\(/ood Boxes Keep the Powder Dty

Bv R.T. Titus, Director oI Trade Extension \ilest Coast Lumbermen's Association

A few days ago President Roosevelt said America has fighting men on 65 battle fronts scattered around the globe, in every continent, and on every sea. We have definitely moved into the offensive phase of this war for survival. With nearly one million fighting men scattered throughout the world, the job today is to keep them supplied rvith food, arms, ammunition, planes, tanks and cannon and the thousands of things soldiers and sailors need in battle.

The important thing is to get these supplies delivered to them on time and in good condition. This is where the lumber industry enters the picture. The return of each military mission from the fighting front results in a call for stronger wood crates and boxes to withstand shipping and handling hazards multiplied by the varied conditions of global warfare. Furthermore each advance of the United Nations is followed by an expansion of Lend-Lease shipments intended to win the peace as well as the war. Wood containers, once incidental to the war program, are now recognized as being as essential as the war materials, foori and supplies which they protect.

In discussing the importance of proper packing Colonel W. J. Williams, chief, Traffic Control Division, war Department, says: "We are atternpting to supply our armies and our allies all over the earth with equipment, materials and subsistence of all kinds. We have * * * no time to recondition damaged shipments * ,< * every loss or damage is a blorv struck in favor of our enemies * :F *. It is more important than at anytime in our history that shipments be properly packed. marked and han,dled to reach intendecl destinations * * * ." This is the reason a larger proportion of our total lumber cut is today going into boxes and crating than at any time previous.

Of the nation's estimated needs of 31.5 billion feet of lumber for 7943, n-rore than one-third, or 11.5 billion feet, rvill go for boxing and crating, most of it for handling war supplies. A large share of this demand will fall on West Coast mills. Of the total container requirements, it is estimated that slightly more than 6 billion feet 'rvill be crating and shipping lumber and over 5 billion feet must lte cut itrto box shook. As to the materials to be packaged it is forecast that 4.6 billion feet rvill be required for strictlv military items, betu'een 3 and 4 billion feet for industrial products ar.rd at least 2.5 billion feet for agricultural products. Morc than 62 per cent of the boxing and crating u'ill be used for direct military ancl Lencl-Lease purposes and the remainder r,r,ill be divided betn'een essential civiliarr and indirect military uses.

Perhaps more than any other the lumber industry reflects the history of this war and the change from defense and preparation to offense and actual combat. At first rvhen cantonments were needed and shelter for war work-