loO JOURNAL OF FORESTRY 



the Government base price for each species should automatically go 

 out of existence on the expiration of the period for which it was fixed. 

 Thus the fixed price for eastern si)ruce expired on December i, that 

 for southern yellow pine on December 23, and for Douglas fir the date 

 set is January 15, 1919. • 



There were many interesting phases of Government control of the- 

 lumber industry which were inaugurated during the present year, more 

 drastic steps being taken from month to month during the latter half 

 of 1918. It was not found necessary to ration the lumber industry as 

 was done in Great Britain, but steps were taken to control shipments 

 and curtail the use of lumber for what were regarded as the less essen- 

 tial industries. Direct Government needs, including lumber for can- 

 tonments, shipbuilding, airplane manufacture, and like uses, were 

 placed on a preference list and were given priority in shipment over 

 lumber destined for less essential uses. Transportation proved to be 

 the keystone of control. Regulations were put into effect establishing 

 embargoes on shipment into some sections and a system of priority 

 permits established, requiring each shipper to have a priority order for 

 a given shipment before it would be accepted by a transportation com- 

 pany. In this way shipments could be made for non-essential civilian 

 requirements only when they did not interfere with the movement of 

 lumber for some preferred use. 



There early developed a labor shortage in shipbuilding plants, muni- 

 tion factories, and on other Government projects, and relief was sought 

 by the curtailment of less essential industries through denying them 

 labor and supplies. One of the most sw^eeping orders was the curtail- 

 ment of non-essential building operations- It was found that normally 

 1,500.000 men were employed in building construction, that 25 per cent 

 of the tonnage moved by railroads was of building materials, and that 

 large quantities of steel were used by the trade, which could not be 

 spared, because the total production of steel in the United States during 

 the last half of 1918 would fall short of meeting actual essential re- 

 quirements. 



The War Industries Board thereupon issued an order prohibiting all 

 new construction in excess of $1,000 without a special permit, which 

 was later modified in some minor respects. This served to release a 

 large number of laborers for other work, eased up the transportation 

 situation, which was critical, and made available for military purposes 

 a very large part of the steel production of the country. 



Soon after the armistice was signed these restrictions were removed 

 and the building industry was again permitted to take its normal course. 



