20 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



August 10, 1922 



iContiniifd from page 1-1 I 

 for a sound production program. The obligation of the lumber 

 consumer, in the writer's opinion, to do his share is no less fun- 

 damental and necessary than the obligation of the lumber pro- 

 ducer. We venture the prophecy that it will be harder for the 

 consumers to state their wants intelligently than for the producers 

 to supply those wants. 



If this conclusion is correct, then we have a final and decisive 

 reason for rejecting summary standardization proposals. It could 

 be plausibly argued that hiinbermen had better let the present 

 status continue until adequate proof is in hand that any jiroposed 

 standardization will break up the present economic impasseo in 

 the lumber industry. Is there any other "adequate proof" which 

 can be offered except that any proposed standardization represents 

 a proven, scientifically established quantity demand of known 

 groups of consumers, and this demand conforms to souuil produc- 

 tion methods? Standardization as a general proposition is academic- 

 nonsense. But standardization on proven demand is wisdom it 

 self. 



What Next? 



If I were a lumberman, I would not worry about new rules or 

 old, right now. Inspection rules are the easiest things in the wliole 

 problem, once you have isolated the real demands of lumber con- 

 sumers. Your first big job is to help your customers to discover 

 what their real requirements are. 



If I were a lumberman with 25 to 40 per cent of my stock be- 

 hind impassible economic barriers, I would sit in no rules con- 

 ference, I would refuse to accept the conclusions of any rules 

 conference, unless that conference was actually (not merely nomi- 

 nally as now) bonafide meeting of producers and consumers of 

 lumber, advised and assisted by the highest public and private 

 technical staffs, and dedicated to the single purpose of i)utting 

 supply and demand on a sound and simple economic basis. 



If I were a lumberman, I would refuse to let the consumer "pass 

 the buck." I would insist that he bear his full burden of the 

 joint-responsibility of the wood industry to set its house in order. 

 This is the sort of economic engineering which alone can design 

 and bnild the structure which will span the Xiagara gorge of lum- 

 ber with a bridge able to carry the vast loads of the new age. 



(Continued from page 16) 

 that while statistics of the northern woods are invaluable to north- 

 ern operators, and statistics on southern woods are invaluable to 

 the southern operators, it stands to reason that such interchange 

 of statistics as are freely allowed under the law, will serve the 

 purpose of tremendously increased importance if this interchange 

 is carried on among manufacturers of competing woods. 



Southern Pine Operators Big Factors in Hardwood. 



Mr. Sherrill interjccteil a further thought having to do with the 

 matter of personnel within the hardwood manufacturing industry. 

 His reference was to the tremendously increased importance of the 

 position occupied by .southern manufacturers who until now have 

 been primarily or exclusively interested in the production of yel- 

 low pine. He cited six or eight outstanding examples in this con- 

 nection showing that these firms own and control anywhere from 

 ,■{00,000,000 to 800,000,000 feet of hardwood stumpage. In this con- 

 nection he referred to an editorial entitled "Changing Relations 

 of Southern Pine and Hardwood, ' ' appearing in a recent issue of 

 the New Orleans Lumber Trade Journal. 



Describes Institute Progress. 

 Quoting further frcjui ilr. .Slurriil, lie said: 



We have already employed an engineer and we expect to have him 

 working among the hardwood mills learning first the best results to 

 be obtained from the log to the manufacturer and when this program 

 is well in hand, we expect to expand this engineering department t<> 

 the extent that we can cover the entire consuming field to see how 

 we can meet their views and give the satisfaction that is necessary to 

 give to satisfy all concerned. We do not intend to stai't this work 

 today and stop tomorrow, but it shall be continued until we have done 

 our whole duty in connection with this great progressive movement 

 seeking to equalize and standardize lumber. 



Many humiliating incidents ba\'e transpired in the past six weeks. 



but those who have been the major sufferers have been willing and 

 are now willing to suppress and subdue their own personal feelings, 

 believing that as I expressed at the Washington conference the week 

 of May 22nd. "The brains of the industry are earnestly seeking ways 

 and means by which we can unify our efforts to bring the entire hard- 

 wood industry into one common thought, which is to do our full duty 

 as a part of this great program to equalize, standardize and simplify 

 the practices of the lumber industry of the United States to such an 

 extent that it will be pleasing to ail within the trade, the consuming 

 public and the public at large. 



