. Canadian forestry journal. Forests and forestry -- Canada Periodicals. Canadian Forestry Journal, February, 1919 69 of Engineers of the called in Colonel Graves and made him responsible for furnishing the lumber to carry out these plans. Accord- ingly Col. Graves and I went to work to procure it. We knew that the tonnage shortage pre- vented our importing it, but we understood that the French would fill our first requirements. What was our dismay to learn that by furnish- ing us lumber the French had simply meant they would furnish us the trees standing in the forests! They had no pil
. Canadian forestry journal. Forests and forestry -- Canada Periodicals. Canadian Forestry Journal, February, 1919 69 of Engineers of the called in Colonel Graves and made him responsible for furnishing the lumber to carry out these plans. Accord- ingly Col. Graves and I went to work to procure it. We knew that the tonnage shortage pre- vented our importing it, but we understood that the French would fill our first requirements. What was our dismay to learn that by furnish- ing us lumber the French had simply meant they would furnish us the trees standing in the forests! They had no piles, and they had not enough lumber or ties for themselves. Even worse, they had no labor. What were we to do? The situation was critical. Our troops were on their way over, and we had nothing built to receive them, nor any materials with which to build. We must have forestry troops and saw- mills at once. Mr. Claveille, the Chief of the French transportation system, told us with vivid emphasis that failure to send forestry troops promptly would spell disaster. Gen. Pershing was so anxious about the situation that he per- sonally dictated an urgent cable asking the War Department to stop sending fighting men until they had first sent forestry troops. But, what will be the use of sending forestry troops and sawmills unless thera is enough standing timber? The vital question then was, did France possess enough standing timber to fill the indispensable requirements not only of their own army and civil population, but of the British army and the American army as well? The construction program of the American en- gineers called for lumber in quantities which staggered the French. The Foresight of Forestry. Fortunately, France did have the forests. The situation was saved, the war shortened by many long months. And why did she have them? Be- cause she had practised forestry for generations. We must not imagine that she always prac- tised forestry. Like other countries, she began by de
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