How Lrumber Lrooks

Seattle,'Wash., October 15, 1943.-The weekly average of West Coast lumber production in September (5 weeks) was 161,919,000 board feet, or 106.6 per cent of L939-1942 average, according to the West Coast Lumbermen's Association in its monthly survey of the industry. Orders averaged 173,162ff0 board feet; shipments, 163,204,000. Weekly averages for August were: Production, 165,163,000 board feet (108.7 per cent of the 1939-$A average); orders, 173,477,000; shipments, 167p89,000.

Tlie industry's unfilled order file stood at 1,126,507,ffi0 board feet at the end of September; gross stocks, at 511,064,0@.

Notwithstanding dwindling manpower, the West Coast lumber industry continues the battle for production with fair success. The September lumber cut brought the total for the year to 89 per cent of the volume produced in the corresponding months of 1943. This is the highest point yet reached in comparative production for the two years. Closures of logging camps on account of hazardous forest fire weather cut down log production in September; nevertheless a slight gain was made in the crucial tidewater log inventories upon which the steady production of lumber and plywood during the winter months will depend.

Centralized lumber purchases for the Defense Agencies increased to about 4O per cent of the production. Other war requirements supplied through wholesale and retail yards, farm needs, railroad needs and additional defense housing are crowding priority ratings to obtain the rest. Unfilled orders of.l,l% million feet are near the all-time record for West Coast lumber mills.

The main handicap of the industry remains the shortage of men. averaging from fr to 25 per cent of normal employment.

The Western Pine Association for the week ended October 9, 97 mills reporting, gave orders as 71,585,000 feet, shipments 71,78900o feet, and production 75,718,000 feet. Orders on hand at the end of the week totaled 389,477,N0 feet.

The Southern Pine Association for the week ended October 16, 82 units (153 mills) reporting, gave orders as 21,199,000 feet, shipments 19,112,000 feet, and production 17,782,00O f.eet. Orders on hand at the end of the week totaled 132,776,W Leet.

The West Coast Lumbermen's Association for the week ended October 9 reported orders as 135,218,00O feet, shipments 110,646,000 feet, and production 114,190,000 feet.

For the week ended October 16 orders were reported as 107,568,000 feet, shipments 18,706,000 feet, and production 116,160,000 feet.

Bcryt keynotes Amedccr's qnswer todcry to Gerncmy's U-bo<rt woII pctck Bigger cqrgo lleets nrust neet Hitler'E chcllenge with two new ships lor ecrch one sunk.. with olhers building in swift succession. Only with ships cqn we win the battle ol the Atlcrntic or supply lhe boys "down under."

To this princry nerye cenler ol Anericcr's war efforl lunber irs flowing in enormous volume: lor ship wcrys qnd scqllolding in every ycnd; Ior ship interiors cmd ftunih,rre; tor pcckcAing munitions qnd natericrl which courprise their countless lighting ccrgoes.

With our lellow ncnrulachrrers oI ihe industry, wo cre committed to the proposition that ships cmd ccngo pccLcrging cone lirsb thct lumber needed for both rhcll be supplied to lhe utnost ol our resourcee crnd lacilities, so that Americcr's service ol sutr> ply shcll not lcil c single lront line lighter.