The northwestern bulletin-appeal., 1925-07-11
INDUSTRIES UNITE
TO SAVE FORESTS
Board Is Named to Avert
Lumber Waste.

Washington.-A nationwide move
ment to conserve the lumber resources
Of The United States was started by
the appointment Of a conservation
committee, Of which Secretary Hoover
has agreed to act as chairman. The
committee Is to make a thorough
study Of the wood-using industries and
report at conference to be held next
fall. One of the big objects sought is
to obtain closer cooperation In insur-
Ing full use of all timber cut.
The committee comprises represent
atives Of the railways, the paper and
pulp industry, purchasing agents of
the country, wood-using industries,
lumber manufacturers and retailers,
architects and contractors, the Ameri-
can Engineering council and the ma
tional farmer organizations.
A preliminary conference, called by
Secretary Hoover, has been In session
here for some time and II was voted
that definite action to bring about con-
servation was essential to the best in
terests Of the nation. At the close of
the conference the situation was
summed up by John V. w. Reynders
Of New York, who represented the
American Engineering council
'The United States" he said. has
been living In FOOLS paradise. For
eign governments are studying eco
nomics, and unless we take the same
step economy measures will be forced
upon us. Industry must look at such
problems from a national standpoint"
Voluntary Action.
Secretary Hoover explained what
the Department Of Commerce had
been developing during the last three
years with industry to eliminate waste.
1t has been found possible, he said, to
obtain practical results by voluntary
action, The function Of the government
being to bring together the industries
that they might unite for such action
as would serve the common interest.
Secretary Hoover said the fact that
timber was being cut at a rate four
times faster than 1t was being re-
placed, called for immediate and con-
structive action. The problem for the
committee, he added, dealt with the
problems faced In making for economy
Of use after the forest had become q
commercial product.
Announcement was made by Mr..
Hoover that an anonymous gift Of $685.
600 year for two years had been re-
ceived, to serve as the nucleus for
financing the Investigations which the
committee will undertake. He recon-
mended that the program of the COM
mittee take the form Of day-to-day op-
erations, with studies being made Of
specific Industries to ascertain the full
facts, and then to be considered from
the standpoint Of their relation with
other Industries, to the end that the
by-products Of one industry might be
utilized wherever possible by another.
One of the faulty functions Of the
present-day commercial and industrial
fabric, Secretary Hoover contended,
was that Industries had not been
brought together to cooperate In the
national interest. Such cooperation.
he said, wosld not only bring economy
of operation of industry, but would
result in a more efficient use Of raw
materials.
Paper Industry.
A report on behalf Of the American
Paper and Pulp association was made
. by Norman w. Wilson, president of
that organization. He said the paper
and pulp industry was tackling the
problem from two ends. More and
more mills were employing foresters
to secure expert treatment of the tim
Der and to reproduce their wood sup
plies, he said. At the finishing end Of
the industry increasing attention was
being given to research for new uses
for by-products
Hugh P. Baker Of New York, secre-
tary Of the same organization, said
that while the paper and pulp industry
consumed 100000 cords of wood an
nually, this was but per cent of the
timber cut In the United States. The
value Of paper products and paper
goods Is about S24.O0O.OOO.O0O
The industry, he said, has two prob
lens, one technical and the other COM
mercial. In the technical field decay
Of wood and utilization of decayed
woods has been combated by the forest
products laboratory. Hardwoods were
being used with success where they
were not formerly usable and where
decade ago foresters regarded the
hardwood trees as a nuisance.
Howard Andrews Of Nashville, rep
resenting the National Association of
Railroad Tie Producers. said that
through the use of wood preservative
the industry already had reduced the
replacement Of ties from a rate of 325
per mile in 1920 to 90 per mile In 1924
Col. w. B. Greely of the federal for.
est service, who will act as vice chair.
man of the new conservation commit
tee, argued for the establishment OF
some sort Of clearing house and guild
ing agency to aid In the conservation
desired.