October 25, lOlS 



HAKDWOOD RECORD 



23 



where needed. Uiiele Sam would agree to transport them to the 

 job and see that tliey are properly paid and taken care of. Gov- 

 ernment officials are enthusiastic over the plan. 



There are rumors of government price fixing plans for hardwoods, 

 but they are not confirmed. 



The price hearing and conference relative to Pennsylvania hem- 

 lock lumber has been postponed until about November 1.5. 



The work of selecting officers and making other arrangen'.cuts in 

 connection with the recruiting of twenty new battalions of the 

 Twentieth forest engineers regiment has been taken over by Lieut. 

 Col. Court DuBois of that regiment. Lieut. Col. H. C. Bowlby, 

 who came back from France to begin it, has been "assigned to 

 similar work in connection with the recruiting of several new regi- 

 ments of sapper troops. 



Col. DuBois, who has been in France for some time, has now 

 gone to the Pacific coast, where he will be for two or three weeks 

 in connection with the recruiting of the new battalions. In his 

 absence Major David T. Mason of the Twentieth foresters is in 

 charge of the office of the new battalions in Washington. 



It is stated that 1.5,000 children of workers in big munition boom 

 towns are to be educated at the expense of the federal government 

 in school buildings erected at its expense. About $2,500,000 have 

 been set aside for these buildings. 



Over 2,500,000 rifles have been turned out by American muni- 

 tion works, it is officially stated, since the United States entered 

 the war. 



NEED OF MOTOR TRUCKS 



So great is the need for motor vehicles by the American expedi- 

 tionary forces that instructions have been issued here to speed np 

 the production of tJi'ucks in this country and their assembly at 

 army motor transport stations, also their shipment overseas. At 

 the same time warning has been issued that trucks should be re- 

 paired wherever possible instead of being scrapped or replaced by 

 new vehicles. 



In announcing its findings suggesting price adjustments on print 

 paper, the Federal Trade Commission has tliis to say about "wood 

 cost increases": 



The accountants' report shows an increase in wood cost for the Inter- 

 national Paper Company amounting to ^^.'5 per ton of paper. In arriv- 

 ing at the base price of $3.10 per 100 lbs. effective April 1, 191S, the 

 C(>nimission took into account an increase in cost of $2.50 per ton of 

 paper, since the International Paper (.'ompauy and the Minnesota & 

 Ontario Power Company were practically on a new wood basis after 

 April 1. 



In calculating the base price of $3.50 per hundred pounds, the review- 

 ing arbitrators also apparently tCK* into consideration, the factor of 

 increased wood cost. They say in paragraph 15 : 



The actual cost of making one ton of newsprint paper in an average 

 mill, out of recently gathereil wvud an<l without any allowance for stump- 

 age not actually paid, was not less than .$48, on or about April 1, 1918. 



No wt)od has been gathered since that date, wherefore the Increased 

 wood cost is taken to be included in the reviewing arbitrators' calcula- 

 tions. 



The commission, therefore, finds that no increase in price is to be made 

 as a result of claimed increases in wood costs. 



A recent ruling of the car service section of the railroad ad- 

 ministration allows all shipments of forest products consigned 

 direct to coal mine companies to move without permit under the 

 general lumber embargo. 



MEETING CERTAIN WAR CONDITIONS ' 



The National Bureau of Lumber Distributors believes that it has 

 gotten its engine oiled, tuned up and shaken down, and that it is 

 in a position to turn its attention to matters such as the following: 



Assisting our memliers in disposing of side-cuts and red cedar shingles. 



Work in connection with the housing corporation. 



Matters pertaining to the embargo, which is a very large proposition 

 l>ut which thus far is working satisfactorily, according to the. officials of 

 tile railroad administration. 



Work in connection with the U. S. Chamber of Commerce. 



Handling exemptions for essential men liable to draft who are connected 

 with our independent mill friends. 



