38b 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



September 10, 1919 



Clubs and Associations 



National Manufacturers Adopt Resolution on League of Nations 



The governmental relations oomraittee of tlic National Lumber Mami- 

 tacturers' Association at a meeting in Chicago in August, refrained from 

 taking a stand one way or the other on the all ahsorbing question of the 

 League of Nations, contending that this is a matter that the individual 

 man must decide for himself aside from party and politics. 



Due. however, to the importance of the subject, the following resolution 

 was adopted at this meeting : 



Eeshlved: That the governmental relations committee of the National 

 Lumber Manufacturers' Association unanimously indorses the circular let- 

 ter sent to the industry by Mr. Keith, chairman of the committee, of July 

 10, 1919, wherein he, "in substance urged each regional group composing 

 the National to make special and careful study of the League of Nations 

 program as submitted to the United States Senate, to the end that the 

 citizens within the territory of the regionals become fully advised touch- 

 ing this vital document. . . ^. 



The fate of cmr free institutions may hang on the right determination 

 of this all important question. In the light of understanding the mem- 

 bership of the regionals .should individually give their Senators the beneht 

 of their approvaliir criticism of tlie plan. 



Manufacturers' Association Adds 106 Names Since January 



Excellent growth is reported for the American Hardwood Manufacturers' 

 Association thus far this year by F. R. Gadd. manager of statistics. He 

 said recently that since January 1 there had been an increase of 106 

 members and that this increase was responsible for the much larger attend- 

 ance at the monthly open competition plan meetings of this organization. 



The schedule of open competition plan meeting.s for September is given 

 herewith : 



Cincinnati. Hotel Sinton, Tuesday, Sept. 9 ; Memphis, Hotel Gayoso, 

 Friday, Sept. 12 ; New Orleans. St. Charles Hotel, Wednesday, Sept. 17 : 

 Jackson. Miss., Edward's House. Friday, Sept. 19, and Little Rock, Ark.. 

 Marion Hotel, Wednesday, Sept. 24. 



Mr. Gadd has characterized the recent monthly meeting at Little 

 Rock as both the best attended and most enthusiastic ever held in that 

 center. 



Preparing for Big Salesmanship Meeting 



From 2.50 to 500 delegates and visitors are expected to attend the 

 Northern Lumbermen's Salesmanship Congress at Antigo, September 26 

 to 2S, inclusive. They will come from all parts of Wisconsin, Michigan 

 and northern Illinois. Many eastern buyers, wholesalers and retailers, are 

 expected to come. 



'I'he program, which has not been completed and will be announced later, 

 includes addresses by United States Senator Irvine Lenroot and General 

 L. C. Boyle of Kansas City, general counsel for the National Lumbermen's 

 Manufacturers' .-Vssociation. Friday evening, September 26, the visiting 

 lumliernien will be bauijueteil by the Langlade County lumbermen, and the 

 latter will also provide entertainment for the following evening. Sunday 

 will be devoted to a recreational program, including a visit to a lumber 

 camp. The trip will be made by automobile or a special train. The fol- 

 lowing committees have been appointed : 



ExECi'TivE and Finance — <'. W. Fish. G. E. Foster. C. E. Ilenshaw. 



Banquet — L. P. Tradewell, Ed Faust, D. J. .Murray, J. H. Worden, Theo. 

 A. Brenner, E. II. Elstad. 



Arr.\ngement.s fou Meetings — J. E. Collins, Geo. Wunderlich, Mr. 

 Young. 



Hotel Aurangements — C. J. TeSelle, Fred P. Leavens, W. S. Thorn. M. 

 H. Keenan. G. K. Meneely. E. Hirt. 



Auvertising and Publicity — C. J. TeSelle, John English. 



Enteutainment — L. P. Tradewell, Ed Faust. C. E. Ilenshaw. A. K. 

 Potter. H. B. Kellogg, D. Lightbody. W. W. Gamble. Frank llandeyside. 

 Mr. Vtuing. 



Implement and Vehicle Association to Hold Annual 



The National Implement and Vehicle Association will hold its twenty- 

 sixth annual meeting at the Congress hotel, Chicago, on October 15, 16, 17. 

 The most important feature of the meeting will be a review of the progress 

 toward working back to a normal basis. 



The great strain on food production during the war emphasized the 

 need for improved farming equipment and led to the expansion of power 

 farming, in fact, as an aftermath to this war effect, 1919 has witnessed 

 the greatest progress in power farming in the history of the industry. The 

 .\mericiin .systefli has also had its effect on Europe and development 

 abroad will be along lines tending to greatly increase the e.xport market 

 for power farming equipment of all kinds. 



Standardization and elimination have played an important part during 

 the past years in keeping down expenses to the benefit of the manufacturer 

 and consumer. 



The prognim for the meeting is very interesting and gives promise of 

 fruitful discussions and addresses. The social features have been revived 

 and it is anticipated that the entertainment program will be most 

 attractive. 



One of the most important subjects for the silo dapartment will be 

 standardization of selling terms, which lias long been a perple.xing question 

 anKPiig the silo manufacturers. Recent freight classification changes and 



tile science of settlements will be other topics of interest at the silo 

 meeting. 



