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HARDWOOD RECORD 



December 25, 1916 



by a ruling by the Interstate Commerce Commission that will 

 classify Japanese oak' as a " wood of value ' ' for transportation 

 purposes within the United States. If it is a cabinet wood while 

 coming in, is it not a cabinet wood after it gets here? If so, the 

 railroads can charge more for hauling it. This would not be likely 

 to call for protests from American lumbermen, so long as the 

 ruling applied to Japanese oak only. 



But the second step, if taken, might lead to a third in logical 

 sequence. If Japanese oak is a cabinet wood for tarifE and trans- 

 portation purpose's, why should not American oak be so classified? 

 That is the line of reasoning that may be looked for. It has 

 always been contended in this country that American oak is as 

 good as Japanese. If that view is taken it will be difficult to 

 give a reason why the latter should pay a cabinet wood rate and 

 the American oak a lower rate for transportation. 



The question of classifying oak for transportation in this 

 country is not yet pressing for decision; but it became a live 

 question as soon as Japanese oak was officially declared to be a 

 founded on that expectation is strong and promises well. 



General Confidence 



IF GENEEAL CONFIDENCE MAY BE MEASURED by the 

 number of new corporations coming into existence within a 

 given time, the confidence of the people of the United States is 

 strong. During October of this 3-ear more than two and a half times 

 as many corporations were formed as the average for October dur- 

 ing the past eight years. This would seem to be a fairly reliable 

 guide by which to gauge confidence. People would not organize 

 corporations for the purpose of engaging in busicess unless they 

 expected future conditions to be favorable. Confidence is an asset 

 in business which can scarcely be overestimated. If a man believes 

 a thing will happen, and wants it to happen, he will contibute his 

 mite toward making it happen; and when his belief is widely 

 shared it con.stitutes general confidence and contributes to general 

 prosperity. 



The unusual number of corporations now coming into existence 

 is doubtless partly accounted for by war opportunities. Men see 

 a chance to do business and hasten to take advantage of the op- 

 portunity; but the value of war business should be liberally dis- 

 counted before it is made the measure of general prosperity. 

 Nobody wants the war to last a long time; and if it were generally 

 believed that the end is far off, general confidence would suffer. 

 The real prosperity which inspires expectation is that which people 

 believe will come when the waste of war has run its course. Let 

 it be hoped that most of the corporations which have come into 

 existence in recent months are not looking for war business but 

 for that which will follow when peace comes. General confidence 

 founded on that expectation is strong and promises well for the 

 future. 



Coals From Newcastle? 



THE PEESENT LAYOUT OF THE WOODWORKING industry 

 of the United States on the whole offers no logical plan. There 

 is no especially pertinent reason why the great bulk of woodworking 

 factories should be located in the main in the states producing the 

 lesser quantities of the most important raw material. Of course the 

 reason for the woodworking plants existing in the sections in which 

 they are now mainly located is directly traceable to the old sources of 

 supply of various types of lumber, and to the dearth of skilled labor 

 in the various centers which produce the raw material. However, 

 the trend in both of these conditions has been progressive — the sources 

 of supply are now well defined and for the most part are so located 

 that adequate and efficient labor is procurable. That it is wise to 

 consider the establishment of woodworking industries as near to the 

 forest producing the types of lumber which will be used for the main 

 product, is generally conceded. 



One of the most striking examples of the apparent absence of logic 

 in the present scheme of things is found in West Virginia, which with 

 a vast hardwood and softwood growth of splendid quality and variety 

 is the largest hardwood producing state in the Union, but it is also, 



as compared to the other lumber producing commonwealths, the 

 smallest in point of factory products turned out. It is a state not only 

 with great forest wealth, but with magnificent fuel deposits, close 

 market connections, good transportation and plenty of efficient help. 

 Already there is a move on foot in West Virginia to encourage the 

 home utilization of its raw materials in woodworking lines. The con- 

 ditions point so logically to the wisdom of such development that these 

 efforts, if prosecuted even in an intermittent manner, must bear fruit. 

 However, the main point is not that West Virginia will secure 

 more industries, but that through building up woodworking trades in 

 those lines which are logically located at the forests, she is giving 

 impetus to the movement which is bound to grow to large proportions. 

 The South will do well to foster the supply of efficient help and to 

 give to competent, ambitious labor every encouragement. 



Wake Up, Veneer Men! 



NO ONE DOUBTS THE IMMENSE POSSIBILITIOS of the veneer 

 industry in America, at least no one outside of the industry doubts 

 it though some of those within its fold have been hibernating in 

 their false contentment for so long that it is doubtful whether they liave 

 any definite thought on this subject at all. Others have, how- 

 ever, as proven by the very intelligent program mapped out at the 

 annual meeting of the National Veneer & Panel Manufacturers' 

 Association. 



The veneer industry is beginning a period of reconstruction along 

 lines that will, if carried out successfully, make for greater progress 

 in the next two or three years than has been accomplished in the past 

 ten or fifteen years. Wliat the veneer manufacturers have not fully 

 appreciated has been that the diversified character of veneer opens up 

 possibilities of immense markets never before approached. The trade 

 has been too willing to follow along in regularly defined routes where 

 trade naturally existed, but the character of the product makes it appli- 

 cable to a thousand-and-one uses to which no other product of wood 

 can be applied. The necessity which faces the veneer men now is to 

 define and embrace these possibilities. 



The proper first step was taken in the reorganization of a rather 

 stagnant association. The making over of the national body was accom- 

 jjlishod under circumstances which offered no prospect for fulfillment 

 of hopes without intelligent direction of the plans laid out. This 

 direction can come only with the proper professional assistance as 

 tlicre is no record of really successful, constructive accomplishment 

 by a trade organization run entirely by its members. This consequence 

 can result only with the proper sujiport by actual dollars behind the 

 men actively in charge. 



So it is up to every veneer man to come out of his hibernation and 

 get behind the big plan and push. 



A Worth While Effort 



THE LUMBER TRADE every year has become more fully cognizant 

 of the real value of the production statistics compiled and issued 

 by the Forest Service. To the average pcrscm not familiar with the 

 tremendous difficulty of collecting and assembling statistics, the task 

 of gathering the data for these yearly production reports may seem 

 insignificant — a mere matter of sending out letters and of routine 

 office work. However, those who are familiar with the problems realize 

 the immense difficulty which is mainly the direct result of indifference 

 of those in best position to benefit by the statistics. Those referred 

 to are the lumbermen who give no attention to the Forest Service 

 requests or in answering do so in ahaphazard manner. 



The various associations are undertaking to a greater and greater 

 extent the proper handling of statistical information, but regarilless of 

 competitive conditions of various wood.s, the trend in any one direction 

 is bound either directly or indirectly to have its influence in all direc- 

 tions. Therefore, it is absolutely necessary that the statistical bulletin 

 published on lumber cuts be as complete, as authoritative and as 

 speedily assembled as possible. Hence, every lumberman, particularly 

 in these days of rapid changes and of so great uncertainty, is, whether 

 he knows it or not, more in need of thLs information than ever before. 

 Therefore, he, as one of the 30,000 or 40,000 firms appealed to, should 

 give the information asked of him promptly and completely. 



