20 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



June 25, 1918 



world the qualities which before had been but potential. 



In developing their campaign in favor of the so-called "Brown 

 Resolution," the proponents thereof necessarily stirred up antag- 

 onism, and iu a measure, distrust of their motives. It might be 

 well here to interject the remark that this resolution is incorrectly 

 named as Mr. Brown was not individually responsible for it. He 

 acted merely as the appointed spokesman of those signing. Had 

 the resolution gone through without any particular effort or scrap, 

 it is certain that those opposing it would have retained the wrong 

 impression they had gained as to the motives of its originators. 

 However, in the arguments pro and con the real motives of its 

 advocates were demonstrated and the outcome was a negative vote 

 merely as to the wisdom of the measure. It was demonstrated to 

 the thorough satisfaction of those on the negative side that noth- 

 ing but the sincerest of motives prompted the promulgation of the 

 idea. 



As the opposition was imbued with a similar spirit of sincere 

 belief in the principle behind their stand, the outcome was a truer 

 appreciation by each side .of the merits of the other's case and of 

 the honesty of the other 's purposes. 



In the discussion of the resolution there was one common line 

 of hope exjjressed and that had to do v«th the future of the in- 

 dustry. At the conclusion of the debate there was probably a 

 more unified sentiment in favor of some mutually acceptable mean's 

 of amalgamation of all of the forces within the hardwood industry 

 than ever before. This came through an appreciation of the 

 fundamental necessity for such amalgamation. The day of co- 

 operation has been succeeded by the day of fusion — of actual 

 unification rather than mere harmonizing. The spirit of the entire 

 hardwood industry as represented at this inspiring meeting is 

 unitedly behind any effort that would bring about amalgamation 

 of a practicable form. Thus the future is bright and the hope for 

 one single body representing the hardwood industry of America is 

 justifiable. 



Cause and Effect 



WHILE FEW EMPLOYERS are speedy enough to keep abreast 

 of present day labor demands, the importance of this insatiable 

 appetite for more pay and less work is so kesn that it occupies a 

 position of major consideration. The big question is, "What will 

 be the outcome?" 



The government has set selling prices on softwoods and will prob- 

 ably now take up prices on hardwoods. This will result in an arbi- 

 trary figure above which the trade cannot go. At the same time the 

 cost of manufacture continues its dizzy climb, with the cost of labor 

 the main rung in the ladder. The outcome will be either a price 

 level that will amply cover increased cost and of an elastic nature 

 that will take care of further advances, or an arbitrary figure will 

 be set at what Washington thinks should be the cost but which 

 might very easily result in loss. 



As cost figures are now well understood, it is inconceivable that 

 any manufacturer would continue operating if government selling 

 prices reveal actual loss on his product. Thus, to guard against 

 this possibility and to protect their individual businesses, hardwood 

 lumbermen must have one representative body in Washington, which 

 will put up a clear-cut" case covering present conditions and all 

 possible contingencies. 



If the hardwood lumber trade is represented through the dele- 

 gates of a variety of associations, the chances are that resulting 

 prices will be disastrous to production as well as to profit. Co-opera- 

 tion is not sufficient. Amalgamation of interests is essential. 



Russian Timber Exports 



RUSSIA HAS GONE TO PIECES for the present, and is over- 

 whelmed with debt, and at this time has little desire and small 

 ability to pay; but when sanity returns to that peculiar people, 

 they will find it necessary to provide for the payment of this debt. 

 Men who are looking ahead are already figuring out ways and 

 methods of doing this. An article in a current magazine by A. J. 

 Sack presents some statistics on Russia's forest 



means of paying the billions of dollars due to home and foreign 

 creditors. 



The astonishing statement is made by this writer that Russia, 

 including Siberia, has 1,125,000,000 acres of timber, which is 63 per 

 cent as much as all the rest of the world possesses. This resource 

 is already being set aside by Russian economists as a fund to pay 

 the country' debts. The timber must be manufactured and mar- 

 keted, and the work will require years; but while it is being done, 

 the world's markets will be flooded with Russian lumber. 



The effect upon America's lumber business should be considered. 

 Except oak, which is generally known in the market as Japanese 

 oak, it is not probable that much Russian timber will come to the 

 United States; but it will compete with our lumber in other mar- 

 kets, notably those of Western Europe, and perhaps those of east- 

 ern Asia, western South America, and the Pacific islands. To that 

 extent our lumber business may be hurt by the flood of forest prod- 

 ucts from Russia. In normal times Germany received forty-eight 

 per cent of its lumber imports from Russia, and England's per cent 

 of timber imports from that source was nearly as large. 



Lumber shipments from Russia will come from the Baltic, from 

 the Arctic Coast of Russia proper and of Siberia, and from the 

 Pacific Coast of the latter country. The principal lumber markets 

 of the world can be reached from those points. 



The Conscription of Wealth 



TALK WITHOUT MUCH THOUGHT back of it is being heard 

 about the conscription of wealth for carrying on the war. The 

 idea that seems to be held by most people who do this talking is 

 that property should be drafted into service and used by the gov- 

 ernment; that instead of selling bonds from time to time, and 

 collecting taxes for war expenses, the government ought to take 

 property and use it. 



The government has the right to do this as a war measure. It 

 can take men and it can take property to the last man and the 

 last dollar, and it can be done according to law; but some things 

 are lawful which are not expedient, and the seizing of property is, 

 in most cases, inexpedient, and therefore should not be done. Most 

 of the talk has been on the subject of seizing sawmills and timber- 

 lands; but something is heard also of the conscription of agricul- 

 tural lands, manufacturing plants, mines, railroads, and other 

 property. 



The government is already getting the use of all the wealth in 

 the country, and what more could it get by taking possession of 

 the property? The production is all it can use. The output of the 

 mine, of the sawmill, and of the factory is all that counts. The 

 farm cannot assist the government, except by furnishing grain, 

 hay, and other foods and provender, and it is already doing that. 

 Sawmills can do no more than furnish lumber, and they are already 

 doing that. If the government should take possession of farms, it 

 would be obliged to till them; and it cannot do it so effectually and 

 so economically as the owners of the farms can do it, consequently, 

 to conscript agricultural land would certainly result in smaller 

 production. In almost every instance the owner is the best man- 

 ager of property. He is skilled in its use, and he knows how to 

 bring best results. Only in cases where owners of property are 

 not making it produce so much as it ought, would the government 

 be justified in seizing the property and assuming its management. 

 If the owner of a mine should refuse to dig coal, or would not sell 

 it at a reasonable price, the government could and ought to take 

 possession and increase production; for it cannot be too often or 

 too strongly emphasized that in carrying on the war, it is produc- 

 tion and not the property itself that counts. 



Liberty loans are paid from the earnings of property in private 

 hands. Property in government hands pays for no bonds. Ex- 

 perience has shown that the private business man is the most ef- 

 ficient business man; and it would seem to be the part of wisdom 

 to leave private property in private hands, and thus assure the 

 largest and most economic production for the use of the govern- 

 ment. 



