August 10. 1919 HARDWOODRECORD 19 



All Hardwoods Now Inspected Under One Set of Rules 



The following statement has been given out from the offices of the National Hardwood 

 Lumber Association in Chicago, 111., and the American Hardwood Manufacturers' Association in 

 Memphis, Tenn., and carries the approval of the executive committees of both organizations: — 



July 28, 1919. 



A single and uniform standard of inspection for hardwood lumber has been achieved. The dilTerences which 

 have existed in the hardwood trade have been harmonized and the adoption of the rules of inspection of the Na- 

 tional Hardwood Lumber Association by the Inspection Rules Committee of the American Hardwood Manufactur- 

 ers Association is the tinal step in a gradual process which has been working naturally through a period of years. 

 Differences of opinion among the hardwood trade have existed on the subject of inspection rules, but the funda- 

 mental principles were the same in both schools of thought, for, after all. inspection rules can only be the expression 

 of the requirements and the best customs of the trade. 



With two sets of inspection rules in existence for many years, it was but natural that the evolution of the 

 rules should be along lines that would ultimately converge. Evidence of this principle was the rules adopted by the 

 American Hardwood Manufacturers' Association in the early part of the present year. These rules were so 

 similar to the rules of the National Hardwood Lumber Association as to be considered almost identical. There be- 

 ing a large duplication of membership in the two organizations, the leaders began to realize that uniform inspec- 

 tion of hardwood lumber had practically arrived and it was necessary only to carry out certain formalities to ac- 

 complish the final resuh. In June, the directors of the NationaPHardwood Lumber Association voted to waive the 

 copyright privileges in order to permit the adoption of their rules by the American Hardwood Manufacturers' As- 

 sociation. At a meeting held on July 15 the inspection rules committee of the American Hardwood Manufacturers' 

 Association voted to adopt and use the rules of the National Hardwood Lumber Association, effective September i, 

 1919, and in this action were supported by the executive committee of the American Hardwood Manufacturers' 

 Association. In this simple v^-ay was removed the barrier which had divided the hardwood trade for years. 

 There will be the closest co-operation between the two hardwood organizations. 



The National Hardwood Lumber .Association will continue to be the rule-making body and operate its 

 inspection bureau under the bonded certificate plan as heretofore. The American Hardwood Manufactur- 

 ers' Association will continue its present activities in the interests of its membership, and will maintain its in- 

 spection department, which will confine its services to arbitrations on lumber in dispute, and this service will 

 be rendered only when the consent of the shipper and the consignee have been obtained. 



Inspection by the American Hardwood Manufacturers' Association will be made for its members under 

 the National Hardwood Lumber Association rules at point of origin only when the stock is moving for export 

 or to the Pacific Coast or on government contracts and for such inspection the American Hardwood Manu- 

 facturers' Association will issue its own certificate certifying as to the grades, quantities and kinds of lumber 

 found. 



The American Hardwood Manufacturers' Association has also adopted the rules of inspection on cypress 

 and tupelo lumber promulgated by the Southern Cypress Association, therefore, the rules of the National Hard- 

 wood Lumber Association will cover cypress on random widths and the rules of the Southern Cypress Asso- 

 ciation covering cypress on stock widths will both be available and either rule may be used, at the option of 

 the shipper. 



The American Hardwood Manufacturers' Association has adopted the rules of the Commercial Rotary 

 Gum Association on commercial rotary cut veneer and has adopted the rules of the Rotary Cut Box Lumber 

 Association on rotary cut box lumber. 



The American Hardwood Manufacturers' .Association has also adopted the rules of inspection on yellow 

 pine lumber of the Southern Pine Association. 



The American Hardwood Manufacturers' Association has adopted the rules of the Maple Flooring Manu- 

 facturers' Association on maple flooring and the rules of the Oak Flooring Manufacturers' Association of America 

 on oak flooring. 



The inspection rules committee of the American Hardwood Manufacturers' Association will have, by agree- 

 ment, representation on the inspection rules committee of the National Hardwood Lumber Association with the 

 view of cementing the relations between the two organizarions and maintaining the closest harmony and uniformity 

 in the interpretation and application of the rules. 



This action on the part of the two organizations removes forever the differences which have existed in the 

 trade on the subject of inspection rules and brings about the condition of unity and harmony so long desired and 

 which will enable the industry, as a whole, to work out the problems of inspection rules upon broad and compre- 

 hensive lines. 



