22 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



September 25. 1922 



Institute Is Making Progress 



"Tlie Hardwood Manufacturers' Institute has been iu existence 

 but three months, and, notwithstanding adverse circumstances, 

 membership has increased 133 per cent since the organization meet- 

 ing at Louisville, June 15," declares the opening paragraph of a 

 review of the development of the Institute, issued from the Chicago 

 heaquarters, 1020 South Wabash avenue, on September 16, and 

 addressed to the membership. ' ' We now represent approximately 

 one-third of the mill capacity for producing hardwood in the United 

 States — a very formidable showing," the next sentence of the 

 statement says. It continues as follows: 



A study of our membership roll and the character of our membership 

 insures the successful carrying forward of all ot the constructive work we 

 have undertaken in the interest of the producer and consumer of hard- 

 woods. 



Our Inspection department has been organized and is successfully, satis- 

 factorily and efficiently meeting the demands of our members. Our mem- 

 bership should carefully study the regulations of our inspection department 

 and sell their lumber only on Hardwood Manufacturers' Instit\ite rules and 

 inspection. 



Members should be patient with reference to the installation of our 

 statistical program. Under the circumstances it is obvious that our com- 

 mittee should proceed slowly and carefully in solving all of the problems 

 in connection with this department, thus safeguarding all the interests of 

 our members. 



The committee is working constantly to this end, and before a great 

 while will have this vei'y important department ot our work in operation. 



We have created an engineering department, charged with the responsi- 

 bility ot making a complete survey of consumers' requirements, on the 

 basis of which Inspection rules may be formulated which will better meet 

 the needs of consumption and thus conserve our hardwood resources. 



We are planning district meetings where the members may conveniently 

 come together for the study of the problems relative to the proper manu- 

 facture, care and inspection of hardwood lumber. The first ot these meet- 

 ings will be held at Alexandria, La., Friday, September 22, and will be in 

 charge of J. M. Pritchard. 



Our offices are now established in Chicago at 1020 South Wabash 

 avenue, and we are prepared and equipped to carry forward efficiently all 

 the work of the Institute. The change in location meant the building up 

 of a new clerical force, but we feel this has been done with a minimum 

 amount of confusion and lost motion. 



We have made real progress in this brief period In interesting the con- 

 sumers ot lumber in the purposes and policies of the Hardwood Manu- 

 facturers' Institute. We have met with great encouragement, having 

 received numerous invitations to meet with consuming groups and tell 

 them of our plans. 



This work has only fairly begun, and in the end we are certain to enlist 

 the cooperation and support o( all consumers of lumber who do not fail 

 to recognize that our principles are right and the working out of our 

 program will he beneficial to both the producers and consumers. 



Our members will doubtless be interested to know that the sinipliflcatiou 

 and f tandardizatlon program of the lumber industry is meeting with the 

 practically universal support of the lumber trade press in its various 

 branches. 



The treatment In news coUanns and editorial discussion has been all 

 that co"tld be desired. 



Among those publications which have evidenced a correct understand- 

 ing of the subjects and have discussed the subject with ability and 

 elTectlveness, many of which have directly approved the policies and plans 

 of the Institute, may be mentioned : 



Hardwood Record, Southern Lumberman. Lumber Trade Journal, Lum- 

 Iter, Lumber World Review, .\merican Lumberman, National Lumber Mer- 

 chant — In practically all issues. 



.\ssoeiated Furniture — issues of .Inly and August. 



Manufacturers' Record — issue of August 31. 



The Furniture Index — July Issue. 



The Furniture Factory — August issue. 



The Canada Lumberman — issue of August 1 and others. 



New York Lumber Trade Journal — issue of Jul.v. 



Canadian Woodworker and Furniture Manufacturer — July 



Mississippi Valley Lumberman — issue of July. 



American Forestry — September number. 



Lumber and Veneer Consumer — issue of July. 



The New York Commercial — July 19 and various others. 



Wood Construction — Issue of September 1. 



Veneers — issue of September. 



A number of publications functioning prlnutrlly to the consuming trade 



liave manifested considerable interest in the subject, and articles, some 

 of them specially prepared, will shortly appear. 



