A DiXl.NXlAI K FA OK I) 11 



analysis of the entire wood and forest products situation, from the 

 standpoint of Mar needs, was befj;un at once, and steps were taken to 

 secure the vast amount of information wliich this analysis sliowed 

 would be needed by the War and Xavy Departments. 



Contact Mas established M-ith the various branches of these de- 

 partments and others doing M-ar Mork, and systematic coo])eration 

 undertaken. Funds Mere made available by the cooperating depart- 

 ments, and the personnel of the laboratory Mas increased as rapidly 

 as men could be trained for the specialized Mork. This expansion con- 

 tinued throughout the Mar. and on armistice day the force num])ered 

 458. 



Many of the problems presented to the laboratory Mere solved 

 immediatelv M'ith the knoMledge available. Others Mere of ncM' and 

 specialized character and required the construction of special ma- 

 chinery and the making of many special tests. The experience and 

 the vision of the older men in the various branches of the M^ork proved 

 to be invaluable in the planning and execution of these s])ecial investi- 

 gations. It is safe to say that a large measure of the usefulness of the 

 laboratory during the Mar Mould have been lost had these men, instead 

 of remaining in the organization. ansM'ered the many calls to other 

 fields and gone M'here greater financial rcMard and ])crsonal gain 

 would have resulted. 



Many developments of the M-ar. ncM^ inventions and ucw ])roc- 

 esses, chemical and physical, born under the stimulus of Mar necessity 

 and devoted to military use M'cre found after the armistice to be of 

 value in peace times industry, either M'ith or M'ithout modifications. 



In the poison gas campaign normal time industry profited by 

 discoveries that, lacking the stress of national emergency, might not 

 have come in years of de^'cl()pmcnt. 



The unbelievable progress in aeronautics in a brief four years. 

 at once, upon the cessation of hostilities. Mas converted to commercial, 

 sporting and other transj^ortation. such, for instance, as the mails. 

 The same thing happened in many fields, among them forest products 

 research. 



During the wnw no effort liad been made to publish and distribute 

 the results of the laboratory's i-csearches. — in fact, a very large ])er- 

 centage of the Mar Mork Mas secret and confidential and did not ])ermit 

 of pubHcation. Special effort has since been made by tlie entire or- 



