Four Lumber Firms Get Army-Navy rtE" Awatd- Weyerhaeuser Has First Presentation Ceremony

On August 26th a wire from Washington announced to THE CALIFORNIA LUMBER MERCHANT that the Angelina County Lumber Company, of Keltys, Texas, had been awarded an Army-Navy "E" citation of merit. Later, on September 16th, came the announcement that four lumber firms in all had been given such an award, namely: Weyerhaeuser Timber Company, Longview, Washington; Willamette Valley Lumber Company, Dallas, Oregon; Consolidated Timber Company, Glenwood, Oregon; and the Angelina County Lumber Company. The first three are producers of Douglas Fir, the other of Southern Yellow Pine.

The frrst actual presentation ceremony was held at Longview, Washington, on Saturday, September 18th. The Angelina County Lumber Company presentation was delayed until September 25th, to arrange radio time and secure the speakers desired. The Willamette Valley Lumber Co. award was presented on September 21.

Col. Fred G. Sherrill of the U. S. Engineers, made the presentation speech at the Longview presentation, and sai<l in part: "Your industry is the prime war industry in the Arsenal of Democracy. Upon you and each of you of the lumber industry depends the magnitude of our military operations and thus upon you depends the duration of the war. Your performance is magnificent ! What an example you have set ! One may say that this is your maxim: 'As long as men are laying down their lives on the fighting end of the war, no man shall lay down his tools on the production end.' Never give up ! That is the lesson of our time. Look at our great Allies-Britain, China, and Russia, determined to hold on to the end, no matter how long the road. Keep the lumber coming in a never-ending avalanche until the weight of the v/eapons packed in it becomes a burden too great for our enemies to bear. That way, and in that way only, lies victory, lies peace, lies freedom, for ourselves, for our allies, and for all the world. Because of your loyalty-your contribution to the war, you.have been granted the Army-Navy Prodution Award. On behalf of the Under Secretary of War, the Honorable Robert P. Patterson, the Under Secretary of the Navy, the Hon- orable James V. Forrestal, and the Chief of Engineers, Major General Eugene Reybold, there is herewith presented to the men and women of the Longview branch of the Weyerhaeuser Timber Company this "E" for Excellence Banner. It is tangible evidence of the appreciation of the United States for your accomplishments-of a task well done."

Stcrtus oI Wood Industdeg Employees Clcdlied

The status of employees in the woods industries in reference to their essentiality in the $rar program was clarified at the recent meeting of the Log and Lumber Policy Committee which is comprised of representatives of the War Production Board, 'War Labor Board, War Manpower Commission, 'War Department, Office of Price Administration, and the U. S. Forest Service. Woods and woods products industries, the committee was informed, are recognized by the Selective Service System and War Manpower Commission as essential activities and are included in WMC's list of essential occupations. WMC's list of critical occupations published on August 16 does not include specific jobs in the woods industries, but this does not indicate that woods and woods products workers are ineligible for draft deferment.

J. Philip Boyd, Chairman of the Log and Lumber Policy Committee and director of WPB's Lumber and Lumber Products Division, said: "Jobs in the woods industries which are eligible for the Critical Occupations list were omitted purposely. It was unnecessary to include them because the manpower program already established for these industries has taken into account critical as well as other essential occupations."

A worker in the woods industries may qualify as a "necessary man" if (1) he is or would be engaged in war production or in support of the war effort except for a seasonal or temporary interruption; (2) his removal would cause a serious loss of production effectiveness; and (3) he cannot be replaced.

Col. Greeley Talks to Los Angeles Lumbermen

Col. W. B. Greeley, secretary-manager of the West Coast Lumbermen's Association, Seattle, was the principal speaker before a large group of wholesale and retail lumbermen at a luncheon meeting held at the Jonathan Club, Los Angeles, September 10.

A. A. Kayser, manager of the Association's Los Angeles office, presided.

The speaker told of the many problems that have to be dealt with by the mills of the West Coast lumber industry in their endeavor to co-operate with the various Government agencies and to cope with the manpower shortage. Production in the Northwest mills in August was six per cent behind August, 1942, and it is expected that production for 1943 will be about eight billion feet, or about 10 per cent less than last year, he said.

In discussing the prospects of more lumber becoming available for civilian trade Col. Greeley said an increasing amount of lumber has been released through the office of the Administrator of. L-2LB in recent months. However it is hard to predict the amount of lumber that will be available for civilian uses. The Army and Navy requirements for lumber when the big offensive starts in the Pacific will probably increase the demand for West Coast lumber to a very great extent. There was considerable discussion on this subject and Col. Greeley answered many questions.

The meeting was closed with a brief humorous talk by Jack Dionne, publisher of The California Lumber Merchant.

San Diego County Lumber Indurtry Declrred Egsential by Manpower Commission

In July, 1943, the War Manpower Commission issued a Declaration of Essentiality covering the'wholesale and retail lumber industry of all counties in Southern California with the exception of San Diego County. The exception was made because San Diego County was under a separate Manpower Commission. The petition that resulted in this Declaration of Essentiality was made by the Southern California Retail Lumber Association.