One of the purposes ot the Hardwood Manufacturers' Institute will be 

 to aid in bringing about, as far as possible, uniformity In the manufac- 

 ture, care and Inspection of hardwood lumber. Because of many requests 

 for such information we have decided to begin this work by holding district 

 meetings, where representatives of the several mills may conveniently come 

 together for a full and broad discussion of the subject. 



The first meeting will be held in the Bentley Hotel, Alexandria, La., 

 Friday, September 22, 9 a. m. There will be a general discussion until 

 noon. After luncheon practical demonstration of the application of the 

 rules will be made on the yard of the Ferd Brenner Lumber Company. 



All members as well as non-members will be welcome at any and all ot 

 these meetings. We urge attendance of production superintendents and 

 inspection foremen. Every one will be encouraged to ask questions to 

 develop the fullest exchange of views, thus insuring a very interesting 

 and instructive meeting. 



Our Mr. Pritchard will attend this meeting and make arrangements for 

 similar meetings in other localities. 



At the present time the chief development in progress in the standard- 

 ization work of this committee is the installation of field work of an 

 engineering character to ascertain the requirements of hardwood con- 

 sumption as a basis for scientific reconstruction of grade rules. 



At the beginning the principal emphasis will be placed upon the auto- 

 motive, furniture and sash, door and blind fields. Inasmuch as the auto- 

 motive field is well organized in a technical sense, and already has a 

 standing committee on standardization, our first contact has been made 

 with this industry. 



Mr. Murray, our mechanical engineer, who has this field work in charge, 

 has his definite procedure outlined, and at the present time is in the 

 North, actively In pursuit of the work. It is yet premature to detail 

 fully such findings as already at hand. Suffice it to say that the outlook 

 is most gratifying. 



It will be some little time before the entire machinery for the complete 

 field survey of all industries can be set In motion, but with a definite 

 beginning already recorded, and the most difficult preliminary organization 

 work completed, the committee feels that the progress is real, tangible and 

 satisfactory. 



We are proud of the rec^ird being made by our inspection department. 

 We have promptly met every demand nmde upon us. The work is increas- 

 ing and we are plaiming to add additional men to our inspection force at 

 points where they may serve our members quickly and at the lowest 

 possible expense. 



In addition to otir regular force of inspectors, we have placed one in the 

 Virginia territory, and in a short time will have another in the southwest- 

 ern territory and still another at New Orleans. 



This will be done without violating the principles upon which our 

 inspection department Is conducted, namely, that the movement of the 

 inspectors will be controlled from the main office, and they will be rotated 

 to avoid any criticism. 



.All requests for inspection service should be made by letter or by wire 

 to the main office, and inspectors will be quickly assigned to do the work. 

 There is a feeling on the part of some of our members that this plan may 

 cause delay, but we find that from experience that the contrary is true, for 

 central control guarantees better service. 



Please note carefully pages 4 to 10 inclusive of the inspection rules 

 books, which furnishes necessary information with regard to the regula- 

 tions of the inspection department. These regulations should be thoroughly 

 understood by each member to avoid misunderstandings and confusion. 



We have issued a number of certificates this month for the export 

 market, as well as to the Pacific coast and many other important domestic 

 markets. 



Sell your lumber subject only to Hardwood Manufacturers' Inspection 

 Rules, and insure fair and unpartial application of the rules to all parties 

 concerned. 



We now have 175 — 133 per cent increase since organization — a record 

 to be proud of : but let the battle cry be ever onward. We must have 300. 



Letters and literature explaining in detail the objects and purposes 

 of the Hardwood Manufacturers' Institute have been sent to every hard- 

 wood manufacturer in the country. 



The work has been largely in the direction ot efforts to acquaint manu- 

 facturers with the purposes and the plans of the Institute, the constructive 

 character of its undertaking, the advantage and the benefit of the program 

 to the producer and consumer, as well as to the public. 



Plans are now under way to Intensify the drive through clindnatlon 

 of many and concentration on a few. 



Your membership committees have been doing a splendid personal work, 

 but your earnest and sincere co-operation is requested ami will be appre- 

 ciated. 



Throe hundred members by January 1. 



