comme;nts on the; report 233 



behind the lumber price increase ; probably there will be no recession 

 from the higher stumpage values, but rather a continued increase in 

 stumpage values will be the rule. Neither the plan of the committee, 

 nor any other plan, will prevent an increase in stumpage values. For- 

 esters should welcome rather than express alarm at reasonable in- 

 creases in timber values, for higher values are necessary to and tend to 

 bring about the very thing which we all desire — continuous forest 

 production. However, some sound public forest policy must be 

 adopted to prevent stumpage from advancing at some future time be- 

 yond reasonable prices. Such figures have not yet been reached. 

 Stumpage values of the future, as in the past, will be determined by 

 the reaction of supply and demand, regardless of the particular form 

 of ownership. Of course, as the report suggests, we should grow 

 timber on a permanent production basis, so that large demand, coupled 

 with inadequate supply, may not force prices to unduly high levels. 



The report states that "The consumer suffers constantly by the 

 persistent lowering of quality" of the lumber which he uses. The 

 consumer's "suffering," if such it be, was and is inevitable regardless 

 of the methods used in lumbering. Even if all cut-over areas had im- 

 mediately been restocked in the past, we should still have to be satis- 

 fied with a lower quality of material than that obtained by utilizing 

 only the best of the virgin timber. 



For some reason the report drags in the exploded and discredited 

 idea of a lumber trust or timber monopoly; just why is not clear. 



Without discussion a few brief comments are offered on the pro- 

 posed plan ; the comments point out, more or less in the form of nega- 

 tive votes, those features of the plan which impress the speaker un- 

 favorably ; it is understood that such expression of opinion is desired. 

 The development of Federal organization or control any further than 

 proves absolutely necessary is not favored ; it is believed that the 

 committee's recommendations go unnecessarily far in this direction. 



The speaker does not favor the requirements of a standardized ac- 

 counting system, etc., organized under the Federal Trade Commission. 



The organization of special machinery for handling the relations of 

 the employer and the workman in the forest industries as such is not 

 favored ; no doubt something of the sort is desirable for industry in 

 general, but it is not believed feasible or proper to take such action 

 solely with respect to the forest industries. 



