Lumber Industry Presents Views on Labor Standards Bill

Continued from Page 11) be little permanent forest industry and even less of permanent sources of employment.

No country in the world has solved its problem of forest conservation by forcing or even encouraging exceedingly small forest ownerships or small producing units. In general, permanent forest industry, permanent communities and permanent employment, are dependent upon substantial ownership of forest lands. For reasons of economy and efficiency, this requires producing units of substantial size. If, by a legislative policy, you put the larger and moderate-sized mills under a substantial competitive handicap, you will retard the progress of forest conservation at the very time when our industry, in cooperation with public agencies, is showing more symptoms of progress toward forest conservation than at any time heretofore.

My sole purpose here is to ask your fair consideration of these facts. If you regard them as important and conclusive, you will readily find the means, in any legislation which you may recommend, of avoiding the creation of exempted classes of competitors; of assuring fair protections against lower-cost foreign competition; and of safeguarding such progress as we have already made and are rnaking toward forest conservation.

This statement is not to be understood as signifying approval of this legislation as a whole. Many groups in this industry, notably the Southern manufacturers, are totally opposed to it. Most lumber manufacturers believe that in proposing to go beyond a simple minimum wage "floor" and a simple maximum hours "ceiling" for each industry or each region, it attempts too much, too fast. Many believe that it does not sufficiently insure fair differentials between competing regions and industries or consideration of seasonal limitations. All regard the vague definitions and the proposed vast discretions as leaving the way open for endless confusions, misunderstandings and frictions. All are fearful that, if enacted, it cannot be and will not be applied uniformly to all competitors, and impartially enforced. Whatever else may be said for or against this or any other legislation for similar purposes, we think that laws should not arbitrarily take, or authorize the taking, away from one industry or one competitor and giving to another; and that Congress should not pass any law which the Government cannot administer and cannot enforce promptly, impartially and uniformly.

New Yard At Quincy

The Diamond Match Company is establishing a yard at Quincy, Plumas County, Calif., and constructing an entire new, modern plant which will ,carry complete stocks of Iumber, window and doors, roofing, paint, builder's hardware, cement, and other building materials.

Everett Pierce is manager. He was transferred to Quincy from Woodland where he was bookkeeper.