The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-10-17
nv FREDERICK ). HAsKIN

Dy lA-ASAAA%N
WASHINGTON, d. c., Oct. IL
In no great American industry, not
even the meat-packing industry, in
which by common repute everything
is utilized but the hogs squeal, is con
servation today receiving greater at
tention than in the lumber industry
The lumber producer, once of all our
Industrial giants the greatest and most
notorious wastrel, has begun to be-
provident and canny. The industry
has been forced to it. It's alternative
is to change methods or prepare for
the end of greatness. And what IS
now being done to change methods
constitutes one of the most interest
ing stories in modern industrial
science.
The fact is that America is nearing
the end of her timber resources. Even
10 years ago the prediction that the
end was nigh was secuted as the out
cry of the professional alarmist. But
expanding population, the enormous
demand of the war for lumber, the
ceaseless forest fires, all have done
their work. America is faced with the
unpleasant fact that her once seeming
ly inexhaustible forests, which stretch
ed across 5000 miles with only a break
for the great plains, are nearing ex-
haustion.
Already the pinch is being felt, es-
pecially in the East. The growing
prices tell part of the story. The con-
sumption of lumber has dropped from
an average per capita Use of 500 board
feet in 1906 to SIC board feet in 1920
x-e9 - A No
ny this out to the end, and the con-
sumption of lumber would cease alto
gether about the year 1910. The rem
nents of the virgin stands of pine in
the Southern states win be cut out in
another ten years That will leave
the Pacific Northwest as the sole re-
naming chief source of lumber; and
lumber prices in the East will be based
upon Oregon and Washington prices
plus the freight rate across the CONT
nent, a rate that is a greater sum per
/ 600 board feet than fasteners had
to pay for lumber itself, including the
haulage charge, a few years ago.
The government was first to realize
the impending doom of the American
forests, and combat 1t established the
United States forest service to pro
tect and maintain the timbered areas
of the public domain set aside in per
petuity as national forests. Certain
states followed the governments
example, establishing state forest ser
vices A little over 10 years ago the
forest service established at Madison,
Wisconsin, the forest products labora-
tory to study the problems of the in
dustry scientifically, devoting special
attention to the conservation Of WOOD
after it had been cut The industry a
that time may have looked askance at
this innovation as being another one
of those governmental BUREAUS. Be
that as it may. when the laboratory
celebrated its tenth birthday recently,
lumbermen travelled thousands OF
miles to be there and assist with their
presence The laboratory has already
saved millions to the industry. and Il
has only just begun to show what Ii
can do.
Finally, the lumber industry itself
took up the campaign of conservation.
Through its own organization, the Ma
tional Manufa etnrers' association, !;
Z is cooperating with the various of
fical bodies as well as pursuing its own
lines of research.
Two-FoId Problem
To BE Solved.
There is room here only to outline
few of the methods whereby the tim.
Der supply of the United States is to
be saved The problem is two-fold, al
though both halves are interknit-th<
conservation in forests themselves,
and. secondly, conservation in the
mills and in the use of lumber.
In the woods the greatest probleEl
is fire. Even with to days diminish
ed per capita use of lumber, we are
cutting down trees four times as fast
as nature can grow new wood; but in
spite of all the systems of protection
the forest fire continues. to be evel
more destructive than the woodlands
axe. The solution of the fire prob
lem seems to be more elaborate sys
tenn of fire protection and greater CO
operation with state and national t1r'