to keep the wasteful hand of Government out of the affairs 

 of ordinary business enterprise. It is particularly note- 

 worthy to lumbermen. It is a direct challenge to the lum- 

 ber industry to settle its own trade problems; set its own 

 high standards; eliminate its own wastes and itself correct 

 whatever inefficiency there may be in lumber manufacture 

 or defects in lumber distribution. It is an invitation to a 

 constructive program that will bring more certain profit to 

 the producer; more satisfaction at less cost to the consumer; 

 and gradually the more complete utilization of raw mater- 

 ials a consideration of no small importance in this day of 

 clamor for conservation. It comes from the Department of 

 Commerce, whose sole obligation under the law is to stimu- 

 late and aid business and which has no disciplinary or regu- 

 latory powers whatsoever. The lumber industry in recent 

 years has seen so much of the Federal Government's "police- 

 men" in the War Industries Board, the Federal Trade Com- 

 mission, the Department of Justice, and in some respects 

 the "tax gatherer," the bureau of internal revenue, that it 

 is not easy to understand and accept the offer of aid from 

 a department of Government that has no regulatory author- 

 ity ; no power to discipline anything or anybody, and no pow- 

 ers of compulsion. 



The specter of Government regulation for many years 

 has been dangled before the eyes of the lumber industry. 

 Public and governmental control has been experimented with 

 from time to time in one industry or another and in some 

 form of degree for twenty years. 



Industries whose operations involve the use of natural 

 resources are the chief objects of this experimentation. The 

 imminence of this threat has been often greatly exaggerat- 

 ed. That is indefensible. But more often it has been un- 

 duly minimized. That is foolhardy. 



The lumber industry has witnessed both extremes. The 

 foolish man urges that the industry ignore its public and 

 governmental relations, stick its head in the sand and just 

 saw wood. The wise man knows that if the industry does 

 that, it will not saw wood very long. 



The vast majority of lumbermen recognize that the 

 public has a rightful interest in the efficient, stable and hon- 



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