22 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



August 25. l!ii;i 



European Markets Still Stagnant 



The wariuiiijs sent mit of hitr by brokers and others abroiid 

 against promiscuous shipments of lumber to foreign countries, 

 especially England, on the supposition that the market there was 

 ready to absorb all forwardings in short order at highly attractive 

 prices, and the subsequent reports that heavy receipts on the other 

 side had produced congestion and caused a decided feeling of weak- 

 ness, were reinforced last week by M. S. Baer, of the hardwood firm 

 of E. P. Baer & Co., of Baltimore, Md., on his return from a trip 

 to Europe of about six weeks. Mr. Baer visited England, France, 

 Belgium and Germany, inquiring everywhere into lumber trade 

 conditions and the prospects of placing stocks of American woods, 

 and he not only reports that much congestion prevails in the 

 English ports, but that the foreign buyers are by no means ready 

 to take extensive quantities of lumber, the situation being too un- 

 certain and it still being a far cry to a return to conditions approxi- 

 mating those in point of activity that prevailed prior to the war. 

 Mr. Baer said the supposition that with peace actually come, tlie 

 people on the other side would at once begin to consume big quanti- 

 ties of lumber was a mistaken one. What with the demands of the 

 workers, with political unsettlement in many of the countries, with 

 general unrest and with a steadily declining exchange, the problem 

 of resumption was enormously complicated, and the exporters here 

 might as well realize that Europe was not ready to take up the 

 heavy shipments made. He said he saw plain oak sold at Antwerp 

 for $105 per 1,000 feet, or just about the price the same kind of 

 lumber would bring at home, with no additions of ocean freiglit 

 charges, port costs and other expenses added. As matters stood, 

 the shippers on consignment were in for heavy losses on their ship- 

 ments, for the latter were soon eaten up by the accumulation of 

 charges. With the various ports congested, it was necessary to 

 lighter shipment.s, which added to the outla}'. In fact, the situation 

 seemed to Mr. Baer so grave that it could not well be exaggerated. 

 He pointed out that the English buyers positively refused to do 

 business on the basis of the dollar, insisting upon the pound as tlic 

 exchange medium. Sterling exchange, along with others, had been 

 steadily declining, so that a buyer did not know what the lumber 

 he bought would cost him. As a consequence there was great 

 hesitancy about entering into commitments, and wants were being 

 deferred. 



France, he found, was doing nothing and npparentlv waiting for 

 a big indemnity or something. Furthermore, he expressed doubt 

 that a number of the cifes in Belgium, which had lost their real 

 importance even before the war, would ever be rebuilt. It would he 

 far cheaper to select new sites and build than to clear away the 

 masses of debris with which the locations of the cities like Ypres 

 Dixmude, and other places were littered. On the other hand, the' 

 towns that really had a commercial or industrial importance, like 

 Antwerp, Lille and Liege, were almost untouched, and there was 

 no need for extensive use of material for reconstruction. The dis- 

 position among the peoples abroad was to forget the war and re- 

 sume business. Thus, many Germans were visiting Loudon and 

 found the English ready to trade. But transportation still showed 

 great disorganization and inefficiency as the result of the w-ir 

 while the passport and other police regulations governing the move- 

 ment of individuals made communication verv difficult and inter- 

 fered correspondingly with the resumption of intercourse in a 

 mercantile and industrial way. There were manv readjustments to 

 be made and much time would be required, in the opinion of Mr 

 Baer, before matters got back somewhere near the old lines 



Mr. Baer pointed out, as have other members of the trade th-it 

 with the domestic users of hardwoods urgentlv calling for stocks 

 and the mills unable to take care oi all the wants that develop it 

 was difficult to understand why men would expose themselves to'all 

 the uncertainties and risks of the foreign markets when thev could 



verv attractive 



dispose of tlieir stocks readiiy at home and at 

 figures. 



