18 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



October 10, 1918 



The conservation program for the furniture industry will be 

 extended, it is understood, as soon as certain branches of the in- 

 dustry not covered by the program heretofore promulgated can be 

 taken care of. The lines to be covered next are desks, office chairs, 

 jiovelty furniture, summer furniture, kitchen cabinets, etc. 



One of the busy men in the conservation division of the war in- 

 dustries board is J. E. Ware, head of the packing and container 

 section, whose job it is to save car space, prevent waste of shipping 

 and transportation facilities, etc. He is working in connection 

 with sixty-one industries along these lines. Mr. Ware is an old 

 furniture man from Grand Rapids, but of late years has been con- 

 nected with the Maesel Ware Company, New York jobbers, who 

 control the product of the John D. Raab Chair Company, Grand 

 Eapids Upholstering Company, Wallace Furniture Company, Grav- 

 hiser Cabinet Making Company, and Carrollton Furniture Company. 



Secretary of the Treasury McAdoo has asked the senate finance 

 committee to report and pass the revenue bill with as little delay 

 as possible, but it is reported at the committee room that a month 

 may elapse before the committee finishes consideration of the meas- 

 ure. The committee is not yet through with the income tax sec- 

 tions of the bill. 



It will soon take up the question of amending the excess profits 

 tax sections so as to allow for the recognition of borrowed capita! 

 and to recognize the current value instead of original cost as the 

 proper basis for taxation. Amendments along these lines have 

 teen suggested by lumber interests. The committee has before it 

 testimony heard by it from Gen. L. C. Boyle of Kansas City, repre- 

 senting the National Lumber Manufacturers' Association; Massey 

 Holmes, attorney for the Southern Pine Association, and Jesse 

 Andrews, representing the Long Bell Lumber Company, who urged 

 amendment of the bill. 



Following the protests and pleas of retail lumbermen and others, 

 a new regulation controlling nonwar construction for the period 

 of the war was adopted by the War Industries Board authorizes 

 new constructions for farm purposes without jiermit where the 

 aggregate cost involved does not exceed $1,000. This is in addi- 

 tion to the other exceptions from the general rujjulation laid down 

 by the priorities division of the War Industries Board that all non- 

 war construction shall be done on special permit. 



' Interesting Report on Future of Lumber Export Business 



Criticisms of the methods employed in the export lumber trade 

 of the United States are contained in a report made public by the 

 Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce, Department of Com- 



" Probably the worst complaints made against American lum- 

 ber," says the report, "have been in regard to qualities and have 

 been due largely to hurried or otherwise inefficient grading or to 

 the lack of adequate grading rules recognized by both parties to 

 the contract." 



Comparatively few mills in this country have specialized in cut- 

 ting for export trade or have endeavored to market their product 

 abroad themselves. Lack of knowledge of conditions in foreign 

 countries has made direct selling too difficult and expensive fo\ 

 firms that were selling lumber for consumption in foreign coun- 

 tries mainly to get rid of their surplus stock. 



When the war is over the subject of export trade will be a much 

 livelier one to the lumber industry than it ever has been before, 

 and the constructive criticisms in the government's report are 

 aimed solely to assist in the necessary preparation for meeting 

 conditions as they will exist when the demand for reconstruction 

 materials makes itself felt. Some of the future competition will 

 come from countries that have specialized in foreign trade for 

 many years. 



The report describes in detail the present rather haphazard 

 system of exporting lumber, points out its shortcomings, and makes 

 practical suggestions as to methods of developing the trade. 

 Edward Ewing Pratt, formerly chief of the Bureau of Foreign and 

 Domestic Commerce, is the author of the bulletin, which is entitled 

 "The Export Lumber Trade of the United States," Miscellaneous 

 Series No. 67. Copies are sold at 20 cents each by the Superin- 



tendent of Documents, Government Printing Office, Washington, 

 D. C, and by all the district and co-operative offices of the Bureau 

 of Foreign and Domestic Commerce. 