A few days ago, in response to a petition by Orrie Hamilton, Secretary of this same Association, the Manpower Commission of San Diego issued a like Declaration of Essentiality covering the wholesale and retail lumber industry of San Diego County.

Mr. Hamilton has a letter from the National Retail Lumber Dealers Association, at Washington, stating that no other such Declaration has been issued anywhere else in the entire nation, and congratulated Mr. Hamilton on securing this outstanding official acknowledgment of the essentiality of the lumber business in this territory.

New Pine Mill Stcrts Opercrtions In Plumas County

A new Pine mill has started operations at Grays Flat, Plumas County, California, on the site where the Plumas Lumber Inc., mill burned last year. A. C. Dellinger and J. K. Metzker, of Quincy, Calif., are the owners.

WHEN PEACE (OMES AGAIN

About a year ago I wrote in these columns: "Lumber is the only vital war material for which no successful substitute has yet been discovered." I was sure of that then. But every day that has passed since that time, and all the history of the lumber war effort, furnishes puncture-proof evidence that the statement was entirely truthful. It might even-in the light of things I have seen lately- be called an understatement.

Let me write here " t.L, **tt", things about lumber and wood and so.me hair-raising facts about them as related to the prosecution of the war, particularly in relation to aircraft wood, as seen in the Los Angeles district. If you were to declare that the entire Los Angeles district of California has been turned over to the production of air: craft in all of its ramifications and complexities, it is most unlikely that anyone would charge you even with exaggeration. To put the world on wings is the serious business of Los Angeles today. And the part that lumber plays in that program you would have to see to believe. What you read and hear would put too great a strain on your credulity, if the story in all its details could be written; which it cannot. ***

For example, and just to give you an idea. On the outskirts of Culver City, which is itself on the outskirts of Los Angeles, they have just completed construction of an industrial plant. There are many buildings of various sizes in this plant which covers perhaps a square mile of ground. All these buildings are of wood. If you have been wondering where all the lumber goes, one glance at these buildings of stupendous size will give you at least a hint. The central and largest building is all of wood, sides, roof, foors, and framework. I didn't ask for exact measurements. fn war plants it's best not to ask too many questions. But listen, friends: you walk in the door at one end of this central building, and then you just stop and stare, and gape, and there aren't enough adjectives in Mr. Webster's biggest book to even start doing justice to your feelings. You are inside a building that looks big as the whole outdoors. It is all done in white inside. The lighting is perfect. In every nook and corner there is plenty of light for perfect vision.

*:trF

You look to the far end of the building-which is one gigantic room-and that other end wall looks as far off as the horizon. You look up, and that roof is as far ofr as the sky. There is not a support in sight except a line of wood running down the center from end to end and extending from floor to roof center. That apparently endless roof and those mighty walls are held in place by wooden girders, and trusses, and timber connectors, all built-up stuff, no big timbers. It is all Douglas Fir, that framework and roof, as well as that mysterious array of fabricated wooden-work things running from end to end of the building. And the outside is sheeted with Redwood siding. When you stand away and look at it you wonder if there can be any Redwood left. Even the downspouts that carry away rain, are of Redwood. The foors of that building are of wooden blocks, Yellow Pine blocks treated in the East for that purpose. And that apparently endless amphitheatre of a building is air conditioned.

**!F

So much for that one building There are many others, as stated, one of the others being of great size, but with nothing like the height of the one just described. And there is a vast army of workers in those buildings, chiefy technicians. Not much common labor there. And what are they doing in that new plant with that busy army of people and that array of equipment (the greater part of which meant nothing on earth to me even after the highly intelligent engineer who guided me had done his best to make me understand) ? They .are building an airplane. Not AIRPLANES, you understand. AN AIRPLANE. Just one. And when they get to assembling it (they haven't gotten that far along yet and won't for some time), the entire foor space and most of the upper space in that mighty central building I told you about, will be required to hold its members. And they won't be able to put the things together inside, of course, for there would be no way to get itout. When all member parts are complete they will have to be put together outside the building.

**,i

Howard Hughes, world famous aviator of Houston and Los Angeles, built the plant I am talking about, and is building that plane. It will be bigger than any plane ever thought of before. My understanding is that when the tips are on the wings and the wings are attached to the fuselage, it will be 340 feet from wing tip to wing tip. It will carry sixty tons of freight great distances. It will carry three hundred people, each with plenty of baggage or equipment. It will be powered with many motors. Trucks will drive right in and out of the body of the plane, handling tonnage'

They are building that plane, not only entirely out of wood but out of one single species of wood-Birch. Birch, I would have you know, my lumber friends, is the king of aircraft woods. trn our aircraft production, Birch leads all the rest. It has qualifications lmown to no other woo4