The United States Employment Service believes that many car- 

 penters and builders can be diverted from unnecessary jobs to war 

 work. It bases this belief on reports it has received from many 

 citifes and from building trades organizations, etc. At present 



there is a shortage of thousands of earpontors on army construc- 

 tion work, whereas many thousands are reported avail.able in the 

 Middle West. 



Sixty-nine wooden steamers by January 1 is the ambitious pro- 

 gram of the state of Oregon. ' The types under construction there 

 range from the .3,.500 Ferris ship to the 5,000 Daugherty type. 



The good points about the Ferris ship are believed to hav? lieen 

 shown some time ago when the Ferris wooden ship Coyote stood 

 the test of a hurricane in a port in North Atlantic islands. Despite 

 a 90 mile per hour, extremely heavy seas, a collision with another 

 ship, the fouling of her anchors by two or tliree other vessels, and 

 being driven into two coaling jetties that she smashed and finally 

 being driven ashore, the Coyote returned to this country under her 

 own steam, dodging submarines en route, and was inspected and 

 reported in good condition by government officers. 



Veneer Supplies 



Arrangements are being made under which it is tliought that all 

 the birch veneer required for the government airplane pr'ogram 

 may be obtained. It is planned for the government to buy birch 

 face veneer, which will be turned over to the contractors who make 

 panels and veneering for airplane construction. This will not be 

 necessary, it is understood, with regard to core stock for the panels. 

 Some of this will be basswood — more than has heretofore been used 

 for this purpose. 



It is stated that prices have not been decided upon, nor have 

 contracts been awarded. Information as to the quantities of veneer 

 corestoek and paneling to be obtained is not available. These and 

 other points connected with the matter were the subject of discus- 

 sion at a recent conference here between Mr. Philbrick of the 

 director of lumber's office, Mr. Wickliff of the aircraft bureau hard- 

 wood section; Roy Jones, manager of the Northern Hardwood Emer- 

 gency Bureau, and representatives of a number of birch and bass- 

 wood veneer firms of Wisconsin, Michigan and other northern states. 



It is exijected that another conference will be necessary to settle 

 some of the points that came up at the recent meeting. Meanwhile 

 it is understood that the Federal Trade Commission will investigate 

 the costs and business of a few representative concerns, so that a 

 reasonably fair idea can be obtained as to what i^riees ought to be 

 paid for the panel veneer stock. 



The Northern Hardwood Emergency Bureau has been quite busy 

 lately handling government orders for hemlock lumber. Already 

 such orders have reached 10,000,000 feet this month. 



Postponement of the price fixing committee 's hearing on Penn- 

 sylvania hemlock lumber prices, also on prices of New England 

 spruce lumber, has been decided upon for thirty days. 



Earl Smith of the office of the director of lumber is slated for a 

 commission as first lieutenant in the 20th forestry regiment, which 

 is being recruited in this city. F. L. Sanford of Zona, La., and other 

 well-known lumbermen are also reported to be scheduled for army 

 commissions. 



R. B. Allen, secretary of the West Coast Lumbermen 's Associa- 

 tion, has left for his home in Washington state. - 



One furniture exhibition per year has been authorized by the war 

 industries board, it is understood, although there has been consider- 

 able sentiment in official circles against such affairs. The conces- 

 sion granted is considered a big thing for the furniture industry. 

 P. B. Schravesande of the wood products section of the War Indus- 

 tries Board has been working overtime for an exhibition. The 

 exhibit may be held at more than one place, but all at the same 

 time, namely, April or Maj'. 



The War Industries Board has issued a final schedule or program 

 of conservation for the furniture industry, so far as bedroom, din- 

 ing room and upholstered furniture, chairs, parlor frames, extension, 

 library and bedroom tables are concerned. The new schedule is con- 

 siderably different from the tentative one promulgated several 

 weeks ago. 



Motor Truck Contracts 



Contracts for motor trucks, chasses, ambulances, trailers, tractors, 

 passenger cars, motorcycles and bicycles aniounting to approximately 

 $130,000,000 have been placed by the motors and vehicles division in the 

 oflice of the director of purchase and storage to supply the roquiremeuts 



