16 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



November 10, 1918 



man people. Probably if they are speedily fed and given employ- 

 ment, readjustment in Germany may be accomplished without physical 

 disorder 8ueh as is making of Russia a picture which would be more 

 fitting to the period of the dark ages. It is to bo hoped that the 

 German nation may have a sufficiently healthy resistance to prevent 

 contamination by the Eussian social disease. If there is still suf- 

 ficient authority in Germany so that the terms of the armistice may be 

 lived up to, the physical power of the German people will be so 

 clipped that there will be no great danger in the future. On the 

 other hand, if the Russian influence should spread quickly enough 

 throughout Germany so that there would not be sufficient authority to 

 control the army and enforce adherence to the armistice terms, there 

 would exist in Germany a powerful army, powerfully equipped, which 

 if brought under the murderous influence of Russian fanatics, would 

 not only cause continued horrors and hardships in Germany, but 

 would create a situation that would be overcome by the Allies only 

 by further military action which might be carried over a considerable 

 period of time. It is reported that Hindenburg is still in Germany 

 and has placed himself and the army at the disposal of the new 

 government, whatever that might be, and this fact may be considered 

 either an Ul omen or a good omen. Hindenburg 's retention might 

 mean continuance of the old regime, although considering the present 

 temper of the German people, this hardly seems possible. On the 

 other hand, his continued direction of military power wOl undoubtedly 

 serve to hold together the instruments of authority and prevent the 

 orgies of misused power prevaOing in Russia. 



The turn of events in the next month will indicate the outcome 

 and will determine how speedily the Americans abroad may be re- 

 turned to industrial production in this country and how speedily 

 our war production may be made over to normal production. De- 

 velopments in Europe will be the one controlling factor in so far as 

 our full return to complete normal conditions is concerned. But, in 

 the meantime it is assured that imlustries and commercial conditions 

 wiU be given every encouragement for speedly return to normal 

 footing as far as this is possible under the abnormal conditions which 

 will maintain as long as our army is on European soU. 



Red Gum Misunderstood 



IN THE LONDON TIMBER TRADES JOURNAL of England, 

 issue dated October 12, an article by Herbert Stone is printed, 

 dealing with wood's shrinking and its absorption of moisture. 

 Mr. Stone illustrates a point by speaking thus of red gum: 



"We find, however, that a species of especially uniform struc- 

 ture, the red gum (or satin walnut as it is called) shrinks and 

 warps excessively. It is said to twist like a worm when laid before 

 a fire, and to have no utility whatever for that reason. It has 

 found favor for cheap furniture and paving blocks notwithstand- 

 ing this reputation." 



Mr. Stone has a high reputation as an authority on wood, but 

 he is far behind the time with regard to red gum. This wood 

 passed out of use as paving block material a quarter of a century 

 ago; but his worst break is the statement that it is a wood for 

 "cheap" furniture. This sounds somewhat out of harmony with 

 the claim that red gum is the finest cabinet wood of the United 

 States. More than 100,000,000 feet of it goes into furniture yearly 

 in this country, and it is largely high class furniture. This is in 

 addition to 120,000,000 feet a year that goes into interior house 

 finish, and 130,000,000 feet, log measure, converted annually into 

 veneers which are largely used for furniture and house finish. 

 This does not indicate that red gum's reputation is bad. 



It enjoys so high a reputation that it has largely replaced Cir- 

 cassian walnut in this country for furniture, interior house finish, 

 and for musical instruments. It so closely resembles this aristo- 

 cratic walnut that the ordinary observer cannot distinguish one 

 from the other, though the experienced wood worker knows the 

 difference. 



Red gum must be properly seasoned or it will not give satis- 

 factory service in fine cabinet work. Its seasoning problems were 



once looked upon as serious, but the secret has now been learned. 

 Two hundred years ago Mark Catesby, who wrote a famous natural 

 history of the Carolinas, wrote of red gum, Vol. 1, page 65: 



"The wood is good timber and is used in wainscoting, etc. The 

 grain is fine and some of it beautifully variegated and very fit for 

 curious work in joinery; but when wrought too green is apt to 

 shrink and fly apart from its joints, to prevent which no less than 

 eight or ten years is sufficient to season its planks." 



This old writer indicates that gum 's seasoning difficulties had 

 been mastered in his day, though air seasoning was resorted to 

 and several years were necessary. With modern kilns, the sea- 

 soning of gum is a simple matter; and the allegation that its 

 principal use is for paving blocks and cheap furniture is quite 

 out of date. 



Back to the Old Ways 



THE LUMBER INDUSTRY has some things to expect pretty 

 soon after the close of the war. The exigencies of the conflict 

 upset many customs and habits in the lumber business, and forced 

 lumbermen to follow new lines and work in ways never tried before 

 in this country. Orders were sent out that shipments were to be' 

 made in certain directions or not at all; the erection and repair of 

 buildings were discouraged; there were priorities and non-essentials 

 which hindered or helped business — generally hindered. Embargoes 

 were established; prices were regulated; wages, labor, and hours 

 were made the subject of rules by those in authority. Artificial re- 

 straints or stimulants were applied. In short, the carrying on of 

 the lumber business became a problem wholly different from any 

 prewar experience in this country. 



Lumbermen cheerfully and loyally carried out the government's 

 orders and suggestions. Though some of the regulations pinched, 

 little criticism or complaint was heard. The situation was ac- 

 cepted in the best spirit; all pulled together to win the war, and 

 succeeded in doing so. 



Now the time is in sight when the former methods of doing busi- 

 ness will come back. Restraints and interference, which were 

 acquiesced in as necessities of war, are not expected to hold long 

 after peace is restored. Lumbermen will again be doing competi- 

 tive business, buying and selling where the best bargains are to be 

 found, with no restrictions except those interposed by the ordinary 

 laws and rules of trade. 



A large number of regulations, rules, and restraints must be 

 annulled or revoked; for no one expects the government hereafter 

 to take any part in determining the styles of furniture to be made; 

 the specifications to be followed by box makers; the territories into 

 which and out of which certain kinds of lumber shall be shipped, 

 or the quantity to be shipped. Scores of war measures will not 

 be enforced in peace, because the occasion will not call for such 

 enforcement. It cannot be said just how speedily peace measures 

 will come back and war methods will depart. Perhaps legislation 

 will be necessary to bring about some of the changes, while in 

 other cases, common consent without any new laws or repeal of 

 war measures will be all that will be necessary. 



What kind of business lies beyond the end of the war, naturally 

 gives some concern. No apparent reason exists why the lumber 

 business shall not be good. Lumber is needed and money to buy 

 it ought to be plentiful. 



Many people wear partly wooden shoes without knowing it. The 

 shank is a thin piece of wood placed between the outer and inner 

 shoe soles, under the arch of the foot to hold that part of the shoe 

 in shape. The shank is never visible unless the shoe is torn to 

 pieces, consequently, persons may never see one of these pieces of 

 wood, though making use of them. The wood is about one-sixteenth 

 of an inch thick, two inches wide and three or four long. It 

 is generally made of paper birch, though m.any woods might be 

 used. The wooden shank is a factory product and is shipped by 

 the barrel to shoe factories. 