He closed with the following remarks: 



To this end I most cordially invite all of you or any of you to come 

 into fellowship with the members of the Hardwood Manufacturers' 

 Institute, who will receive you with open arms and with a glad heart 

 and a receptive mind for any suggestions, criticisms or advice that 

 you may have to offer that will help to make a complete picture of 

 ; he n"^nufacturing industr.v of the United States, in its efforts to 

 make as nearly as possible perfect work of this most important ques- 

 tion now before us for consideration. 



Pertinent Information 



French Market for American Hardwoods 



Before the war the French forests furnished annually an average of 

 707.612 M board feet of hardwoods, not including mine props. An addi- 

 tional 254,232 M board feet came from trees planted as hedges on farms 

 and along the roads and canals. The total annual production of hard 

 woods was, therefore, 961,844 M board feet. The present French pro 

 ductive capacity of hardwoods is estimated at 847,440 M board feet an 

 nually — a decrease of 114,404 M board feet, as compared with pre-war 

 years. This decrease is due principally to the fact that during the war 

 the French forests had to furnish the deficit incurred because of the dif- 

 ficulty in importing hardwoods from abroad. The figures given do not 

 include Alsace and Lorraine. The production of those regions is not even 

 sufficient for local needs. The consumption requirements will, accordingly, 

 constitute a further drain (not especially important) on the national 

 forest resources. 



Use of Hardwoods in Frajice 



By far the greater part of the hardwood production consists of oak. 

 The uses for oak in France are numerous. In former times beams and 

 rafters, as well as interior w(H)dwork in houses, were principally of oak. 

 much of which is still in service. Oak is now used to a very large extent 

 for furniture making and in making doors, windows and floors. 



Certain quantities of birch, beech and elm are also produced. Beech 

 is used considerably for furniture, especially bent-wood furniture, and 

 also for railway ties, while birch is employed to some extent as a plywood 

 and also in the construction of aeroplanes. 



Rather large quantities of elm are used for making wagon and automo- 

 bile bodies, and much mahogany, okoum^ and rosewood are imported from 

 the French colonies and protectorates, principally for use in furniture 

 making. 



Although France has been importing wood from its colonies for a long 

 time, those imports have been confined to only a few species, and the quan- 

 tities have been rather small. Earnest efforts are now being made by the 

 government and by individuals interested in colonial woods to increase 

 their consumption in France. However, it does not seem that the importa- 

 tion of hardwoods from the colonies will have a marked effect on imports 

 of foreign hardwoods for some years to come. 



American Woods in Demand in France — Prices 



France normally ofi'ers a market for Ameri<'an hardwoods, such as oak, 

 hickory, walnut and gum. Certain quantities of beech, birch, maple, yellow 

 poplar and chestnut could also be imported. However, the principal im- 

 ports from the United .States consist of oak and gum. This does not in- 

 clude oak staves, of which imports from the United States are very large. 



At present the French market for all sorts of imported wood, especially 

 hardwoods, is dull. From all indications it is apparent that the fullest 

 possible utilization is being made of the French hardwood resources. 

 Brokers report that the demand for both imported and domestic hardwoods 

 is ernitic and intermittent, and the abnormal conditions tend to keep 

 stocks back. 



The principal activity in American hardwoods at the present time is in 

 sap glim and red gum. Sap gum, 1st and 2nd, is selling at $60 per M 

 superficial feet. Red gum, 1st and 2nd. is sold at $115 per M superficial 

 feet, while No. 1 common is offered at $78. Some business is being done 

 in oak and also in poplar logs from the United States, hut other American 

 hardwoods show little activity. 



While there are signs of improvement, the business depression continues 

 I-' retard buying. Imports from the United States, but other Ameri<-aii 



'•dwoods show change, the tendency being to draw on native resource^ 

 's large an extent as possible and to import from countries where 

 '' ^change is favorable. Large quantities of wood, especially oak, are 

 I'l'-'.cd to be now coming to France from Czechoslovakia, while certain 

 quantities of wood are also iK'ing purchased in Poland. — IjUmi)er Division. 

 U. S. Commerce Reports. 



