Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-10-10
Washington Ticker
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
With an increase of its membership
by a score of leading manufacturers
and consumers of lumber this week, the
national committee on wood utilization
Is contemplating elaboration of its cam
and to elevate the standard of timber
products placed on the market.
The committee In recent months has
formulated an ambitious campaign to
bring about a wiser and more efhcient
use of wood and forest products as a
means of advancing commercial re-
forestation." In the opinion of its
members, the American lumberman is
wasting much of the timber cut down
and this waste is one of the major
causes Of preventing commercial re-
forestation. The committee has studied
many of the methods, employed in
Europe, especially the Scandinavian
group, in the belief that they can be
well borrowed by the United States.
One Of the most valuable studies
conducted by the committee. was dis
closed today to be tests Of the Scandi-
navian gang saws, a system which per-
mitS the closer utilization Of wood, as
this method of saving can be operated
upon smaller logs and short length
wood to better advantage than the
present machinery operating in most
American Sawmills. The tests, which
so far are said to have been highly
successful, may result in revolutioniZing
the forestry methods now existing in
this country in the opinion Of num-
Der of the committee members. The
problem of Americas lumber is out
lined by Axel H. Oxholm, director Of
the committee, as follows:
"Our annual timber cut far exceeds
growth, yet only about one-third Of the
standing tree is now utilized. Re
foreStation therefore Is generally I'M
profitable Better utilization of the
tree will reduce the drain on our forests
and will make it possible to maintain
q continuous supply Of forest products
at reasonable prices"
If smaller logs can be used, and also
smaller portions of felled trees, Mr..
Oxholm explained, the timber grower
can realize upon profitable cutting Of
wood in Is, 20 or 80 years instead of
The director says there are many and
the committees program calls for
saving of 20 per cent wood products
now Being wasted. OF the present
wasted lumber, he cited the smaller
limbs and logs which could be used
for pulpwood and sawdust. The COM
mittee at present is making an inten-
sive study of wood wastes in each of
the timber-growing States of the Ma
ton, having already conducted such
survey in Virginia, North Carolina and
at present in Maryland.
For the protection of the consumer
the committee has mapped out a COM
prehsnsive program to eliminate shod-
dy practices in building construction
and faulty lumber Through the use
Of grade-marked lumber the committee
believes the consumer will receive strong
protection against poor products A.
campaign also Is being waged to bring
about proper seasoning of timber in the
belief that this Is factor tremendous
ly affecting the consumer.
The betterment of construction ma
terials is an. objective which is of
highest importance to the banker in
the opinion of william S. Quinter of
washington, representative OF the
Loan Association on the body.
THE banker Is interested in the use
of the right kind of lumber In building
construction" he said, Good materials
mean better buildings, which in turn
strengthen the security offered the loan
ing agency and larger loan would be
justified where grade-marked lumber is
used"
American agriculture apparently has
taken an upward step toward attaining
good economic conditions on the basis
of the Agriculture Departments gen.
eral crop report as of October /. The
gain Of per cent in crop prospects
through favorable weather conditions In
September has heightened the hopes of
the farmers for good return this year
as favorable prices are being main
tanned fairly steadily and generally.
Many business observers have been
worried about the crop situation, but
the present indications of higher yields
in corn, Spring wheat. oats, barley, flax
seed, rice, hay, beans, peanuts, sweet
potatoes tobacco and sugar cane and
sugar beets are looked upon as clearing
up the situation somewhat
simultaneously with the issuance Of
the crop report, with its optimistic
trend, Secretary Hyde has. summoned a
conference of the meat packing and
wholesale meat industry. to be held in
Chicago October ~, to draft a code of
trade practices. The conference UNI
doubtedly will have considerable tnfiu-
ence on the live stock producing indus
try II IL frames It's proposed trade rules.
intended to eliminate wasteful, unfair
and ra,amantA Asaafnml vzwn nkinam