what was at one time considered use
less into a. very valuable product in lumber COM
meree. tt was possible, of course. to have prac-
ticed such II program of conservation in the early
DAYS Of abundance. when one could readily
realize the exhaustibility of our supply, but we
have learned the lesson now, and we have not
only to conserve but we ought to have a national
policy of preservation and reforestation.
0No one disputes that lumber prices are in large
mart responsible for the hating in the house
building movement. Lumber prices have increased
very sharply since the war, and prices IN many
instances have gone up 300 per cent above the pre-
war period. When diminished forest supply ana
increased cost of production are linked together
1t is not surprising that these uhortuha'e eonoi
| lions are confronting us.
"The one thing which the government may do is
n odopt that policy which will assure to future
generations the timber which is necessary to our
lumber needs In our section of the country the
| supply is almost entirely exhausted Inc
dimunition in the soft-wood forests or new Eng
land and Of the lake states, and even of the South
has been steady and continuous. Many Watcniui
/ students Of the situation think that another de-
code is going TO put the South in condition where
| ~ can do more than meet its own demands There
/ remains large supply on the Pacific Coast put
| tho nroblem of transportation makes this supply
/ na vai,ahle TO the East and middle West. unless
we contemplate cost OF transportation when "l'l
/ continue to discourage building enterprise.
"It is a common knowledge that there is ample
land IN this country of ours not adapted to other
uses. to produce sufficient supply OF timber for
all our needs if 1t is only stocked with trees ana
nature is allowed to contribute toward our neces-
| stiles. We must begin to think of timber crops
as we do other cultivation in this land OF oars,
j and we must put an end to that careiessiess ana
NEGLECT to which we trace eur destructive forest
/ Ares With timber growing on the one hand. and
i forest preservation and protection on the other
hand there isn't any reason why the United States
should not be sefreliant in the great essential OF
lumber for construction purposes. it IS perfeeuy
4 practicable and feasible to provide for new
growth Of timber and It is an imperative duty to
improve our forest protection. can think OF no
i forward look in relation toathe good fortunes OF
4 America which does not contemplate forest pol
lev which will assure us the essential IN the lun'
4 her line for all cur constructive activities.