14 Miscellaneous Circular 39, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture 
not a reason that ought to survive the under operating conditions. In the 
test of competition. If this is a cor- third place, we should provide for 
rect assumption, it occurs to me that educational work in a large way to 
an ample incentive exists for trade “put across” among the manufac- 
associations to push the adoption of turers, refabricators, distributors, and 
less wasteful processes and to offer consumers the results that have been 
their members expert technical serv- proved to have practical merit. And, 
ice in this particular field. finally, we should attack the great 
I have offered simply a few ex- problem of so correlating the opera- 
amples of the nature and causes of tions of different industries and of so 
the waste of timber in the United correlating industrial developments 
States. A complete enumeration of with consumption that the whole en- 
them would cover the whole gamut of terprise can be carried through from 
forest-using and wood-fabricating in- start to finish. 
dustries, together with = practically In the last analysis, of course, the 
every phase of wood consumption. commercial incentive of more profit- 
Many of them will be discussed by able business will be the driving 
following speakers. The important power behind this whole movement. 
question that concerns us to-day is, But much can and must be done 
who is going to reduce the waste of through organized effort to speed up 
our timber supplies, and how are we the momentum of that power. Just as 
to get about it? in the growing of timber, the country 
My own view of forest conservation is now seeking through a drive upon 
is that of an evolution in industrial forest fires and forest taxation, to give 
operations and in the use of land, freer play to the commercial interest 
brought about primarily by economic in reforestation, so in this field should 
forces. The pressure of competition coordinated effort seek to give freer 
and the commercial incentives which play to the business incentive for the 
it creates will, as timber becomes better utilization of our timber supply. 
more scarce and more valuable, grad- And I want to reiterate that a 
ually remove many of these losses. sharp difference exists between this 
It is already doing so. The huge problem and the more usual eco- 
waste burner, so typical of the Ameri- nomic problems that can be left to the 
can sawmill, is beginning to disap- automatic adjustments of supply and 
pear from our industrial landscape. demand. There is no practicable solu- 
But the nature of the problem is tion of our timber situation outside of 
such that individual competition works what we do right here in America. 
under a tremendous handicap and We should not delude ourselves with 
will gain ground in waste prevention the notion that either importations 
but slowly. Our whole timber-manu- from abroad or substitute materials 
facturing and wood-using business is at home are going to fill the bill with- 
so largely the creature of customary out very serious losses to American 
specifications, trade practices, the in- industries and American people. The 
herited traditions of employees, the public concern in this situation is 
structure of freight rates, and similar manifest. Its concern to forest in- 
set conditions, that the opportunity dustry, although from a different 
for individual competitive effort is angle, is nevertheless equally great. 
greatly restricted. We pride ourselves, Neither can we afford to ignore the 
and with reason, on the creative genius Jact that only joint effort will meet 
of American industry. The problem the situation. 
of saving timber waste in the big way The Federal Government, the States, 
that is demanded can not be solved universities, and research organiza- 
without a large dose of that same tions should enlist in this campaign, 
genius. horse, foot, and dragoons. Their 
As I view it, a joint effort should be help can doubtless be rendered most 
directed, utilizing all of the agencies effectively through the investigation 
available: First, to extend research in of timber utilization problems, par- 
the utilization of timber on a much ticularly the types of investigation 
larger scale, in order that we may that dig deep into fundamental 
continue to ferret out the better meth- science and may require a number of 
ods and more economical processes years before results capable of direct 
that undoubtedly await the quest of application can be secured. They 
the trained investigator. In the sec- should help as well through surveys of 
ond place, we should so organize that facts, technical advice, educational 
every promising research project car- support, and whatever by way of 
ried through the laboratory stage can teaching to carry known betterments 
promptly be given a commercial test over into the business their facilities