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particularly with mines and with oil and gas. Early in the summer 

 of 1919, a parallel section for the general forest industries was formed. 

 The organization of this section was initiated largely at the instance of 

 the lumber industry and it has been developed closely in co-operation 

 with it. These two sections are now grouped in the Bureau of Internal 

 Revenue in the Natural Resources subdivision. 



The exact manner in which the timber section was organized and 

 the way in which the work has been carried on is still indicative of a 

 continued open-minded approach and co-operative solution of all prob- 

 lems. Late in April, 1919, Major David T. Mason was called to Wash- 

 ington and requested to organize the Timber Section. The plan of 

 work and general superintendence over this kind of business has been 

 left largely to him. The Timber Section has enjoyed the greatest free- 

 dom of action and its suggestions have been received in an entirely 

 open-minded manner. The section is then, in turn, held as completely 

 responsible for the entire action. 



By this means the Timber Section itself came to the problem with 

 full authority to carry out the work as it saw fit and with as full re- 

 sponsibility for the proper redemption of its authority. It could pro- 

 ceed, in turn, in the light of its present best knowledge and belief or 

 could continue to gather to it such thought and enlightenment as might 

 best help. The latter course was chosen for the obvious but too little 

 recognized reason that no one might be expected to know as much of 

 the industry as those immediately and constantly in contact with its 

 problems. Each step which the Timber Section takes has brought to it 

 all of the thought which can reasonably be brought to bear. The in- 

 dustry is constantly in close touch with the work and is requested to 

 co-operate in it by means of constructive suggestion. These sugges- 

 tions are received in an open-minded manner and acted upon when 

 well founded. In cases where suggestions cannot be acted upon an 

 effort at reconciliation, in order that the reasons why they cannot be 

 followed may be clear, is attempted. So far, these efforts have been 

 almost universally accepted, and the industry has been found as clearly 

 open-minded and aware of the problems of the Timber Section as it, 

 in turn, is of theirs. 



The organization of the Timber Section at the present time contem- 

 plates the division of the United States into typical timber regions. It 

 is the intention to have in Washington a valuation engineer for each 

 of these regions, a man who is thoroughly versed in the lumber in- 

 dustry, and is familir with timber and plant values. This man is given 



