24 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



6I6T '01 j^Jtinu-Bf 



Forest Products Statistics 



There has been established in Washington a bureau of informa- 

 tion which is called "The Statistical Clearing House." It is pre- 

 sumably a government organization, although it is not clearly 

 stated to be such. Its purpose is to furnish information along 

 certain lines, regarding government work. 



A bulletin of fifty-three pages, dated November, 1918, has 

 reached Hardwood Eecord, and a quotation from the preface is 

 here given: 



The purpose of this bulletin is to show the principal source of statistics 

 on forest prociucts. It Includes both original and secondary sources and 

 the various offices in Washington from which the tabulations may be 

 secured by properly accredited persons. Supplementary issues will be 

 Bent out later, as our files are constantly being revised and enlarged. 



An examination of the bulletin reveals that it lists all sorts of 

 information regarding the production of forest products, and the 

 promise that an inquirer on any particular point will have his 

 questions answered, so far as the government possesses the infor- 

 mation in any of its bureaus, divisions, and departments. 



In order to make use of the facilities for securing this informa- 

 tion, the prospective inquirer should secure a copy of the bulletin, 

 which presumably will be sent free upon request addressed to the 

 General Bureau of Planning and Statistics, Eoom 113 New Interior 

 Building, Washington, D. C. 



Validation of War Contracts 



The following summary of the present status of settlements on 

 informal war contracts was sent out this week from the office of 

 the secretary of the National Lumber Manufacturers' Association: 



Many war contracts made in good faith and upon reasonable authority 

 were, at the time of the armistice, not evidenced In formal writing. The 

 question has arisen as to the equitable settlement of these contracts and 

 the claims under them. 



The comptroller of the treasury who determines when public money may 

 legally be paid out, has held that the only legally binding contract Is one 

 complying with all technical requirements. Thus where proper signatures 

 or proper form have been lacking no adjustment has been possible. Some 

 cases have gone to the court of claims. 



Settlements are now proceeding on contracts existing In the form re- 

 quired by law. Frequently the formal contract has not been made out, 

 for several months after the order has been given and work started on 

 the contract. The armistice left many contracts thus uncompleted. The 

 comptroller has ruled that, after the armistice was signed, many of these 

 contracts cannot be validated by writing as the military need for the ma- 

 terials Involved no longer exists. Therefore additional legislation Is 

 needed to secure an equitable settlement. 



The War Department has offered a bill for an equitable adjustment. 

 With a slight modification by the comptroller of the treasury this became 

 the so-called Dent Bill which was introduced in the house. 



The Dent bill does not validate any contract. It merely authorizes the 

 secretary of war to use his discretion in making a settlement on an in- 

 formal contract or order. The bill does not make provision to protect 

 agreements or contracts not in writing, for example, made by telephone 

 and not yet confirmed in writing. 



It does not cover cases where material has actually been delivered to 

 the War Department but the contract not evidenced in proper form. Here 

 of course some relief sometimes can be had through the court of claims. 



To secure settlement under provisions of the Dent bill, the contractor 

 must waive all right to take the matter to the court of claims. 



The bill might be so interpreted as to prevent adequate settlement where 

 the contractor had made delivery in part, but had had large expense for 

 remaining goods as yet undelivered. It touches only contracts with the 

 War Department. 



The house committee on military affairs on December 9 reported a 

 revision. This bill covers "all agreements express or implied," but it does 

 not validate outstanding contracts. It leaves the settlement wholly to 

 the secretary of war. It affects only materials used in prosecution of 

 the war, a wording susceptible to a narrow interpretation. All settle- 

 ments to be allowed must be made by July 30, 1919. 



The war Industries board has proposed a bill which is broader than the 

 house bills and has some distinct advantages. It recognizes that where 

 production has been greatly stimulated by war orders, there must be a 

 gradual "tapering off" to enable such plants to get to a peace basis. 



It covers more kinds of contracts, contracts for production, for mate- 

 rials, for services, etc., incident to furnishing military equipment and 

 supplies. 



It authorizes the secretary of war to enter Into new contracts in proper 

 legal form, covering all necessary and reasonable expenditures incident 

 to the original contract, however informal the original contract may 

 have been. 



The senate military committee, on January 3. unanimously rejected the 

 War Department recommendations for legislation to validate informal con- 

 tracts. It reported favorably the Hitchcock bill. Introduced on January 

 3, which provides for validating such contracts, but places the adjustment 

 of the claims in the hands of a disinterested commission. Instead of in the 

 hands of the Secretary of War. 



The lumber Industry has many such informal contracts. The above 

 describes their present legal status. 



Meeting of Industrial Advisory Council 



A meeting of the industrial advisory council, which is composed 

 of the chairmen of the war service committees of the different in- 

 dustries, met in New York under the auspices of the Chamber of 

 Commerce of the United States, on January 3 and 4. About 200 

 industries were represented. 



The main purposes of this convention were to take action with 

 reference to validation of informal war contracts; disposal of sur- 

 plus stocks of war materials; commission of American business men 

 to France during peace conferences; legislative program. 



A war service executive council of the national chamber has been 

 named, including W. M. Bitter of Columbus, Ohio, representing 

 wood and wood products. 



The Chamber of Commerce will shortly issue to its members, a 

 referendum touching this subject, which is now in preparation. 



Protection for Memorable Oaks 



The city of New Orleans has appointed a tree doctor to look 

 after the health of two of its memorable live oaks, known locally 

 as George and Martha Washington. They stand in Audubon park, 

 and each tree is eleven feet in diameter, and has a wide spread 

 of branches, as is customary with live oaks. The two oaks are 

 very old and age is beginning to affect their health. Certain points 

 of decay are putting in an apperance on the truks, and the tree 

 doctor is expected to do some plugging with cement, as a dentist 

 plugs teeth with gold; and where the heavy branches droop so much 

 that they are in danger of breaking, they are to be shored up with 

 chains, bridles, stirrups, and props. 



The Italians Are Rebuilding 



The Italians have lost no time in getting to work rebuilding 

 where war destroyed. The devastation was worst in northeastern 

 Italy, in that region overrun by the Austrians before they were 

 held up by the Italian army on the Piave rilfer, and finally driven 

 back by General Diaz. The destruction of buildings in that region 

 was great, and rebuilding must be carried out on a large scale. 

 Italy has little building timber of its own and must depend upon 

 imports. The lumber for rebuilding will come in large part from 

 America. The Italians have been builders with stone principally, 

 because of the scarcity of timber and the abundance of good quar- 

 ries; but to build with stone is such a slow process that wood will 

 be more largely used than in the past. 



First Aid Outfits 



Owners of sawmills and woodworking factories in England are 

 required by law to provide tirst aid outfits for the benefit of their 

 workmen. The law went into effect January 1, 1919. Practically 

 all large mills and factories in the United States have some similar 

 arrangement in force for the care and protection of their employes, 

 though the law may not require it to be done. Provision for insur- 

 ance, or compensation for the injured, usually includes the neces- 

 sary measures for adequate care of those who may be hurt while 

 at work. 



Tree botanists have had a hard time giving the northern red oak 

 a name that would stick. They follow the name bestowed by Lin- 

 neus 175 years ago, Quercus rubra, until it was recently discovered 

 that the tree to which he gave that name was the yellow oak. That 

 left red oak without a book name, and it has been re-christened, 

 Quercus borealis, which means northern oak. 