From a sight-seeing point of view, Mr. Baer's trip was highly 

 interesting. He witnessed the peace celebrations in London, Paris 

 and Brussels, getting an especially good look at King Albert, when 

 he reviewed the troops. Mr. Baer also visited the battlefi-lds in 

 France and Flanders, and was profoundly impressed with the stu- 

 pendous feats performed by the contending armies. It was very 

 difficult to say who won the war, considered from the standpoint of 

 sufeering the least damage, Mr. Baer added. He is inclined to the 

 belief, however, that perhaps Germany was in better condition, 

 notwithstanding her internal and other troubles; though time alone 

 could show whether this indication was correct. Mr. Baer returned 

 on the steamer Lapland, which reached New York on August 11. 



Planning for Salesmanship Congress 



As announced in a previous issue of Hardwood Record, the North- 

 ern Lumbermen's Salesmanship Congress will be held at Antigo, 

 Wis., September 26, 27 and 28, under the joint auspices of the' 

 Michigan Hardwood Manufacturers' Association and the Northern 

 Hemlock & Hardwood Manufacturers' Association. 



A recent bulletin of the latter association dated August 15 con- 

 tains formal announcement of the meeting and the following state- 

 ment regarding this important session: 



To get together tho.se vital forces of the northern luinl„.r in.lustry 

 The Sales Organization and the Manufacturers," on one plane to in- 

 vestigate particnlarl.v the importance the :-alcs department occunics in this 

 great manufacfui'ing business, with the idea of determining how we ma.v 

 hetter handle the selling an.l manufacturing departments with the one 

 aim of marketing the greatest volume of lumber efficiently and intelligently 



To so handle these ileFortments that we may make better satisfied cus- 

 toniers. 



To broaden the big field of intelligent salesmanship that is necessary 

 under new conditions of marketing. 



To work out plans for more co-operation between the selling and manu- 

 l.u-tnn„g departments and particularly between the firms who manufacture 

 and sell northern lumber. 



To foster the feeling of friendship and fellowship between the manufac- 

 turer ot lumber and those who purchase his products with the idea of 

 greater co-operation in working out plans for better menOiandising of our 

 product. 



The Antigo In.nbermen have already appointed a committee to take 

 charge of this meeting, and G. C. Robson, President ot the Congress has 

 been in active c.rrespondence with the Michigan an,l Wisconsin directors 

 ot the pro.,ect. Committee meetings were hehl at Merrill and Antigo last 

 Jucsday at which the preliminary plans for the program were mapped 

 out. As soon as the directors have approved these plans, the program will 

 be (luickly whipped Into shape. 



Mr. Kobson has already had considerable correspondence with head- 

 Imers for this meeting and it appears that several speakers ot national 

 reputation will contribute their thoughts at the Antigo Congress 



Three years ago a very successful Congress was held at Merrill and the 

 following year this success was duplicated at Bay Citv, Michigan Owin- 

 to the war no meeting was held last year, but it is believed that the time 

 now IS very opportune for a liig meeting. 



l-nder the general plan, the place of meeting is chosen first in lower 

 Michigan and then in Wisconsin, so that it is now the turn of the Wis- 

 .■onsin people to give particular attention to the success of the meeting 

 the Michigan manufacturers have joined whole-heartedlv in the affair and 

 promise to have a big delegation in Antigo. The Congress will include not 

 only the members of the Michigan Hardwood Manufacturers' Association 

 and of the Northern Hemlock and Hardwooil Manufacturers' .\«sociation 

 but also good delegations from the wholesalers and retailers. Each branch 

 ot the tra.le will be given the opportunity to express their views and to 

 develop a generai'discnssion of some „r th.. points in which there mnv b,. 

 considerable ilifference of opinion. 



The entertainment features of the meeting will not be overlooked. 



The China tree which is very common in the southern states and 

 runs wild in many localities, is not a native of this country, nor 

 did it come from China as its name seems to imply. Its home is 

 Persia, and it belongs to the mahogany family. 



