BOOK REVIEWS 



Our National Defense, The Patriotism of 



Peace, by George H. Maxwell, Rural 



Settlements Association, Washington and 



New Orleans, price $1.25. 



The portion of this book which will most 

 appeal to foresters is the argument made by 

 the author for the establishment of a large 

 reserve of trained soldiers who in time of 

 peace shall be employed in perpetuating the 

 forests of this country in such manner that the 

 forests shall be made to pay for maintaining 

 them. 



Such a reserve, contends the author, must 

 not be composed of men in ordinary industry 

 because to take them from such employment 

 would be detrimental to the industries on which 

 we are dependent. They must be engaged in 

 such work as foresters are engaged in, from 

 which they can be instantly available for 

 military serxdce, without disturbance to 

 industry. If such a reserve were properly 

 organized unemployment would no longer be 

 an issue. Men out of work could be absorbed 

 into the reserve wh^ work is slack and returned 

 to ordinary industrial employment when their 

 labor was needed there. All further suffering 

 from lack of emplo^^ment by sober, industrious 

 men would cease. 



"We could in this country," says the author, 

 "enlist an army of men and perfectly organize 

 it to plant forests and care for them, build 

 the great works necessary for flood control 

 and for river regulation, waterways and high- 

 ways, and do all the work necessary to control, 

 use and perpetuate our natural resources, and 

 they would do that work in time of peace and 

 make the best soldiers in the world in time of 

 war. 



"We would then have defense against the 

 invasion of Nature's forces in times of peace, 

 against floods and forest fires and drouth and 

 overflow, and against the invasion of an armed 

 force in time of war. Pittsburgh would be 

 protected from floods, as would the Ohio and 

 Mississippi valleys. 



"It is impossible to defend a coast line ex- 

 tending from Nova Scotia to Florida, besides 

 the Pacific Coast, if we have no defense but a 

 navy and fortifications. Any of the great 

 European nations could land an invading 

 force on the Atlantic coast, as Japan could on 

 the Pacific, in the event of war unless we oppose 



602 



them with troops instantly ready and properly 

 trained, equipped and organized. 



"There is only one solution, and that is to 

 enlist a reserve modeled after the German or 

 French forestry systems. The reservists in 

 those systems are foresters in time of peace 

 and soldiers in time of war." 



Some Lumber Problems — Northern Hemlock 

 and Hardwood Manufacturers Association, 

 Milwaukee, Wis., 50 cents. 



The Association deserves to be complimented 

 for the production of this book which contains 

 a number of valuable addresses on important 

 lumbering subjects. Matt Daly's paper on 

 "Camp Missionary Work" is unique; W. W. 

 Brown's paper on " Lumber for Factory Trade," 

 as well as Enos Colburn's on "Birch for Inter- 

 ior Finish" are extremely practical contribu- 

 tions from the consumer's standpoint and 

 would be of interest to any hardwood manu- 

 facturer. Charles H. Crownhart's paper on 

 "Various Phases of Compensation" is one 

 of the most complete and scientific studies of 

 this subject yet made and is of interest to 

 every employer of labor in the country. 

 Chas. F. Simonson's article on " Inter- Insur- 

 ance, " and B. G. Dahlberg's on "Classification 

 of Lumber Rates," are of universal interest to 

 lumbermen. Edward Hines' address on "Bet- 

 ter Business Methods" shows its author's won- 

 derful grasp of detail. It is a paper that should 

 be read by every lumberman in the United 

 States who hopes to keep abreast of the times. 

 In the same class with Mr. Hines' address is 

 R. S. Kellogg's paper on "Troubles of Lumber 

 Industry." This paper has been read by Mr. 

 Kellogg at several important association meet- 

 ings and whenever read has provoked a great 

 deal of interest. Mr. Kellogg is the foremost 

 practical statistician in the lumber industry. 

 His arguments are invariably based on figures, 

 and figures of a kind that cause the lumberman 

 to sit up and take notice. 



O. T. Swan has presented the question of 

 "Timber Utilization" in a comprehensive and 

 concise form, combining the technical with the 

 practical sides of the problem. W. A. Holt's 

 paper on "Timberland Taxation" and C. H. 

 Worcester's paper on the "Cost of Carrying 

 Timber" are papers that every owner of 

 timberland should read. 



