Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-05-20
HOOVER TO NAME
/ TREE COMMISSION
win Study Conservation and
Recommend Remedial
| Course of Action.
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

by FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.
President Hoover has decided to do
for timber what the Government Tor
the past six years has been doing Tor
the Nations petroleum supplies. He
intends to appoint q National Timber
Conversation Board, which viii gener-
ally perform the same supervisory func-
tons as the Federal Oil Conservation
Board. The project, which has just
been announced by Robert p. Lamont,
Secretary Of Commerce, Is the fruit OF
a long crusade promoted by the lumber
manufacturers Of the country ana IN
particular by DR.. Wilson Compton, the
secretary and manager OF their ma
tional association at washington:
The timber experts of the United
States have come to realize that unless
the Government steps in to regulate
certain practices, the American forest
Industries are headed for chaos. one
of the most aggravated problems press
ing for constructive handling Is the al
most chronic overproduction, which mas
been going from bad to worse Tor the
past Is years. The situation Is marked
by destructive numbering. unnecessary
waste of wood and premature cutting OF
timber that will be sorely needed IN the
f,ItaIre. It Is having q deadening erect
mon forest land and values and driving
forest soil from the tax rolls OF many
states with serious effect upon revenue
and local prosperity. Uneconomicai use
of forest resources Is also making LOT
Insecurity of employment ana enoan
rerinr a permanent supply OF raw wooo
Tor commerce and industry.
Facts Presented to Hoover.
when these facts were presented 10
prssident Hoover at the White House
hv lumber leaders q couple OF weeks
s1o he raised the question OF ways ana
means for financing q National llmOef
conseryation Board. His visitors as
s,,red him that the necessary funds
would be secured. Thereupon tne
PRESIDENT stated: you have done your
part. I will do mine" Within 40
hours he had Secretary Lamont an.
rresently be established. II its opera
lions are to be privately financed, II
viii differ In that respect from the Fed
eral OIL Conservation Board. The latter
is conducted under annual approprla-
ton by Congress.
The immediate purpose OF the new
tinnbsr board will be to study the forest
conservation problem and recommend
a remedial course of action based on
public interest To that END 1t pur.
poses seeking the aid OF Americas pest
Industrial experts on forest economies.
The board Is intended to act solely as Q
fact-finding agency and to make such
recommendations as the findings war
rant. It Is not proposed that the board
ahall or can attempt to frame q broad
national forest policy It's object rather
IN to direct its activities to the national
economic problems involved in the sup
Div and use Of timber and the main
tenanee Of related sources Of employ
ment and national wealth.
America Is Lumber Baron.
The United States Government,
through the possession of our vast
national forests, Is ths largest single
owner of timber in the country. One OF
the big questions the conservation board
will be called upon to tackle Is the
extent to which publicly owned forests
sustained weld" cutting Of timber. Be-
cause of Uncle Sans importance as
lumber baron, timber leaders have
recommended that when the President
appoints his conservation board 1t shall
include at least three heads of Govern
ment departments, preferably the Sec
rotary OF Commerce, the Secretary Of
Agriculture and the Secretary Of the
lnLerlO1. Lie Ottlcf uct1pcIS WOuiu NC
drawn from the general public, the
conservation movement and the forest
Industries.
While Mr.. Hoover was Secretary of
Commerce he recognized that impend-
ing economic factors were threatening
forest industries. The creation of q
timber fact-finding body was the subject
of discussion between him and DR..
r""'-"ton Of the lumber manufacturers
association on more than one occasion
before and since Mr. Hoover entered the
White House. DIR. Compton took his
Phi. D. In economics ut Princeton and
has devoted more than q dozen years to
the problems Of the lumber industry. He
II one Of q trio Of eminent brothers
Karl r. Compton Is president of the
Massachusetts, Institute of Technology
Arthur H. Compton, q professor of
physics at the University of Chicago,
was awarded the Nobel prize for physics
In 1927. DR.. Wilson Compton, who had
most to do with evolving the timber
conservation board idea and selling
1t ut the White House, belongs to that
school of thought which believes that
the information made available in 1920
by the Forest Service Is now completely
out OF date. Forest resources greatly
exceed the estimates then made, and
the trend in consumption Of timber will
outstrip in actual practice anything
contemplated by predictions Of 10 years
ago.
Copyright 1907