138 JOURNAL OF FORESTRY 



and employee were established. The lack of harmony was not peculiar 

 to the Northwest, but was evidenced in every lumber manufacturing 

 region. The reason that it stands out prominently on the Pacific coast 

 is that the necessity for the production of specific material was there 

 most pressing, and the industry under the previous methods in vogue 

 could not meet the requirements. 



The last eighteen months have brought out very plainly the fact that 

 the industry is extremely provincial in its viewpoint. Such marked 

 sectional differences exist that it appears hopeless to expect the various 

 lumber-producing regions to get together even on economic problems 

 of national interest to the industry. Not only has there proved to be 

 a sectional feeling in the industry, but also an intrasectional one, which 

 does not promise concerted action on questions of national forest policy. 

 While it is true that the lumbermen have met the demands made 

 upon them by the military program, it was largely because of the Gov- 

 ernment supervision which was inaugurated soon after our entrance 

 into the war and which served as a governor and stabilizing influence 

 throughout. While the industry on various occasions called attention 

 to its patriotism during the war period, we must not lose sight of the 

 fact that the lumber industry in most regions had a satisfactory price 

 period, and, in common with many other industries, was well rewarded, 

 financially, for the efforts which it put forth. Evidences of a desire 

 to profiteer were not always absent in their dealings with the Govern- 

 ment, as was evident at some of the price-fixing hearings, although this 

 disposition was displayed by small groups rather than by the industry 

 as a whole. 



The need for some control over the industry, so far as Government 

 requirements and price were concerned, was early recognized, and in 

 May, 191 7, there was organized in the Council of National Defense a 

 Lumber Committee, the duty of which was to advise the various Gov- 

 ernment departments in regard to specifications, possible sources of 

 material, and to serve as a general central source of information on 

 lumber- 

 It early developed that it was not feasible for the Government to 

 place orders with individual lumber com])anies, because of the large 

 quantities required and because there was no agency in Washington 

 which was sufficiently familiar with the business of each individual to 

 enable the placing of orders w^here they could be filled most expedi- 

 tiously. 



To meet this emergency the lumber interests of each producing sec- 

 tion organized emergency bureaus, through which orders for a given 



