Evening star., 1933-10-07
LUMBER CODE HELD
BOOST TO INDUSTRY
OxhoIm Calls Grade Marking
Clause Great Advance
in Century.

The incorporation in the National
Recovery Administration lumber code
of provisions safeguarding the interest
of the consumer by making grade
marking of lumber mandatory after
January l marks the greatest single
advance by the lumber industry in this
century, according to Axel H. Oxholm,
chief of the Division Of Forest Products
of the Department of Commerce.
Coupled with this is the provision
under which dry lumber will be so
designated. This provision, Mr. OK
holm said, will save home owners mil
lions of dollars annually.
Heretofore" Mr.. Oxholm explained,
"the consumer has frequently been in
the dark in regard to the quality OF
lumber he purchased. As is to be ex-
pected, not one out of thousand con-
SumerS is competent to pass on lumber
grades. Lumber grading is not an ex-
act science, but rather matter OF
judgment backed up by long experience.
For this reason there has been in the
past a considerable amount Of grade
Juggling in the sale of lumber. Price
has frequently been the deciding factor
so far as the consumer was concerned.
Lumber thus purchased often has not
given satisfaction.
Low Grade Used.
This practice of buying lumber on
the basis of price rather than on the
basis of grade has resulted in the use
of too low a grade of lumber for pur-
poses where strength and durability are
important factors. Sagging floors, plas-
ter cracks. sticking doors and windows
and even premature decay, necessltatlng
extensive repair work. is the price the
home owner has paid for his inability
to select the proper quality and kind
OF lumber"
Emphasizing the necessity for using
dry stock in the construction Of house,
Mr.. Oxholm declared the home owner
should discriminate carefully between
dry and green lumber The use of lum-
ber green from the saw, he said, Is the
cause of frequent trouble in building
in cases where seasoned lumber Is re-
quired
Green lumber should be preshrunk'
that is. properly dried" Mr.. Oxholm
said, before it is installed in the build
ing. Dry lumber is from so to 100 per
cent stronger than unseaSoned wood.
1t stays put and has much greater
durability than green lumber. The con-
sumner who buys unseasoned or green
lumber is, in fact, buying 'watered
stock
New Code Is Boon.
For this reason the provisions OF the
lumber code in regard to grade-markeo
and seasonal lumber, whereby each
piece of lumber is to be clearly marked
for the grade it represents, will not
only protect the consumer but will also
be boon to progressive lumber manu-
facturers and dealers. who realize that
what benefits the consumer also bene-
fits the producers and distributors OF
lumber
Credit for the progressive factors in
corporated in the lumber code, Mr..
Oxholm ascribes largely to the efforts
of DR.. Wilson Compton, secretary y-man-
ager of the National Lumber Manufac-
turers' Association, who for years has
advocated the grade-marking and prop
er seasoning of lumber as the best
means of raising the standard of lum-
ber manufacture and distribution.
Through intensive studies in foreign
countries" Mr.. Oxholm said, "Dr.
Compton learned at first hand how
foreign lumber manufacturers had sta
bilized lumber market conditions by
proper grade-marking and seasoning
practices"
Important Matter.
Grade-marked and seasoned lumber
Is a matter Of paramount importance
to the home owner, the bulldlng IN
spector and the home financing agen-
cies. Mr.. Oxholm asserts. The United
States he said, has unquestionably
the finest quality of construction lum-
ber in the world. Through our haste
in converting and marketing our tim
Der supplies, however, we have failed
to take the time to inform the con-
gunner how to make the proper choice |
of grades and species in purchasing his
lumber. In addition, billions OF feet
have been sold green and the consumer |
has suffered the consequences"
1t is significant Mr.. Oxholm says, |
that the United States Government Is
leading in the lumber grade-marking |
and seasoning movement. The gigantic |
order Of 300,000,0O0 feet Of lumber for |
the construction of Winter housing for |
the 2500O0 conservation workers en-
ployed in the Emergency Conservation |
Corps calls exclusively Tor grade |
marked, seasoned lumber.