Evening star., 1933-09-03
N.R.A.Code Magma Charta
OF the Forest Industries
BY HARDEN COLFAX.

Long known as among the most dis
organized in the country the forest in
duStries of the United States, employing
million men and representing an In
veStment of ten billion dollars. now
look to the N. R. A. as their Magma
Charta.
The readiness with which the lum-
Der and timber products code was ap-
proved by group of industries which,
for decades. have been torn by internal
strife amazed official Washington and
considerably surprised many Of the lead
erS themselves. One of these remarked
the signing of the lumber code is really
the bright-colored feather in Gen.
Johnson's hat"
For years the lumber and forest prod
uctS industries of the United States
have been almost without any organi-
zation whatsoever. 1t has seemed. i'm
possible for producers and distributors
to get together. even though they all
realized that some sort of cooperation
was absolutely essential for their own
good. Insufficient financial backing
knife-sharp competition, a heavy tax
burden. disorganized sales efforts and a
minimum of research are admitted to
have characterized the industry as a
whole in the past.
With limited period Of life for each
plant. the leaders claimed it did not
pay to do any long-range planning
Quick liquidation of timber and the
scooping up of profits-if any-has been
characteristic Of the industry for many
years. Now the timber conservation
clause inserted in the N. r. A. CODE
providing for the working out Of sys-
tematic plan of timber cutting SO as to
carry on forestry operations on per-
manent basis. is expected to change
these conditions as If by magic.
The Federal Government, mainly
through its Forest Service in the De-
partment of Agriculture, the Depart
ment of Commerce. through the Ma
tional Committee on Wood Utilization,
and the Federal Timber Conservation
Board, as we'll as the American Forestry
Association. the Society Of American
Foresters and numerous other official
and private organizations have worked
for this end for years, but these volun-
tary efforts did not fully succeed in
bringing about the commercial reforeS-
tation desired 1t took the depression
and the new conception OF individual
responsibility toward the common good
to put over" this conservation clause
Through the code, provisions have
been made for anocation of business
This means the industries now realize
the desirability of cutting the garment
according to the cloth. 1t will put
stop to overproduction and to this
waste of timber resources. The public,
Of course will be asked to pay reason
able prices for timber products, but this
increase in cost may not hit the con-
sumer to the extent anticipated since
the code wisely provides for a grade
marking system whereby the consumer
is given the assurance of receiving the
quality for which he pays. Further
more, lumber properly dried will be SO
marked. This means better lumber and
better service decreased .pkeep cost OF
buildings and longer life.
Furthermore, the entire country, 1t Is
predicted, will gain by the stabilization
Of this important industry. It is pointed
out that the transportation system will
be among the principal gamers. since
lumber Is already one Of the most i'm
portant customers Of the railroads.
The reforestation operations will give
full time or seasonal occupation for ad-
ditional thousands of men.
In this new code there is what Is re-
garded as a most important provision
for perpetual timber operation which,
in the language Of the industry. Is
called sustained yield" Heretofore
the majority of the lumber mills had .
limited time of operation coincidhg