EDITORIAL COMMENT 51)1 



presentation of the absolute necessity for the practice of forestry on 

 private lands and a direct caU to action. ]\Ir. Cnlbertson's alkision to 

 forestry was briefer, but along somewhat the same lines. While ex- 

 pressing the belief that a sound lumber export policy is a national asset 

 and not inconsistent with the interests of American consumers and the 

 conservation of our natural resources, he called attention to the fact 

 that we cannot have a permanent export policy which does not include 

 plans for stabilizing domestic production and conserving our natural 

 resources. He pointed out very pertinently that the continued exist- 

 ence of an export trade in lumber — and for that matter the very exist- 

 ence of the lumber industry itself — depends on the maintenance of our 

 forest resources. 



These warnings that the lumber industry must be stabilized by the 

 practice of forestry do not seem to have evoked so much as a ripple of 

 interest. The Congress listened politely, applauded politely, and 

 promptly proceeded w^ith its discussion of w^ays and means to sell more 

 lumber. It is a remarkable fact that to all appearances those present 

 had no interest whatever in the future of their industry. 



The need for stimulating sales by convincing the public that no re- 

 duction in the present low prices can be expected came in for consid- 

 erable attention. The Sherman anti-trust law received the customary 

 attack. The organization under Government sanction of a combina- 

 tion of lumber-selling agencies was advocated as a means of insuring 

 the receipt of prices based on cost and reasonable return on the invest- 

 ment, and not on the figure at which purchases could be made under 

 unrestrained competition on the part of the selling agencies. 



Members of the Congress were strongly urged to support the home- 

 building campaign inaugurated by the Department of Labor as an 

 effective means of selling more lumber. The "Own your own home" 

 and "Build now" slogans met with special favor. One speaker pointed 

 out that the lumber industry is now in the fortunate position of finding 

 its business being made a patriotic issue by the Government — a support 

 enjoyed by no other industry. Those attending the Congress were ad- 

 vised by J. R. Moorehead, Secretary-Manager of the Southwestern 

 Lumbermen's Association, to push the establishment of building and 

 loan associations by each State for every community within its bound- 

 aries as a means of promoting construction. Mr. Moorehead made it 

 plain, however, that his advocacy of home-building was not prompted 

 entirely by mercenary motives. He placed the matter on a much higher 

 plane and pointed out that a moral obligation rested upon the lumber- 

 men of the countrv to assist those less fortunate than themselves to 



