From Cut Out To Cut Always

A well nigh perfect example of the miracles that have been wrought in late years by ventures into forest growing and reforestation is the Southern Lumber Company, of Warren, Arkansas. This concern cut its last virgin Southern Pine trees nearly two decades ago, shut down the big sawmill, blew the farewell whistle, and prepared to cdl it the end of a big mill.

Then a fellow named "Dick" Warner, who at the time was m:rnager of the concern, decided to take another look. His stockholders backed him up, and they sent forest experts into their large cut-over land holdings with instructions to find out what the possibilities might be for growing timber scientifically. The foresters made such glowing reports of the golden opportunities they found, that the Southern Lumber Company went back into business again. They modernized and enlarged the mill in various fashions, turning out a much finer sawmill than they ever had during

Private Mortgage Lending Institutions

Private mortgage lending institutions are urged to provide a suitable secondar.v mortgage market for the benefit of home builders and mortgagees in all sections of the country irr a resolution approved by the Board of Directors of the National Re1:ail Lumber Dealers Association, according to an announcement by Henry J I\Iunnerlyn, tl.re organization's new presiCent.

"Private enterprise should not have to depend on Congressiona-l action to meer this need, and can not afford to rely solely on uncertain political action in so vital a matter," Mr- l\funnerlyn said.

"Early termination of emergcncy controls, elimination of unnecessary federal expenditures, and continued study of means of giving the public more house for the monev were amc,ng other recommendations appoved by the Board in a 10-point policy prog!'am, u'hich reads as follorvs:

"Permit the Defense Producticn Act to terminate as provided for by the 82nd Congress thus terminating priorities and allocation authority, price and rvage stabilization, real estate credit control authority, and all other defense production Dowers.

"IJrge ihe examination and overhauling of regulations of federal agencies affectinq business, and particularly recommend to the Congress that no 'stand by' control authoritv be given to any agency of government, unless that authority provides specifically for future Congressional approval of the use of the control euthority in any field of business activity.

"Eliminate all unnecessary defense and non-defense expenditures in order to reduce the tax burden.

"Encoulage the further study of the entire tax structure and seek to distribute the burden of taxation equitably upon all branches of business and industry, the thirty odd years when they cut virgin timber. And they really went to town at timber growing.

To make the story short, this mill that cut out and quit is now planning with confidence to run for atl timc to come, and has the timber prospectus to show for it. And it is one of the most modern and efficient mills in the entire South. The Southern Lumber Company now has just rwo lines of business: first, growing commercial trces; second, cutting them into high class lumber. The prospective life of the institution is "from now on."

As an example of the progressiveness of tte concern, it recently suffered "the most disastrous single forest 6rc in Arkansas' recorded history." Four ttousand acres of young timber was wiped out completely. Thev re-seeded the area by airplane, taking six days to do the job. It cost $24,(X)0, or about $6 per acre. A little less than a pound of sced to the acre was sown from the air.

That's the way the Southern Lumber Company and "Dick" Warner does timber growing.

"Restore the principle of freight absorption as a means of providing a iree and even florv of goods to the distribution system.

"Study and eliminate in so far as possible the many, and some timcs duplicating, mandatory business and financial questionnaires of agencier of the government l'hich are sent to the srr^all business man.

"By either Congressional or administrative action promptlv unfreeze the fixed-intcrest rJ-te on FH-\ and VA loans for residerrtial constructicn in order that thev ma-v be competitive n'ith the free-market rate of the conventional lender.

"IJrge upon private mortgage lending institutions that they provide a suitable secondarv mortgage market for the benefit of mortgagees end builders in all sections of the country.

"Continue to cooperate in the exploration of means of providing the home buying public rvith 'more house for the nroney.'

"Continue to assist the industly in acquiring knorvledge and information as to product and management problems in an effort to further improve the efficiency of the essential distributicn function performed b-v the retail lumber and building materials dealer."

Douglcs Fir crnd West Coast Hemlock Lumber-Rounding Out Delivery Chcrges

I\{anufacturers of Pacific Northrvest Douglas fir. true fir and \\rest Coast hemlock lumber are required to round out their deliverl' charges to the nearest quarter dollar per 1,000 board feet or other applicable measure, OPS announced today.

Previously no provision rvas made for rounding out freight charges. The change is made to conform to industrv practices. It rvill have no effect on the averat'e level of prices. The change is provided for in Amendment 2 to Ceiling Price Regulation 128, and is eft'ective December n, 1952.