Lumber Tariffs Asked and opposed

Shingles, Cedar siding, Hardwood Lumber and Floors urged for Duties by some Gr',oups: Tfhile otherc vant Them to Remain on present Free List-Generd Lumber Duty of 2|/sEavored by Some. Tarifi On Logs Brought Into Question.

- Washington, Feb. 2S.-Conflicting views on lumber and shingle _tariffs occup_ied most of tfie hearings before the Ho.uq9 Ways and Means Committee during"February 22 and,23. Removal of shingles from the free iist and imposi- tion of a tariff ranging up to 25 per cent was advocated by some and opposed by others. Imposition of tarifis up tb 25 per cent on cedar lumber and o-n hardwood lumber^and hardwood flooring were also asked. Opposition to these proposals was also heard.

_ Wm. S. Bennet, representing the Edward Hines Lumber Company, opened thi discussi-on on February ZS wittr tne recommendation that a 25 per cent ad valorem tarifi be levied on all wood products, except wood pulp, now on the free list.

"I believe a 25 per cent duty will stabilize the industry." said Jud-ge B_e-nn9t, who asked particularly that the dut'ies be levied on birch and maple lumber and on birch floorins. He represented specifically the Edward Hines e..oU"t"? Lumber Industries, but he filed with the committee the views of the Northern Hemlock and Hardwood Association asking for a reciprocal duty of Z0 per cent on Canadian t^urybe1. (Canada now imposes a 2d per cent duty on U. S.lumber.)

Charles A. Goodman- and E._ J. Jones, representing re- spectively the Maple Flooring Manufactureri' Associitio' and the Emporium Forest-ry -Company, filed a joint brief asking a 15 p.ey cent tariff on h^ardivooa flooiin!. M;. Goodman in addressing the committee made the point that Canada imposes a duly on such material a"a inat mosi American imports come from Canada.

The Willamette Valley Lumbermen's Association and Willis J. Walker of the lied River Lumber Co-p"nu. C"1i- fornia, memorialized the committee in behalf "t'" ,irity-"i, lumber.

Wants Cedar Taritr

,, H. I. Rradley, Bridgefield,_Washington, as a representa_ trve of. mills making boJh cedar shingles and cedai lumber, 1,try:9 for a duty. on both shingleJand siding. He said that the two would have to stand together as- they were made from the same log and jt wa,s im[ossible a" Gr.;;l; costs.. .Also h-e pointed out that the manufacture of"siEing ancl shlngles from the same raw material was " corr.".rrrl tion of material. Further, he explaincd that while Ameri_ can shingle-mills _co-uld and do make just a. gooa-rni"g1e. as their British Columbia competitois, the fiercentage- nf good shingles was smaller at American milis f"."u3. oi more complete utilization of the log through a larger pro_ portion-of lower grade shingles being maie. The- niifr", prrce ot logs on the American side made it imperativi to get as much product frorn them as possible.

. MentioninC thg "dump-ing', of Canadian products that has.been complained of from time to time fhe brief filed by the flooring interests points to the possibilities for se_ curtng cheaper raw material on the Canadian side. In part it says:

"fn Canada manv manufacturers secure timber through head charge for carrying of timber reserves, together with high state taxes on standing timber, charges for insurance, fire protection, etc., as provided under different state laws."

The brief calls attention to the necessity for economy in this country and cutting the tree with i view to ciose utilization, resulting in increased production costs. With relation to the advantages that would, it holds, accrue to American labor from a tariff, it says:

Offers Labor Argument

"Maple, Beech and Birch flooring manufacturers are mostly located in northern towns close to the lumber pro- ducing districts. These towns have grown up about the plants and the people are dependent upon lmployment therein for their livelihood. Some manufacturers have continued the manufacturing at a loss in order to enable these people to live, though in many cases where manufacturers have been obliged to close, or reduce production, the employees have had to suffer the consequences. The indirect effect on labor is far-reaching, since it means loss of work to other employees in sarv mills, logging operations and wood-working machinery factqries."

Minnesota Member's Views

Representative lMater H. Newton of Minneapolis made an appeal for the retention of l.umber on the free list.

"There is no substantial difference in producing lumber .in Canada and in the United States," he said. "There may be differences here and there but not in extent to supply a basis for tariff duties. I am opposed to it also {s a matter of conservation, which should cause us to encourage importations of lumber. I am opposed to it because of the burden it rvould put on farmers, large us.ers of lumber products."

Mr. Newton said that he took the general position that there should be no tariff on natural resources-even if they can be manufactured more cheaply abroad than here. Representative John N. Garner of Texas argued that if this principle were strictly applied all of the forests of the United States would be allowed to rot and perish while their owners became impoverished.

Chairman Hawey was of the opinion that if Mr. Newton's views of conservaiion were to prevail the Pacific Northwest, with one trillion three hundred million feet of ripe saw timber, would be practically forbidden to take advantage of a main sollrce of wealth.

Mr. Newton declared that the general public interest in the maintenance of the'domestic forests and in the advantages of free lumber should prevail over those of any par- ticular domestic interest. Mr. Newton's statemenis- regarding the farmer brought out some inquiry as to the amount of lumber consumed on the farms and the information was volunteered that directy and indirectly the farm demand absorbs between 4O and 45 per cent of ihe lumber production of the United States.

- Representative Henry T. Rainey showed considerable inter'est in the period required to regrow timber to the commercial stage.

Western Pine Attitude

Crown grants, payins extremely t"*pti"". to the 6;;.?- A. W..Cooper, Secretary of the Western Pine Manufacment. Tft"y it""6 no taxes nor insurance nor investment turers' Association, Portland, Oregon, appearing as the overhead in-sjanding timber. Unitet Stater floorittg ;"r,u- representative of aOO t11-!er 1l-.1 "Tltt"sJCg opposition_ to facturers utilize their own.t"naing ii*-il.r r...r.,r.s or pur- any tariff on lumber. taking the position that-the burden chase lumber from others who dof and have a heavy over-

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Magnif icence and Chqrm of Paneled V/oodwork

This view of the Main Lounge of the recently complcted Sir Francis Drake Hotel, San Francisco, is a glowing tribute to the magnificence and charm of paneled woodwork' The ventilator grilles of pierced wood carvings over the doors in the far end of the room add a unique .r,J h""-orrious touch to the ensemble. All woodwork is of Philippine, stained \U0al' nut. Individual panels of the wall and column units are 2% inches thick, veneered Philippine over laminated Redwood cores. Millwork contract executed by Redwood Manufactuters Company, Pittsburg, California. \Uyeeks 6e Day, San Francisco, Architects.