HARDWOOD RECORD 



45 



anyway, or misplaced even to the extent of a farthing; hence we 

 recommeiul that this association is not only to be congratulated by 

 reason of the efficiency of its officers in charge, but that this same 

 zeal and energy is likely, and certainly will, perpetuate to this 

 association that success which we all have been striving after for 

 these years of our organization, namely : 



That this association must and soon will be the association of 

 lumbermen of the United States of America. This becomes so 

 much apparent to us from the fact that the interest wliich we are 

 emerging in our association work of developing the further inter- 

 course between the manufacturer, the merchant and the consumer 

 and user of our product. This is one of the strongest features that 

 this association has ever attempted, and although it is only in its 

 beginning, the good redounding from this meeting will be of sucli 

 character that it can be accomplished in the future, will tend to 

 develop an organization of unbiased strength, that will be impossible 

 to ever overcome by any other influence that is not friendly to this 

 association work. 



We congratulate the association on having such remarkable pro- 

 gram in its detail, outlining the various business and entertaining 

 features to come before us in this three-days' session; its papers 

 to present the reports of the past year's standing committees, as 

 well as the splendid entertaining features, are of the finest we liave 

 ever had the opportunity to enjoy. However, we believe that at 

 the same time, without interfering with any of this program, it 

 must be known that we have a great deal of business to attend to. 

 With this in mind we have, after deliberation, to recommend to this 

 association matters toucliing on the future of this organization, 

 and from the president's report the treasurer and secretary submit 

 you the following, which should be carried into eil'eet as much as 

 possible — 



The appointment of the following committees: 



A committee of three on the suljject of resolutions. 



That the committee on transportation and increase in freight 

 rates be continued as now e.xisting. 



A committee on grading and statistics on the following woods. 



Gum, to consist of nine ; Cottonwood, to consist of seven ; Hickory, 

 Pecan and Sycamore, to consist of three; Cherry, to consist of 

 three; Walnut and Butternut, to consist of three; Beecli, Birch, 

 Elm and Maple, to consist of seven; Vehicle Dimension Stock, to 

 consist of seven; Chair and Furniture Dimension, to consist of 

 nine; Oak Dimonsiun Tiraiicrs, or Car and (.'onstructiou Oak, to 

 consist of five; Oak Flooring, to consist of three. 



Also a committee on Statistics in Poplar, Basswood and Buckeye, 

 to consist of nine. 



Also a committee on Oak, Ash and Chestnut statistics, to consist 

 of nine. 



A committee on grading for Oak, Ash and Chestnut, to consist 

 of nine. 



A committee on Grading and Statistics for Mahogany, to consist 

 of three. 



A committee on the Corporation Tax, to consist of tliree. 



A committee on the subject of a Selling Code, to consist of three. 



Wi' take plea.'^iuf also to ri'i-onniiend the a]ipoiiitmeiit of all nt these 

 committees today to meet this afternoon, or tonight, immediately 

 after all other program events have been carried out. These com- 

 mittees to submit their report to the association before adjourn- 

 ment. 



The work of all these committees is of much importance to the 

 association, and the chairman of each committee is requested to 

 designate to his committee the time and place of such meeting, so 

 that all work that is to come before them can be taken promptly 

 in hand, and witli due notice of where such meeting rooms will be 

 held, the various otlier visitors can have the opportunity to present 

 themselves before such committee for consultation for having the 

 opportunity to represent the interest as shown from their section. 



There are matters of importance referred to in the reports sub- 

 mitted that can not, owing to the short space of time, be acted 

 upon intelligently by this committee; nor it may not be allotted 

 to the time allowed in holding this organization meeting. All sucli 

 matters and conditions are recommended to be referred to the in- 

 coming executive board, who meet during the intervals of the fiscal 

 year, so that they can take action as to their judgment to the best 

 interest of the association. 



W. B. TowxsEXD, Cliairnian. 

 A. G. Fkitchie, 

 A. B. RAX.<<OT\r. 



AFTERNOON SESSION, FEBRUARY 2 



The session was opened at o:oU p. in. and W. L. Hall of the Forest 

 Service was introduced. 



Mr. Hall: You know how startling it is sometimes to suddenly 

 meet a friend in a strange place; I assure you it is even more 

 startling to meet yourself in a strange place. That was my 

 situation this morning on seeing on the wall a card announcing 

 that I was to address the meeting. 



