The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1942-12-18
GETTING BACK TO THE WOODS
By ]. E. Jones

BY j. e. Jones
Washington, Dec. 14--Up to the
year 1900 most of the construction
Of buildings was done with lumber.
And at that time nearly all the fuel
for stoves and furnaces was wood.
When Theodore Roosevelt was
President he called Governors Con-
ference which learned to it's aston
ishment that $50 of the standing
timber of the nation was wasted,
or destroyed by forest fires.
Since that time the skyscrapers
have been built with steel, cement
and mortar.
This war government, including
it's Army and Navy has built it's war
machines without using very much
wood. Now all of a sudden, year
after Pearl Harbor, Uncle Sam has
started to pep up the morale of men
who work in the Northwest woods,
as means of increasing lumber pro-
duction. Manpower in the lumber re-
gions has been regarded of so little
Importance that the lumber jacks
were coaxed out of the woods, and
out of the sawmills, and into the
factories
The men from the woods behav-
ed like fish out of water when they
began mixing up with factory
workers.
Getting Along Somehow
Twenty years ago the production
of automobiles was around 100000
which just about equals the number
of new cars for 1942--and we got
along somehow There are 100000
miles of surfaced highways in the
United States, whereas the U. S.
Bureau of Roads classified only
$4,000 miles or about 20 per cent
as improved" in 1917--and we got
along somehow. Well have to con-
tinue to "get along somehow" under
war conditions governing automo-
biles, rubber, gas and other things
we are accustomed to.
Leon Loses His Poise
Leon Henderson has asked for
lot of abuse--and he got it! But
there is evidence that the criticism
of his Administrator has got under
his hide. In radio speech recently
he said that opponents of nation
wide gasoline rationing are "either
ignorant or Intentionally traitorous."
One Washington newspaper adds
that Henderson's speeches should
also be rationed.
On Capitol Hill some OF Hender-
sons most severe critics declare that
they will attempt to put him out of
business after the first of the year
by refusing to make appropriations
Tor the work he is doing. That
sounds dangerous! On the contrary
it is just Congressional hot-air!
This Congress Is About Through
Senator Norris secured the pas
sage of a law ending the term of
Office of members of Congress with
the close of the year following cleo
ton. That was the lame duck" law,
and therefore the present Congress
is putting the finishing touches on
it's work and it will practically
cease as lawmaking body before
Christmas.
The new Congress will convene
the first week of the new year. 1t
will find the manpower legislation
waiting for attention. Most of the
other differences Of opinion between
the President and Congress are
being shifted and loaded onto the
coming session. Straw in the wind!
Senator Byrd Of Virginia
Senator Byrd of Virginia is said
to be greatly encouraged by the
strong support that is rallying to
his efforts to reduce non-war gov
eminent activities and cut down the
rate of spending. Byrd has been
consistent foe of waste and extrava-
gance in public government, and he
shows far-sighted craftsmanship in
laying before Congress facts and
figures that prove his claims that a
billion dollars a year might be saw
ed in non-war expenses.
es .
Tubeless Tires
A few months ago rubber manu-
facturers began turning out tubeless
automobile tires. The public was
skeptical but tests of these tires on
the highways created wide interest.
Now the Petroleum Industry
Board and the War Council are be-
ginning to encourage inventors of
tubeless tires. The big rubber COM
panies are making them. and some
companies are showing in advertis-
ing that tubes are as unnecessary as
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