18 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



Auenst 10, 1922 



News from the National Capital 



Europe Demonstrates Value of Grade-Marking 



The benefits that will accrue to the lumber industry as a result of 

 a uniform grade-marking system will save the industry approximately 

 $200,000,000, according to computation of the TJ. S. Department of 

 Commerce. A brochure on the subject has been prepared by Axel 

 H. Oxholm, Chief of the Lumber Division, TJ. S. Department of Com- 

 merce, copies of which may be had hj writing to the Department, 

 the National Lumber Manufacturers ' Association, or the Washington 

 Eepresentative of Hardwood Record, 1250-2-4 Munsey Building, 

 Washington, D. C. 



The author of the pamphlet has set forth the history of grade- 

 marking in North Europe, and points out the benefits to be derived 

 from it, especially in exjiort trade. So successful lias been the grade- 

 marking systems employed in North Europe that 90 per cent of all 

 European sawed and planed lumber intended for export, including 

 soft and hardwoods, is grade-marked, it is stated. 



In countries where grade-marking is established the lumber busi- 

 ness is on a much higher level and the price level is more evenly main- 

 tained, it is stated. Discussing the subject of grade-marking, as al- 

 ready established in the United St.ates by the hardwood industry, 

 the brochure says: 



The grade marking of American lumber is confined almost ex- 

 clusively to the lumber export trade by hardwood shippers. The rec- 

 ords of the bureau show that 66 American exporters have trade-marks 

 for their stock, but of these only 22 concerns grade-mark their lum- 

 !ber for export. 



There is a lack of uniformity in our grade-marking systems which 

 compares unfavorably with the practices in use in the North Euro- 

 pean countries. Our shippers usually employ stenciled brands which 

 are placed on the face side of each piece of lumber, because the mark- 

 ing of the ends is usually impracticable on account of the rough trim- 

 ming. However, some foreign customers jjrefer the grade marlcs 

 stamped on the face side. 



Some of the leading mills in the United States have tor some years 

 past trade-marked tehir lumber and it is said that the results have 

 been satisfactory in some respects. However, the trade-marking of 

 lumber without indicating the grade at the same time can never be 

 an undisputed success. It is true that the trade-mark always has a 

 great advertising value, but it does not prevent tampering with grades, 

 and thus subjects the producing concei-n to man>' difhculties. 



Advantage might also be found in this country in grade-mai'king 

 lumber destined for domestic trade. While foreign countries usually 

 mark only that wood which is expoited, they do not have the great 

 number of species of commercialized woods that are found in the 

 United States. Consequently their system is less complicated than 

 ■ ours. A few cases of domestic grade-marking are found in this coun- 

 try at present, but these are confined chiefly to mills which turn out 

 flooring and some hardwood specialties. It is interesting to note that 

 shingles usually are grade-marked and handled in tliis respect on the 

 same basis as other staple articles such as canned goods, cement, 

 flour, etc. The sale of grade-marked shingles has usually been sup- 

 ported by a strong advertising campaign. 



* « * 



Early passage of needed forest legislation will be sought by mem- 

 bers of the forestry sub-committee of the House agricultural com- 

 mittee, when the House reconvenes August 15, after six weeks' vaca- 

 tion. Efforts will be made to immediately begin hearings on the 

 Snell bill, which is being supported by the Department of Agriculture 

 looking toward increased fire protection to the forests, the extension 

 of public forest, tree planting, etc., through co-operation of the 

 Federal Government with State governments and private interests. 



In order to facilitate the needed legislation, which the Department 

 has notified Congress is urgent, the special subcommittee of five, 

 consisting of three Republicans and two Democrats, will hold joint 

 hearings on the forestry bill. By doing this, it will eliminate the need 

 of two sets of hearings, one before the Senate and the other before 

 the House, and Chairman G. N. Haughen, of Iowa, head of the Com- 

 mittee, has expressed himself as believing that a National Forest bill 



and a National Fire Protection bill can be enacted into law during 

 the current year. 



Tlie Department of Agriculture through the statistical division of 

 the Forest Service is now preparing statistics on the annual loss 

 by tire in the national reserves to show the economic loss through the 

 burning of merchantable timber. These figures are to be presented 

 to the joint committee as soon as the hearings begin. 



It was stated recently in these columns that the Capper bill, which 

 is before the Senate agricultural committee is ' ' The Major forestry 

 bill" now before Congress. But this was an oversight. The Chief 

 bill, as R. S. Kellogg, Chairman of the National Forestry Program 

 Committee has pointed out, is the Snell bill, which is before the 

 House agricultural committee. No hearings of any kind have ever 

 l>een held on the Capper bill in the present form, at least. It is 

 virtually a dead issue since the Child Labor decision by the Supreme 

 Court. 



Two extended hearings have already been held on the Snell bill. 



"The indications are," Mr. KeUogg says, "that a measure which 

 can be passed will be reported at the session of Congress, begiiming 

 next December. ' ' 



A reduction of 1,000,000 board feet in production for the week 

 ending July 22, compared to the same week last year is reported by 

 the Northern Hemlock & Hardwood Manufacturers' Association. The 

 week's production, ending July 22, 1922, was 2,577,000 board feet 

 compared to a production of 3,587,000 board feet same week last 

 year. 



While production of the associate members shows a loss, the ship- 

 ments during the week, compared with corresponding week in 1921 

 shows a material gain as do the orders. The shipments were: week 

 ending July 22, 1922, 2,771,000; July, 1921, 21,191,000. Orders 

 were 2,355,000 board feet compared to orders for 1,363,000 board 

 feet July 22, 1921. 



Total production for the first 29 weeks of this year of the associa- 

 tion were 58 millions; shipments, 76,959,000, and orders 74,074,000, 

 against 58,737,000 production, 44,134,000 shipments and 38,583,000 

 orders first 29 weeks last year. 



****** 



The American lumber industry is losing annually millions of dol- 

 lars because of Congress ' failure to appropriate a sufficient fund 

 each year in fighting forest fires. Just what this loss amounts to and 

 an estimate of how much can be saved, is being computed by the 

 Forestry Division of the Department of Agriculture, now engaged 

 in compiling data showing the annual forestry fire bill. 



Statistics already secured showing that for every doUar spent in 

 fire protection the lumber industry and the government could save 

 a hundred dollars in fire loss. Figures just compiled show that dur- 

 ing the calendar year 1921 a total of 376,208 acres of standing tim- 

 ber were destroyed by 5,851 fires. In 1920 421,000 acres of standing 

 timber burned down and during the five years ending December 31, 

 1920, the total damage was $85,500,000, destroying 56,488,000 acreB 

 of timber. 



The Federal appropriation for fighting forest fires in 1920 was 

 .$911,000, while the loss was $12,400,000. The Forestry Service esti- 

 iTiate that if the appropriation had been $1,800,000 or 50 per cent more 

 ilian it was, that the loss could have been curtailed at least 50 per 

 ' ent, or approximately a saving of six millions of dollars. 



Of the forest fires in 1921, the lumber industry is charged with 

 liiing responsible for 211, or 3.47 of the total number as a result of 

 "oiii-elessness" on the part of employes of lumber and logging Indus 



