The Ely miner., 1942-12-10
PITTENGER
SAYS
BY Rep. william A. Pittenger.
STATES SMALL MILLS SAW
ia BILLION FEET LUMBER

Since my return to Washington
few days ago, haev been impressed
with the rapidity with which Govern
ment Bureau and Departments are
moving in an effort to ruin small bus
mess and destroy the domestic econ
omy of free America. You have to see
it to realize what is taking place but
in many different directions there are
signs which point to the ambition Of
bureaucratS to establish system of
regimentation which will do away with
the old fashioned American methods
of buying and selling. In short, their
hidden purpose is to change the whole
plan of free enterprise under which our
business has heretofore been conducted.
Watch out for the dollar year men.
I expect to discuss those gentlemen at
length in some future article but right
now my attention has been called to
plans that are under way which will
seriously cripple the timber industry
in the State of Minnesota.
We have in the State of Minnesota
something like 638 small saw mills. AS
you know, there has been freezing
order which requires all mills to manu-
facture lumber for the War Depart
ment as it's recommendations may ap-
pear. No one can criticize an all effort
to win the war.
You will be interested in knowing
that according to census statistics the
small mills in Minnesota produced LA
billion board feet of lumber in 1910.
Today when there is greater demand
than ever for lumber, these mills are
operating at less than so per cent their
capacity.
This has resulted from variety Of
confusing orders issued by the War
Production Board. Under existing ar
rangements and orders of the War
Production Board, lumber yards are
not able to buy lumber and replace
their stock when they sell it even If
this lumber is sold to farmers who
| need 1t to increase the production OF
| farm commodities. This means that the
small lumber yards are just being
forced out Of business.
I am advised that the United States
Forest Service, which conducts log
ging operations each year and which
controls probably "a per cent Of the
standing timber, about July 18th, sub
mitted a plan to the War Production
Board for the cutting of timber In the
United States forests and the market
| ing of this timber so that 1t could be
sawed into lumber No favorable action
has yet been taken on that plan. II
favorable action had been taken not
only would lumber yards be able to
secure lumber to replace their exhaust
ed stock, but improvement would be
given to many farmers and small tim
Der operators in logging and lumber
operations
The thing that strikes me as queer
and questionable is the fact that re-
Gently another order was promulgated
prohibiting the use of lumber and
sheathing and prohibiting the use OF
soft lumber for flooring and sub-floor-
| ing.
To add insult to injury, the order
states that substitutes for wood have
| to be used This brings up the ques-
ton as to whether or not concerns
which manufacture material that is
used in some instances in the place Of
lumber, have a direct interest in the
program regardless of its purpose
which will seriously cripple and par
TALLY destroy the timber industry In
Minnesota.
| I have tried to present as clearly a.
possible this particular problem as II
relates to retail lumber dealers arlo
small saw mills, because evidence has
been piling up for months indicating
that the American people are being
forced to undergo unnecessary regula-
tions and RECOMMENDATION.
1t is interesting to know that there
is under construction now proposed
order which will prohibit the use ot
lumber in the manufacture of boxes
for all commercial and domestic pur-
poses. This is not only an invitation
but is a command to people who sci