CONTINUOUS FOREST PRODUCTION 53 



issue is indicated. Here, for example, would sometimes be an oppor- 

 tunity to transfer blocks of timber to federal or state ownership under 

 which forms of ownership the interest cost of carrying them and working 

 the forest on a continuous production basis would be only 3 to 4 per 

 cent. Mills and logging camps might be transferred to other companies 

 or the defaulting corporation, relieved of the burden of carrying the 

 timber, might be able to operate them profitably, buying back as needed 

 the timber transferred to state or nation. The field of this department 

 is thus rather obvious. It might well be extended to give aid to any 

 association member desiring it without waiting to perform a post 

 mortem after the member is in default. 



Department of Standards 



Lumber associations have gone far in developing standard shapes 

 and sizes of lumber but much remains to be done in placing these grades 

 on a more scientific basis. Moreover, grading should be extended to 

 every forest product to the end that the purchaser of said product who 

 purchases by central association grades can order as well by phone or 

 letter as by personal inspection. It is especially necessary for foreign 

 trade that grading be rigid. Present methods in foreign trade as pursued 

 in some sections of the country are absolutely fatal to its permanence. 



Another set of standards which might well be developed is in the 

 case of all kinds of machinery. The experience of industrial engineer 

 in other lines shows that in many cases even new machines are not 

 geared for most efficient speeds or otherwise capable of giving maximum 

 output. Similar results in sawmill machinery have been recently 

 secured in at least one Western Washington mill. The machinery has 

 been found capable of far higher speeds than recommended by the 

 manufacturers. The department of standards should, by exhaustive 

 operating tests, develop the most efficient machine for each class of 

 work; determine the best operating speed, etc. The purchasing depart- 

 ment could then purchase for all members at factory cost sufficient 

 of these to cover the entire needs of the membership. 



Purchasing Department 



This would be an optional activity, but it seems obvious that by 

 concentrating the purchasing in many lines much could be saved. 

 Savings would come through eliminating the traveling salesman where 

 unnecessary. Wire rope and all kinds of machinery cotild be purchased 

 at the factory, shipped in carload lots to distributing depots and then 

 distributed to members on order. Since all of these goods would be 



