30 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



May 25. 1922 



Michigan Mill Men Will Aid Hoover 



Members of the Michigan Hardwood Manufacturers' Associa- 

 tion, in special session at the Statler Hotel, Detroit, May 18, iu- 

 structed their delegate to the Hoover conference on Standardiza- 

 tion and grade marking of lumber to offer and give their co-opera- 

 tion in working out practicable measures both for simplifying 

 lumber sizes or grade and tally marking for the protection of the 

 buyer. The association wants the Government to understand that 

 its attitude toward the conference is most friendly and that it 

 wants to contribute whatever it can to the improvement of con- 

 ditions in the lumber industry. 



During the careful discussion of the objects of the conference, 

 the Michigan manufacturers agreed that tally marking of carload 

 shipments is practicable and comparatively easy of accomplish- 

 ment, but they also conceived that grade marking is a more com- 

 plex proposition, involving mechanical and other difficulties. So 

 far as standards of construction lumber are concerned, they be- 

 lieved that they would have little influence in determining stand- 

 ards, because of the overwhelming influence of Pacific Coast fir and 

 Southern manufacturers, whose production of construction lum- 

 ber is so vastly larger than their own output of hemlock. 



The association will be represented by W. L. Saunders of Cadil- 

 lac, who was asked for by John W. Blodgett, president of the Na- 

 tional Lumber Manufacturers' Association, who at the request of 

 the Government selected the lumber delegates to the conference. 

 Mr. Saunders advised the members that these standardization and 

 grade marking propositions can not be ignored. He believed that 

 Secretary Hoover is giving lumber manufacturers an opportunity 

 to correct uneconomic and evil conditions in the lumber industry, 

 and that if they do not take advantage of the opportunity they 

 may expect to have "pure lumber" legislation adopted, which 

 will involve more drastic methods of accomplishing what they may 

 effect of their own volition. 



The discussion of grade marking, that is, of hardwoods, brought 

 out several interesting phases of the problem. The opinion was 

 expressed that it would be expensive to grade mark each board, 

 and the members speculated on whether it would b? best to stencil 

 the grade on the board or press it in with a stamping machine. 

 Then the idea was advanced that it would not be necessary to grade 

 mark all lumber shipped; that is, when a mill ships stock directly 

 to a consumer there would be no need for grade marking, because 

 the lumber would not be handled by a third party, and there would 

 be no opportunity for the mixing and juggling of grades, as is 

 given when lumber is haudled by a middle man before reaching 

 the consumer. The larger industrial user's own inspection would 

 guard against any duplicity on the part of the mill shipping direct 

 to him. The question was raised as to how honest grade marking 

 at the mill might be assured at the mill, and members wondered if 

 it would be necessary to maintain a National inspector at every 

 mill. 



In advancing these ideas the participants in the discussion did 

 not assume that wholesalers in general are given to dishonest prac- 

 tices nor that the manufacturers of lumber are without fault or 

 blemish. Neither did they admit that the rank and file of lumber- 

 men are any worse than the rank and file of any other class of 

 human creatures; but conceded that the lumber industry, like all 

 other human institutions, has its imperfect and evil elements. 

 Conditions Notably Improved 



The Michigan millmen assembled at their Detroit meeting in a 

 much more cheerful frame of mind than they have enjoyed for two 

 years. Their discussion of conditions developed that during the 

 past month or so there has been a marked improvement in demand 

 for lumber. Prices of both soft and hardwoods have made substan- 

 tial advances and they are now firm or advancing. The automobile 

 industry has again swung into capacity production and has been 



purchasing large quantities of hardwoods. The unusual country- 

 wide building activities have resulted in marked increase of de- 

 mand from that quarter. Stocks of the upper grades of hardwoods 

 (those most in demand) are relatively light and altogether the 

 situation is most favorable for the lumbermen. F. 0. Harden of 

 Boyne City, president of the association, who presided, said that he 

 believed conditions have improved ten per cent all around in the 

 past few weeks. In his report to the meeting, J. C. Knox, secre- 

 tary, said: "Conditions surrounding the lumber market, as well 

 as that of other industries, have improved considerably within the 

 last thirty days. The shipments during the past four months (that 

 is, Michigan hardwood and hemlock) have exceeded shipments of 

 the first four months of 1921 by nearly twenty -five million feet." 



The question of advertising maple jointly with the Northern 

 Hemlock and Hardwood Manufacturers' Association was brought 

 up by W. N. Wrape of Bay City, chairman of the publicity com- 

 mittee, and he read a telegram from 0. H. Swan, secretary of the 

 latter association, suggesting a joint meeting of the committee of 

 the two associations at an early date. He read a wire to Mr. Swan 

 naming May 25 at 9 a. m. at the Congress Hotel in Chicago as 

 the date and place of the meeting. 



Mr. Wrape was selected to represent the association at the Sales 

 Code conference of the National Hardwood Lumber Association 

 in Chicago on June 21. 



The lumber valuation questionnaire, which the state of Michigan 

 is sending to the lumber manufacturers of that state, was discussed 

 by Mr. Wrape. This questionnaire is sent out under Section 148 

 of the General Tax Law of the state and is for the purpose of check- 

 ing assessments on lumber outfits. It requests in great detail valua- 

 tion on logs, lumber and woods and mill equipment. It must be 

 answered by May 24 and Mr. Wrape urged the members to give it 

 their careful attention. 



In a discussion of the boom for John W. McClure of Memphis for 

 president of the National Hardwood Lumber Association, the mem- 

 bers expressed themselves favorable to this choice. 



It was agreed that the next quarterly meeting will be held on 

 June 22 in Chicago at the Congiess Hotel at 9 a. m., just prior 

 to the opening of the first morning's session of the National's 

 twenty-fifth annual convention. 



Knox Explains Effort to Reduce Rates 



Secretary Knox had the following to say relative to the move to 

 secure reductions in rates on hardwoods from Michigan points to 

 the lumber markets of the country: 



One thing we are particularly interested in. and that is to obtain a 

 reduction in our railroad freight rates which are on an extremely high 

 basis and should be reduced to a basis somewhat in keeping with the 

 times. In order to get our needs before the Interstate Commerce Com- 

 mission it was necessary to intervene in the Southern Rate Cases, 

 and your secretary appeared in Washington April 28 in your behalf, 

 and we endeavored to get into the record the needs of the Michigan 

 Hardwood Manufacturers' Association and Michigan shippers for re- 

 duced rates as compared with other territories in sharp competition 

 with us. 



Our Michigan freight rates are on an abnormally high basis, and if 

 you have been following the complaint of the Michigan Traffic League 

 the last few weeks at Lansing you will have been shown the necessity 

 for a complete revision of the Michigan Class and Commodity rates, 

 especially do these rates affect the northern part of the lower peninsula 

 of Michigan. 



A Correction 



In connection with the announcement of the organization of the Clinch 

 Valley Lumber Company and the resignation of Frank R. Gadd, as man- 

 ager of statistics for the American Hardwood Manufacturers' Association, 

 for the purpose of becoming general manager of tlie new company, it was 

 stated In the May 10 issue of H.Mtowoon Uecorh that the headquarters of 

 thp new organization would be at "Fort Blackburn, Va." This should 

 have road "Fort Blackmore, Va." 



