no similarities whatever exist in softwwod and hardwood; 

 that nothing in the way of practices applying to one can 

 possibly apply to the other. As against this we are told by 

 other representatives of hardwood and by the best technical 

 men that all wood is essentially similar and that, while many 

 modifications of rules and procedures applying to specific 

 uses must be recognized, the great fundamental basis of 

 grades, inspection and nomenclature can well be identical for 

 all lumber products. 



In such questions the Department of Commerce must 

 await the recommendation of the industry itself. If hard- 

 wood and softwood producers insist upon existence as sep- 

 arate industries, with all the weakening of self-government, 

 with all the misunderstandings and limitations which must 

 inevitably follow, the Department of Commerce must accept 

 that decision, much as we shall regret it. Our only function 

 in lumber, as in all industries, is to support the best thought 

 of the allied groups when those groups shall unite in unani- 

 mous action. 



It appears most difficult to obtain realization that this 

 is our true function. Following last month's discussions we 

 have been in receipt of great numbers of letters and tele- 

 grams, particularly from hardwood interests, stating that 

 this group or that group does not properly represent hard- 

 wood; that this group or that group now has perfect in- 

 spection, perfect grading, perfection indeed in every detail 

 of practice, and that any one dissenting from such 100 per 

 cent performance is an insurgent-revoluntionary unworthy 

 of hearing. These letters and telegrams show much funda- 

 mental misconception of the purpose of the Department! 

 We cannot decide between groups. We can only serve a 

 united industry which conceives itself a permanent closely 

 knit unit in our commercial structure. 



When the majority of the harwood producers can agree 

 on proposals for grading, sizing, and naming of goods, the 

 Department of Commerce is at their service in presenting 

 those proposals to truly representative conferences of all 

 interests. If these conferences will adopt the original pro- 

 posals, or some modification thereof, the Department of 

 Commerce will publish these as its own, giving the weight 



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