The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1921-01-21

emphasize the fact that wood is a vital factor in
our national life.
President-eect Harding not long after his NOM
nation, made statement of his views on the sit
uation for the American Forestry association He
said:
'sThere is a notable hating in the construction
of homes because of the almost prohibitive cost.
Lumber plays its very conspicuous part therein.
Much of this, of course, relates to the Increased
cost of production which dates from the changed
conditions since entrance into the World war.
but there is a permanent inclination to advance In
cost because of the very manifest diminution OF
supply.
mo one can be blind to the fact that during
the tremendous growth of the republic during the
past half century, have been drawing on our
natural timber supply without a thought of the
future. The American Forestry association has
given us figures to show that three-fifths of the
original timber of the country has been consumed
1t is of little value to recall the waste with
which 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 making visit to the Hawaiian
Islands some five years ago, and was greatly In
terested to find very considerable lumber enter
prise there which engaged in savaging the
stumpage of a certain hardwood which had been
cut over years before. With a new realization of
the diminishing supply, this lumber enterprise
aboriously taking the stumpage from the ground
less into very valuable product in lumber COM
merce. 1t was possible. of course. to have prac-
ticed such program of conservation in the early
days of abundance when no one could readily
realize the exhaustibility of our supply but we
have learned the lesson now, and have not
only TO conserve, but ought to have a national
policy of preservation and reforestation.
mo one disputes that lumber prices are In large
part 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 and
increased cost of production are linked together,
it is not surprising that these unfortunate condi
tions are confronting us.
1.-THE one thing which the government may do is
to adopt 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. The
dimunition In the softwood forests of New Eng
land and Of the lake states and even of the South
has been steady and continuous Many watchful
students of the situation think that another de-
cade is going to put the South in condition where
II can do more than meet its own demands. There
remains a large supply on the Pacific Coast, but
the problem of transportation makes this supply
unavailable to the East and middle West, unless
we contemplate cost of transportation which will
continue to discourage building enterprise
.It is 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 it is only stocked with trees and
nature is allowed to contribute toward our neces-
stiles We must begin to think of timber crops
40 we do other cultivation in this land of o1rs
and we must put an end to that careessness and
neglect TO which we trace our destructive forest
fires With timber growing on the one hand and
forest preservation and protection on the other
hand. there isn't any reason why the United States
should not he sefreiant in the great essential of
lumber for construction purposes 1t Is perfectly
practicable and feasible to provide for new
growth of timber, and 1t is an imperative duty to
Inprove our forest protection. can think Of no
forward Ioyk, in relation to the good fortunes of
America which does not contemplate forest pol
cy which will assure us the essential In the lum-
sr line for all constructive activities.