NOTES 



France Creates a General Committee on Wood 



On July 3, 191 7, President Poincare, of France, created a General 

 Committee on Wood (Comite general des Bois) as a central agency 

 to co-ordinate and control all matters relating to the utilization of 

 wood. More specifically, the duties of the committee are to ascertain 

 the needs of the various government departments and of the general 

 public ; to determine the possibilities of satisfying these needs in the 

 best interests of the entire nation ; to promote the rational utilization 

 of the forest resources of the country; to decide as to the relative 

 importance, both in France and other countries, of purchases, trans- 

 portation, and manufacture ; and to control importations, exportations, 

 and accumulations of stock. 



The Minister of Agriculture, or his delegate, the Director General 

 of Waters and Forests, acts as president of the committee. A repre- 

 sentative of the Minister of Munitions and a representative of the 

 Minister of Commerce serve as vice-presidents. In addition, there are 

 17 representatives of the various government departments having to 

 do with the use of wood, three persons familiar with forestry, who are 

 designated by the Minister of Agriculture, and four manufacturers or 

 dealers in wood, who are designated by the Minister of Commerce. 

 Each of the representatives of the various government departments is 

 allowed the assistance of a technical expert who can attend the meet- 

 ings of the committee in an advisory capacity 



The main committee mcludes also a permanent subcommittee, to 

 which it delegates such of its powers as it deems advisable. The chair- 

 man of this subcommittee is the representative of the Minister of 

 Munitions who serves as vice-president of the general committee. The 

 other members are the representative of the Minister of Commerce 

 who serves as vice-president of the general committee and the repre- 

 sentatives of the Minister of Agriculture, the Minister of War. the 

 Food Controller, and the Under-Secretary of State for War Manu- 

 factures. 



The deliberations of the committee are secret and can ])e divulged 

 only on its express authorization. Such proposals as it may make are 

 submitted for action to the ministers of the particular departments 