Preliminary meetings of branches of the association include a meeting 

 of the farm wagon manufacturers to be held in the East room of Hotel 

 La Salle, Chicago, on September 17. At this meeting W. L. Hall of the 

 U. S. Forest Service will address the manufacturers on the relations of 

 the United States Forest Service to the manufacturers of wagons and 

 other vehicles. Mr. Hall will dwell particularly upon the future of wood 

 material supply, and make especial reference to hickory, oak and boxboards. 



Other questions for discussion will be costs and the materials situation, 

 which will be exhaustively treated. "Business Ethics in Competition" 

 will also have a prominent place on the program. 



The plow and tillage implement manufacturers will meet at the Audi- 

 torium hotel, Chicago, on Septemlicr 18. One of the big questitms before 

 this meeting will be where should gratuitous service by the implement 

 dealer stop and paid service commence. This is a question that has long 

 perplexed the plow and tillage implement dealers and it is anticipated 

 that the solution will be arrived at at this meeting. 



Memphis Lumbermen Resume Monthly Meetings 



The fil'st meeting of the Luiiibi-niien's CUili of Memphis for the fall 

 season will be held at the Hotel Gayoso, Saturday. September 26, at 1 p. 

 m. The usual luncheon will be served and there will be considerable busi- 

 ness to transact for the reason that there have been no regular meetings 

 of this organization since about the middle of June. 



The club, some time ago, through II. J. M. Jorgensen, its president, sug- 

 gested to the boanl of education that it could widen its scope of useful- 

 ness by adding a class in lumber inspection to the curriculum of the 

 Crockett vocational high school. This suggestion has been very favorably 

 received by the principal of that institution who has promised, with the 

 assistance of the lumbermen, to organize such a class. 



President Jorgensen has therefore appealed to the members of the club 

 not only to assist in securing a competent instructor for this department 

 hut also to do everything in their power t,o make this new department a 

 thorough success. The instructor, it is pointed out by this official, "must 

 lie a man thoroughly familiar with inspection rules, able to apply those 

 rules and likewise able to impart this knowledge to others." The class 

 will receive two hours instruction three nights a week while the instruc- 

 tor will be paid a salary by the board. 



President Jorgensen also asks that members of the club provide employ- 

 ment for those who are taking lessons in inspection so that they may 

 secure as much practical application of their knowledge as possible. He 

 believes that the plan he has suggested will, in time, relieve the shortage 

 of inspectors now being experienced. 



Urge Stabilized Markets at Beaumont Meeting 



Labor and other conditions in clifferent sections of the country makes 

 a uniform price practically impossible, even were it desirable, but the 

 manufacturers can do a great deal toward stabilizing the market, by an 

 honest interpretation of grades and to allow the banks to handle credits, 

 B. B. Hall, sales manager of the Sabine Tram & Lumber Company, told 

 the Southern Hardwood Manufacturers' Club and Open Price Competition 

 members at the monthly meeting in Beaumont. 



Mr. Hall pointed out that some of the dealers were being embarrassed 

 by others not so scrupulously selling stuff that did not come up to the 

 grade represented. This practice, he said, was ciuifined largely to small 

 buyers who did not maintain regular competent inspectors and let it get 

 by. It had the effect of making the strictly honest manufacturer appear 

 above the market. 



In the matter of credits^ Mr. Hall dwelt at length upon the abuse that 

 was liable to creep in, estiecially when the credits were for any great 

 length of time. When taking such a chance, the manufacturer would 

 naturally exact a higher price than the market justified. Again he 

 might be tempted to ship inferior lumber, knowing the consumer was 

 in his power and would have to accept what was sent. Mr. Hall said in 

 part: 



In referring to past history of the hardwood industry, all of you will 

 remember that up to a few years ago practically all of the northern con- 

 suming centers had established different grades of their own. The same 

 condition existed with our export markets such as Europe, .■^sia and 

 South America, therefore when a manufacturer was producing lumber 

 and putting it into piles, he did not know which of these grades bis lum- 

 ber would be sold on. In quoting prices, the producer naturally took 

 into consideration the qu'ality of lumber he was going to be expected to 

 ship. In my opinion, this i.s one of the reasons for such wide variation 

 in prices. Even now the manufacturers are looking for easy markets 

 and. of course, w^ill make a cheaper price to a concern which buys very 

 little lumber and know's very little of the interjirctatii'ii 4)f the rules of 

 inspection, rather than ship his lumber to an exacting customer who will 

 require him to ship what he buys. ' I am a firm believer in shipping one 

 standard uniform grade to all alike, whether your customer be a whole- 

 .saler or consumer. In other words, leave out the "dope," so to speak. 



Terms of sale is another point which has a great deal to do with 

 prices. If you are quoting a price to a concern who will pay cash for 

 the lumbi-r he buys, you, of course, base your price accordingly and will, 

 no doubt, make him your best price. On the other hand, if your customer 

 expects you to carry him indefinitely, you will take into consideration 

 the value of your money you will be compelled to do withitut and also 

 the fact that he possibly could not get accommoilations from every con- 

 cern, and then you will base your price, and in this instance, you stand 

 a good chance to get an order at a higher price. 



As long as the Sherman and otht'i- laws governing the restraint of trade 

 exist, the law of supply and demand will control the fluctuations of the 

 general market, but the manufacturers could by close co-operation, esttib- 