High Lights on the Ship Program 



Reports of differences between Chairman Hurley of the shipping 

 board and Director General Schwab of the fleet corporation over 

 the wooden ship building program are denied by both gentlemen. 

 One report said Hurley had offered his resignation. Hurley de- 

 clares these rumors are German propaganda. It has been under- 

 stood for a long time that Schwab was not much in favor of wooden 

 boats. 



J. O. Heyworth, chief of the wooden ship division of the board, 

 has issued a challenge to the world to beat the record of a west 

 coast company recently in building a 4,000-ton wood ship 96 per 

 cent complete in 17 V2 days. 



With 100 ships completed in September, the shipping board is 

 asking Congress for $484,000,000 more funds for ship building, and 

 has announced that the government concrete shipyards are com- 

 pleted and that 42 concrete ships will be finished within a year. 

 The shipping board has issued the following: 



A German-owned shipyard in the United States has laid its first keel 

 for the new American merchant marine. This event took place at St. 

 Andrews Bay, Millyille, Fla. The company, known as the American Lum- 

 ber Company, has been taken over by Alien Property Custodian A. 

 Mitchell Palmer, and is now under American management. 



McAdoo Makes Statement on Embargo 



The following statement explanatory of the lumber embargo 

 order has been issued by Director General of Railroads McAdoo: 



This order was not issued on account of any particular congestion or 

 accumulation, but in order to bring the movement of lumber into the 

 industrial territory under such control as will prevent undue accumula- 

 tion or overshipments, also delay to cars and other elements of transpor- 

 tation waste. 



The experience of the freight traffic committees which have been operat- 

 ing in New Tork, Philadelphia, and Baltimore for some months past 

 demonstrates not only the desirability but the practicability of regulating 

 the flow of traffic by the permit system, based on conditions at destina- 

 tion, with particular reference to the need of the consignee and his ability 

 to handle the freight promptly on arrival. 



It Is not the intent to stop the movement of lumber of other forest 

 products, but merely to control it. 



It is provided that permits will be issued by authorized bodies upon 

 preseotatinn by the consignee of evidence which Justifies transportation 

 service. This evidence will necessarily differ in different cases, the test 

 being in each instance whether the need at destination and conditions 

 there and en route are such as to warrant the particular movement at 

 the particular time in its relation to other demands for transportation 

 service. 



On account of short notice which was given it has been necessary to 

 consider as in transit such cars as were in process of loading at the time 

 the order was received by railroad officers at various points. 



Regarding Box Lumber Specifications 



The following interpretation has been secured regarding hard- 

 wood army canned goods boxes, from the Quartermaster General's 

 office: 



Replying to your inquiry as to what interpretation should be put upon 

 paragraphs relating to the thickness of woods in different groups in sup- 

 ply circular No. 22 and inspection manuel bulletin No. 32, yon are advised 

 that when export boxes are manufactured of woods falling in groups 3 

 and 4 as specified in supply circular No. 22, they may be not less than 

 %" thick for ends and not less than -ft" thick for sides, tops and 

 bottoms. 



Supply Circular 22 was issued by the purchase and supply branch. 

 Purchase, Storage and Traffic Division, General Staff, and governs all 

 War Department specifications for particular boxes. It specifies Groups 

 3 and 4 the same as above Bulletin 32. For your information these 

 groups are as follows : 



Group III : White elm, red gum, sycamore, pumpkin ash, black ash, 

 black gum, tupelo, maple, soft or silver. 



Group IV : Hard maple, beech, oak, hackberry, birch, rock elm, white 

 ash. 



Export canned goods boxes made of other woods, i. e., those in Groups 

 I and II, must have not less than %" ends and not less than %" sides, 

 tops and bottoms. 



Organize Division for Purchase of Vehicles 



Brigadier-General R. E. Wood, acting quartermaster general, an- 

 nounces the organization of a motors and vehicles division in the 



