360 Forestry Quarterly 



estimate the probable date of exhaustion. Even if the data of 

 supply were on hand, which they are not, the data of consump- 

 tion are most variable. "We can hope to postpone exhaustion of 

 supply indefinitely" by proper forms of conservation, such as the 

 use of inferior material. That this is being done now the writer 

 demonstrates from price movements. In the last five years the 

 average price of lumber has increased slightly compared to the 

 increase in value of the best grades. In 1900, "White pine good 

 sidings in Ottawa was from $33 to $38 ; in 1914, $58 to $65, an 

 increase of $3 per year. The average price for White pine lum- 

 ber in 1908 was $20.03, in 1913, $30.79, an increase of only 15 

 cents a year. 



On May 4, a National Conservation Congress was held at 

 Washington, D. C, the result of which has been a serious set- 

 back to the Conservation movement. As at the last Conserva- 

 tion Congress in 1913, the question of how to handle the national 

 water powers was the principal problem to be discussed, and 

 this time the advocates of handing over the water powers to 

 private exploitation had the upper hand over the advocates of 

 adequate national control. Two measures, the Shields bill and the 

 Myers bill before the II. S. Senate, were endorsed by an over- 

 whelming majority, which bills provide only a nominal control 

 and conditional recovery of the granted privileges after 50 years. 



There can be an honest difference of opinion as to what 

 in detail is the best policy for developing the national water 

 powers under federal control, but a close analysis of the two 

 mentioned bills will leave little doubt that .they were drafted 

 by and for grabbers of natural resources rather than by patriotic 

 citizens, and that the introduction of the clauses of perfunctory 

 control was ,to serve only as a sop and to blind the innocent 

 conservationists as to the real purpose. 



A committee on forestry headed by Professor J. W. Toumey, 

 presented a resolution advocating extension of National, State 

 and communal forests, which seems also to have been lost. Mr. 

 Zon, as Secretary of the Committee, was responsible for a 

 report to which we expect to return when in print. 



A committee of five members was appointed to represent the 

 Society of American Foresters. 