The past ten years forms an interesting period of hardwood 



history. Before 1900 the hardwood industry centered in the 

 states of Ohio and Indiana, and up to that year those states 

 produced probably their just output. Since then they have 

 gradually declined while other states have come into prominence 

 in hardwood production. At the present time practically every 

 state east of the Mississippi and several west of it are producing 

 heavily. 



As of locality, so of kinds of wood; in 1900 oak and poplar 

 furnished a large percentage of the output. They still continue 

 to do so though their production has been greatly reduced. 

 Other woods to a considerable etxent are filling their places. 

 The cut of such woods as birch, chestnut and red gum has greatly 

 increased. Woods which we did not cut until ten years ago have 

 become prominent, as for instance, beech, tupelo and black gum. 

 The present condition is one where every wood locality and 

 every kind of wood is yielding its greatest output, while the 

 production is less than it was ten years ago. 



If we turn from production to use, we note corresponding 

 changes since the wood output has diminished and business gen- 

 erally has grown. Other materials have necessarily taken the 

 place of wood in a number of uses. We have seen metal go far 

 towards replacing hardwood in car building; we have seen metal, 

 brick, tile and cement take the place of wood in house building. 

 Metal is also replacing hardwood in furniture manufacture, and 

 other materials are replacing hardwood in box making. 



We are making our good hardwoods go much farther than they 

 used to, through the great development of veneer manufacture, 

 and we are doing much in many ways to reduce the waste in the 

 manufacture and use of lumber. Such in part have been the 

 changes of the past ten years. We now face the future. What 

 must be our aim and how must we work to make the hardwood 

 industry a permanent one? The problem divides itself into two 

 aspects; First, we must do everything we can to make the timber 

 we have go as far as it will. 



Second, we must by some means or other provide for the renewal 

 of the. present timber supply. 



The problems of economy in use are problems which primarily 

 concern the lumber manufacturer and to a large extent the manu- 

 facturer- must solve it, but the Forest Service is, I believe, in a 

 position to aid the manufacturer greatly in this respect. The 

 Forest Service has establislied in co-operation with the University 

 of Wisconsin at Madison, a Forest Products Laboratory, the purpose 

 of which is to solve problems involved in the economic use of lumber. 

 We expect to work on many problems that will be of vital interest 

 to this and other lumber associations; for example, we mean to 

 take up the question of kiln drying, and in my opinion it will be 

 possible to find methods of kiln drying hardwood lumber with but 

 little loss from warping and cheeking, and in a few days where it 

 now takes months. 



Even when we efl'ect all possible economies in utilization, the 

 great problem of the hardwood industry will remain unsolved. 

 Unless means are put into efi'ect to renew the forest as it is cut 

 away, the hardwood industry is founded upon sand. 



I do not refer especially to the planting of trees; you might 

 plant trees with your entire force of men during the whole planting 

 season, but that would not solve the problem. Xature is the 

 great tree planter. Slie plants millions to our one. What we 

 need to do is to remove the obstacles to the natural reproduction of 

 the hardwood forests — one of the greatest of these is fire. We must 

 abate the fires by state laws where necessary and by combined 

 action among ourselves. Another important obstacle to be removed 

 is high taxes, which make it impossible for lumbermen to hold 

 their lands for a second crop. The great problem must be solved by 

 the federal government, b.y the states and by individuals, and much 

 of the preliminary work must be done by the states; therefore the 

 first work of the lumberman should be to see that the states make 

 conditions possible for the furtherance of forest conservation. 



The problem of trade conditions is a most important one; it 

 is important that prices be high enough so that lumbermen can 

 bring out of the woods all his sound timber, but the great diffi- 

 culty is that of supply, and the old adage is true of the hard- 

 wood industry that, "Xone is so far from market as he who has 

 nothing to sell." 



The president then introduced Victor H. Beckman, secretary 

 of the Pacific Coast Manufacturers' Association. Mr. Beckman 

 discussed the question of odd lengths. 



The jircsident then saiil: 



"We have with us this afternoon the manager of the National 

 Lumber Manufacturers' Association, Mr. Leonard Bronson. This 

 association is composed of different manufacturing organizations 

 of the United States, from coast to coast. Its work is national in 

 character, and we would like Mr. Bronson to explain to us the 

 work that is to be carried on by that organization." 



Me. BbonsoN:- — Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen of the Convention: 

 I do not think it necessary to go over very extensively the 

 work and purposes of the National Lumber Manufacturers' Asso- 

 ciation, because they are your own purposes — its work is yours. 



