The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1928-03-09

of brevity, I will not attempt an item
lied comment on the ten statements
which you propose; but I am glad
to give you my view point on the
more important issues which they in
volve.
Timber Growing Essential.
I agree fully with you that national
interests will benefit far more by Wig
orous encouragement of timber grow
ing than by boarding the timber we
now have. This is not only because
a liberal use of wood is essential 10
our industrial and construction re-
quirements and to high standards OF
living; but also because vast areas OF
land in the United States can pront-
ably be employed only in timber cul-
ture. Without timber growth, ONE
fourth of our soil will be largely WITH
out means to pay taxes, support COM
munities, or maintain industries ana
are already felt ovoyxh oyyI-b &c III
commerce. The disastrous economic
and social effects of the idleness OF
potential forest land are already felt
in several regions. Hence every rea-
sonable incentive for farm and IN
dustrial forestry should be provldeo.
Timber growing, as you point out,
is primarily an economic process. II
it does not pay, forests cannot De
widely and generally produced. 10
make it pay there must be an aoe-
uuate market for forest products.
Hence it is clear to me that liberal
use of wood will promote forestry ana
the profitable employment OF our for
est land. The constructive solution OF
the whole problem lies in timber use
and timber culture, each backing ana
sustaining the other.
Timber Culture Needs Speeding Up.
This solution, of course, depends
upon general reforestation as an IN
tegral part of timberland ownership
and logging operations Without
that. we will be burning the candle at
both ends. The danger OF timber
shortage arises from the large areas
of cut-over land which have been
left unproducUve by destructive log
ging and fires, while the cutting OF
virgin stumpage has gone on apace.
I believe that the United States is
making real, though slow, progress In
curing this situation, partly through
public effort in such directions as
systematic protection from forest nres
and partly through Industrial ana
farm forestry on an expanding scale.
The growing interest OF land owners
in reforeStation and the increasing ex-
tent to which it is being applied, al
though still far short Of meeting the
situation, are encouraging. I believe
that we must put our faith in 1t as
a real solution Of the national PROB
lem and direct our efforts toward
speeding it up to the greatest possible
degree.
CurtaiIing Use of Timber Will Not
Help.
If all our available forest land can
be put into productive timber culture,
the United States can sustain and, IN
time, even expand its present con-
sumption of forest products. How
serious a timber shortage we may ex-
perience will depend mainly upon how
rapidly reforestation is extended and
how effectively timber growing is IN
corporated in industrial land manage
ment. Personally, l do not see that
we can avoid period OF shortage OF
at least high quality, old growth TIM
Der, though I am unable to forecast
it is specific terms. However, 90
not believe that this probability should
influence the course Of public action
or public thought in seeking solu-
ton of our problem through the maxi
mum encouragement Of reforestatlon
rather than through resort to timber
boarding. Necessarily long time
will be required to work out our situa-
ton to one OF stability, when the cur
rent regrowth of timber offsets It's
current USE But we can and should
balance the ledger in this fashion
without denying to the country lib
eral use of wood On the contrary,
a continued liberal use Of wood alone
will create the values and sustain the
markets for forest products that are
essential to industrial forestry.
agree with you that abStention from
the use of timber will not help the
cause of forest perpetuation.
Timber Crops Should Be Harvested
When Mature.
Furthermore, like any other crop,
timber becomes a partial or total loss
IlOG uJlllZCo WHICH, 0oSA3
wastes of natural resources benefits no
one. The orderly and systematic
working of timberlands will put into
the channels of industry and COM
merce much valuable material which
would otherwise be lost through. in
sects and decay. There Is still an
enormous wastage from these sources
in our virgin forest areas, a wastage
that can largely be prevented as Sys-
tematic timber growing and timber
harvesting are brought about.
The Public Should Aid Timber
Growing.
To work out our timber and forest
land problems along these lines still
requires great deal more than Is
now being done. There should be no
delusion that the problem either has
been solved or that it will be solved