Evening star., 1928-11-24
WOOD GROUP URGES
! SHORT LUMBERUSE
Eaving of 80 to 40 Per Cent
| Often Made, Committee
Reports.

Use of short-length lumber is advo-
rated by the National Committee on
Wood Utilization Of the Department Of
Commerce as a part of its campaign
10 perpetuate the forest resources of
The United States through intelligent
kse of timber. It has been demonstrated
that a saving of 80 TO 40 per cent In
many cases results from the purchase
Of short lengths. where longer lengths
usually are bought and cut into shorter
pieces on the job, it is declared in
statement released today by the COM
mittee.
The committee, established by order
Of President Coolidge and organized by
Herbert Hoover, former Commerce De-
partment Secretary, is a cooperative
undertaking between industry and the
Government. 1t is made up Of lao
producers, distributors and consumers
Of forest products. Technical experts
hre advisers of the committee.
The committees slogan is Utilize
wood and save the forests" AT first
glance, 1t might seem that this is a
paradox because the popular conception
prevails that our timber resources are
on the wane," says the committees
statement.
Were timber a non-renewable re-
source this would be perfectly true,
but 1t must be realized that the grow
ang of timber depends on mans will
and the necessity therefor" the COM
Tnittee states.
Attacks Tree Waste.
"At present only about one-third of
The tree as it stands in the forest IS
used and two-thirds of the tree is more
or less wasted or put to improbable
uses 1t is this two-thirds waste which
the committee is attacking. the theory
being that If more of the tree could be
utilized this would have a twofold
effect:
"First, it would decrease the acreage
to be cut over each year to satisfy the
nations demand for timber; and second,
it would automatically increase the
value of standing timber, thereby max
ing investment in reforestation activi-
ties profitable Furthermore, by this
increased utilization the cost of raw
material to the consumers would be
decreased, Just as has been the effect of
increased utilization In other lines,
notably the packing industry.
i'When we think of timber we are
apt to give sole consideration to lumber,
because 90,000000 people in this
country are living in frame houses.
While it is true that 65 per cent Of the
total lumber cut goes into building and
construction, 40 per cent Of our in
6iuStrial plants are depending on wood
as raw material. The range of indus
trial uses for wood reaches from pulp
wood to wood chemicals, and from toys
to artificial silk Therefore, modern
progress has made wood an indispensa-
bIe material.
DeplOres Green Lumber.
."It is, however, not only the people
Engaged in industry who can help in
this national campaign for better utili-
zation of wood. It applies to a far
greater extent to the average citizen,
because the greatest amount Of wood
is used by him.
i"It has been demonstrated that a saw
ing Of 80 to 40 per cent in many cases
results from the purchase OF lumber in
short lengths. where longer lengths
usually are bought and cut short on the
Job. Furthermore, it has also brought
out the fact that by providing one end
Of each piece of lumber with tongue
and the other end with a groove, as
much as 20 per cent may be saved in
labor and a similar amount in mate
rial.
"The use Of So-called green lumber
which has not been cured or seasoned
is responsible for annual losses amount
ing to millions of dollars and early de-
probation of wooden houses. In order
to correct these conditions, the COM
mittee published a series of bulletins
on the proper seasoning and handling
Of lumber, with special edition for
the prospective home owner and house
builder, showing how lumber should be
stored and installed in the building in
order to eliminate the causes of shrink
ing and warping"