Reciprocity Negotiations With Canada Hing ed on fmperial Prelerence

Washington, D. C., March 25.-prospects for reciprocitv with Canada took one step nearer realization when the Committee for Reciprocity Information of the State De_ partment held hearings on the subject, March 1g_21, with lumber as the first commodity for consideration. It is gen_ erally believed in Washington that the Administration plans to make Canada very tempting ofiers of access to American markets with a vierv to opening a breach in the British Empire tariff preference wall, and bringing Canada more into the American continental trade system.

The hearing began with testimony by Senator Steiwer of Oregon and Senator Bone of Washington. Senator Mc_ Nary of Oregon, Senate Republican Lader, submitted a letter in which he endorsed the stand of the lumber indus_ tryin favor of reciprocal trades in certain items of the lumber tariffs. Senator Steiwer and Bone placed emphasig on the necessity of maintaining ample protection for lum_ ber, and the latter also mentioned fruii and fish. Senator Schwellenbach of Washington, took a position similar to that of Senator Bone. Representative IVIott of Washington supported the general position taken in the brief submitted by the N. L. M. A. and also advocated an embargo on Canadian shingles. Senators Hale and White of Maine ar_ gued that the industries of their state must not bg sacri_ l5d to the reciprocity policy. Representative Lloyd of Washington called for consideration for bulbs and coal as well as lumber and shingles. Representative Martin Smith of Washington supported the general position of the lumber industry in its brief and compared conditions of timber taxation in the United States and Canada, also noting the fact that in the State of Washington 3O per cent of the standing timber is owned by the Unlted Staies gov_ ernment, 19 per cent by the State and some by the In_ dians. Representative Sam Hill,of Washington, while making some mention of the necessity of protecting lum_ ber, devoted himself particularly to the need of proiection for wheat, apples and livestock, and Representative Wall_ gren emphasized the need of protection all around.

Coming to exclusive lumber testimony, Wilson Compton made an oral presentation of the position taken by the ium_ ber industry in its previously filecl brief, namely: (a) main_ tenance intact of tariff protection on our surplus species, (b) of suggesting the legally permissible .."1pro""i .on_ cessions in duties on th.ose species of lumber which are scarce in one country and in surplus in the other, (c) of moderate recipro,cal tariff reductions on identical species l'r'hich are scarce in both Unitecl States and Canada.

Reference !o Imperial preference

He pointed out thdt freer access of Canadian lumber to the United States lumber market, fifteen times as large in the aggregate as the Canadian market, was warranted only if Canada similarly admits, on comparable terms to her smaller markets a wide range of species scarce in Canada and abundant in the United States, ,,each being a large natural lumber exporting country". This unexpected stand, in favor of limited re,cipro,cal exchanges of lumber evidently impressed the Committee for Reciprocity Information. It wds accompanied by recommendation that the United States government shall seek the cooperation of the Canadian government "in securing promptly the abandonment, in the lumber markets of the British Empire, of discriminations in favor of Canadian lumber in tarifis, quotas, or in other forms; so that lumber exported from the United States and lumber exported from Canada into the world markets may compete on equal terms and without discrimination." Canada's forest products, it was stated, already contribute half of her exports to the United States.

Geo. Gerlinger of the West Coast Lumbermen's Association, Seattle, presented a logical statement of the position of the West Coast lumber industry with regard to the tariff, with particular reference to conservatism, sustained yield, and other forestry piactices.

C. H. Kreienbaum followed Mr. Gerlinger with a strong statement in behalf of the West Coast Lumbermen's Association.

"Successful', Competition Defiqed

Former Senator C. C. Dill, of Washington, counsel for the West Coast Lumbermen's Association in this regard, supporting the ,contentions of the National Association, made particular mention of British preferences and their effects in the constriction of markets for American lumber in the British Empire. He also made mention of the employment of low-paid Oriental labor in the lumber mills of British Columbia and other cost advantages. He also made a strong appeal for the maintenance of the present agreement on shingles.

Lumber fnterests in Both Cotrntries

R. C. Winton of the Winton Lumber Company, whose headquarters are in Minneapolis with mills in Idaho and in the prairie provinces of Canada, particularly supported the reduction of duties on western white spruce, although he said his company's timber interests were six times as large in the United States as in Canada.

A. A. D. Rahn, Minneapolis, representing the Shevlin interests at McCloud, California; Bend, Oregon: Blind River and Fort Frances, Ontario, endorsed the position of the N. L. M. A., insisted that the northern white pine which would 'come in from Canada under a lower tarifi would largely be of original stand, that the only remaining original white pine in the eastern half of the United States was mainly in Minnesota, and the owners of it were not opposed to the reciprocity proposal, and that the protection of the surplus species in the U. S. should be maintained.

M. P. McCullough supported the general lumber industry brief but said that he could not understand why Engelmann spruce had not been included in the species on which mutual concessions could be made.

He said that Engelmann spruce was needed in the United States and that wages in the Canadian mills making this species of lumber were the same as in the United States. He said that there was no distinguishable difierence be-, tween Engelmann and western white spruce lumber.

.E. G. Bergk, representing the Collins Lumber Company of Maine and the Northeastern Lumber Manufacturers Association, took the position that no reductions should be rnade on Canadian lumber of any species in the Northeast including white pine, spruce, maple, birch, beach and eastern hemlock.

Other testimony was offered by representatives of the newsprint, wallboard and pulp interests. They took the position that these industries needed protection, and insisted that there be full reciprocity of tariff reductions (if any) on comparable goods.

C. R. Buchanan Joins Hogan Lumber Company

C. R. Buchanan, well known San Francisco Bay district lumberman, has succeeded the late Galen H. Pierce as director and secretary of the Hogan Lumber Company, ,Oakland.

.Mr. Buchanan's long experience in the wholesale and retail branches of the industry will be a considerable asset to the firm.

Corydon Wagner Santa Barbara Visitor

Corydon Wagn€r, vice president of the St. Paul & Tacoma -Lumber Co., Tacoma, Wash., has been spending a few weeks at Santa Barbara. While in the Southland, he was a visitor at the Los Angeles offices of the Chas. R. McCormick Lumber Co.

Vote for Continuance of Lumber Codc in its Present Form

Portland, Oregon, April 1st-The Executive Committee of the Western Pine Association at a special meeting today voted for the continuance of the Lumber Code in its present form.Itwill notify the National Control Committee of the Lumber Code Authority, which meets in Washington, D. C. Tuesday, that it is NOT only opposed to the suspension of the Code at this time but also to any modification which would require Government approval of the Authority's actions.

It further recommended that members of the 'Western Pine Division continue their splendid voluntary compliance with all provisions of the Code during the remaining period the NIRA is in force.

On the basis of past experiencb the Association's Executive Committee felt confident this support would be forthcoming from pine manufacturers in this region.

In Charge of Pine Department

George E. Geary is now with the E. K. Wood Lumber Co. in their Los Angeles office in charge of the Pine de'partment. Mr. Geary has been connected with the lumber business in Southern California for a long period and was formerly with the W. E. Cooper Lumber Co. of Los Angeles.

SUDDEN & CHRISTENS(}N

Lumber and Shipping

7th

Hoquiem Lumber & Shiqh C,o. Hulbert Mill Co. 'Willepa Hrrbor Lunbct Millr

STEAMBRS

MANY PATTERNS OF REDVOOD LOG CABIN SIDING ARE AVAILABLE.

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