18 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



June 10. 1022 



Taylor Reports on Washington Conference 



Decries Need of New 



In the telegram printed below Horace F. Taylor, president 

 of the National Hardwood Lumber Association, disputes the 

 inference drawn from the recent Washington conference of 

 lumbermen, that the present system of grading and inspec- 

 tion of hardwoods by the National Hardwood Lumber Asso- 

 ciation is inadequate and that it is necessary to establish a 

 new system to conform to Secretary Hoover's thought in the 

 matter of safeguarding the interests of the buyers of hard- 

 wood liunber. Mr. Taylor's wire reads: 



"Buffalo, N. y., June 7, 1922. 

 "Hardwood Record, 



"537 South Dearborn St., 

 "Chicago. 

 "Secretary Hoover has offered us no criticism whatever of 



Hardwood Association 



the inspection rules and service of the National Hardwood 

 Lumber Association. On the other hand, there is ample evi- 

 dence that the hardwood standardization of this association 

 •within the practical limits of its development to this date 

 is in entire conformity with the Hoover plan. Please publish 

 immediately for the benefit of any who may have been misled 

 regarding the conclusions of the Washington conference, or 

 any who have been told tihat in order to carry out Secretary 

 Hoover's recommendations a new hardwood organization 

 must be formed, for such is not the case. 



"Horace F. Taylor, 

 ' ' President National Hardwood Lumber Association. ' ' 



A report on the recent conference in Washington on lumber 

 standardization and trade practices has been made to the mem- 

 bership of the National Hardwood Lumber Association by Horace 

 F. Taylor of Buffalo, N. Y., president of the National, who headed 

 the delegation, consisting of Earl Palmer and John W. McClure 

 of Memphis and Frank F. Fish of Chicago, secretary-treasurer of 

 the association, which represented the association at the confer- 

 ence. 



In this report Mr. Taylor explains to the members of the National 

 the efforts of its delegation to secure separate consideration of 

 hard and soft wood questions, and the failure to succeed because of 

 being out-voted. He also reviewed his explanation to the confer- 

 ence of the progress already made by the National in the direction 

 of the reforms which the conference proposed to bring about. The 

 report follows: 



Chicago. June S, 1922. 

 To the Members of the National Hardwood Lumber Association : 



At the standardization conference held in Washington during the weeli 

 of May 22, called under tlie approval of Secretary rioover by a group 

 composed largely of softwood manufacturers, tliis association was repre- 

 sented on invitation, the hardwood attendance including a majority of 

 our executive committee. Secretary Fish, and a number of other active 

 members of this association. 



After an opening address by Secretary Hoover, in which he urged all 

 lumber producers to confer regarding standardization and simplification 

 of grade names and lumber sizes, and the guaranty of quantity and quality 

 reaching the consumer, your president on request spoke for this associa- 

 tion and took occasion to assure Secretary Hoover anil the conference of 

 the entire accord of the membership of the National Hardwood Lumber 

 Association with the secretary in his wish to further any practical and 

 constructive measures to accomplish the ends sought. 



Your president further took occasion to describe briefly the long step 

 in advance already taken by this association as regards hardwood stand- 

 ardization through its inspection rules and service developed within the 

 industry itself through careful study and evolution, and resulting in our 

 present inspection plan, in which not only the primary interest of the 

 producer is given due weight, but in which the rights of the consumer 

 through frequent conference receive legitimate consideration. Care was 

 taken to avoid any claim that ultimate perfection had been attained in 

 our rules and service ; but our experience of twenty years in these very 

 matters was placed at the disposal of the softwood groups for such value 

 as it might have. 



Denied Separate Hardwood Committees 



This Washington cuufcrence was called b.v. ami was entirely in the 

 hands of, softwood interests as affecting any final conclusions. When, 

 therefore, the work of the meeting was later apportioned to committees, 

 your delegates properly urged that hardwood questions must of necessity 

 be considered apart from those relating to softwoods, and we asked that 

 separate committee be constituted to deal with hardwoods. This obviously 

 fair proposal on behalf of the National Hardwood Lumber Association, 



which was entirely and alone competent to speak for all branches of the 

 hardwood industry, was out-voted by the predominant softwood interests ; 

 to which were added the voice and votes, strange as it may seem, of two 

 members of this association, men who have been sharing its benefits to 

 their own profit and advantage, but wlio eagerly availed themselves of this 

 voting alliance with the softwood interests in action that would clearly 

 threaten the destruction of that which has been accomplished by this 

 association through .years of effort, and is admittedly of inestimable value 

 to the entire hardw'ood producing and consuming trade. 



It will be entirely evident to our members that the question of stand- 

 ardization differs as between soft and hard woods. The inference was 

 clear that the obstructing vote was not upon the merits, but conceivably 

 inlluenceil by common trade politics, or perhaps was a rather low bid for 

 future official favor upon new ventures. If instead of narrowly grasping 

 the advantage of an unfair situation these men had stood loyally with 

 their hardwood colleagues, the hardwood results of the conference would 

 have been immediate, direct and in harmony with Secretary Hoover's 

 plans. 



Conference Only Preliminary 



As to the outcome, however, as ofBcially announced, the conference was 

 preliminary only, and its conclusions will not bear the official sanction 

 of the Department of Commerce. To make association "capital" of the 

 occasion and its results would be ill-advised if not abortive, and with the 

 usual results. 



Softwood delegates and other hardwood men who sensed the situation 

 approved our stand ; and despite our unwillingness to legislate on soft- 

 wood matters or to consent to softwood legislation for hardwoods, we con- 

 sistently maintained our efforts in support of the general conference pur- 

 poses, adding only a dignified protest on the record. 



As to a "National Inspection Plan," membership in the National Hard- 

 wood Lumber Association is open to all reputable hardwood manufacturers 

 or wholesalers who subscribe to its regulations. This is as broad as any 

 sound organization plan existing or projected. True, undesirable applica- 

 tions are refused by this association. Likewise, but infrequently, it has 

 been necessary to suspend or drop members who minuse the association or 

 openly attempt to discredit and undermine its work. No publicity has been 

 given by this association to the recent elimination of one or two members 

 for this cause. Since the dismissal has apparently been exploited in false 

 colors and from other sources, it seems in order to state the facts as 

 above. It is the duty of an organization to protect its integrity from those 

 who attempt to destroy it. 



That this association enjoys the esteem and confidence of Secretary 

 Hoover and his associates has been clearly and recently made evident. 

 Our service to the industry and to the public will preserve this status. 

 Respectfully yours, 



[Signed] Horace F. T.vylor, President. 



Mid-Year Meeting of Directors of National Lumber Manufac- 

 turers' Association 



July 27 and 28 have been tentatively selected as dates for the midyear 

 meeting of the Board of Directors of the National Lumber Manufacturers' 

 As.sociation. The meeting will be held in Portland. Ore., the directors 

 being the guests of the Western Pine Manufacturers' Association. 



