48 LOGGING 



CHARACTER 



During the early years of the industry the woods force in the 

 North and East was recruited from the native agricultural 

 element, but in recent years it has been replaced by French 

 Canadians, Finns, Swedes, Danes, Poles and inhabitants of 

 southern Europe. French Canadians come over the border 

 during the fall and winter months to secure a ''stake." Many 

 Swedes and Norwegians, who are among the best woods- workers 

 from Europe, are employed in the Lake States and on the Pacific 

 Coast, where wages are high. Finns and Poles work chiefly in 

 the Lake States. The American-born employees are now found 

 in the more responsible positions. 



The labor in the Appalachians consists largely of natives, 

 some of whom combine agriculture with logging while others 

 follow logging as their sole occupation. 



Whites and negroes comprise the chief forest labor of the South, 

 although Creoles and Mexicans are common in the Louisiana 

 cypress swamps, and many Mexicans are employed in Texas, 

 especially around the mills and on railroad construction work. 

 The whites are often agriculturists who work at logging only for 

 a portion of the year, while the negroes, except in the sugar 

 country, follow the industry the year round with frequent shifts 

 from one camp to another. Owing chiefly to the climate the 

 laborers are, on the whole, less energetic than those in northern 

 regions. The color line is drawn on logging operations and 

 mixed crews are not the rule. Creoles and Mexicans work with 

 colored laborers, although Mexicans are inclined to be clannish. 



METHODS OF EMPLOYMENT AND OF PAYMENT 



The chief methods of employing labor are (i) by the day or 

 month; (2) by contract. 



The first is desirable where labor is efiicient. Even where the 

 bulk of the work is done by contract, a small force should be 

 maintained to prevent the arbitrary dictation of prices by 

 contractors. 



The basis of employment in the Northeast, Lake States, 



