18b 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



July 20, 1022 



Take our problem of forest eonservatiou, for instance. Properly 

 organized, we ean wield a tremendous influence in directing our 

 national forestry policy along rational lines. Without such organi- 

 zation we may at any time be subjected to theoretical, vicious legis- 

 lation that will seriously hamper the entire industry and perhaps 

 even entirely destroy many of us. 



Institute Plaais Technical Service 



The Institute contemplates the establishment of a technical 

 service for the purpose of supplying the consuming public with such 

 information as may be of assistance to it in determining the rela- 

 tive value of various woods for different uses, or of woods as com- 

 pared with other materials. This department also to be used for 

 the purpose of carrying on such research work as may be desirable 

 to promote the elimination of waste and develop the more eco- 

 nomical and efScient uses of wood. 



The collection and dissemination of such statistics relating to 

 production, consumption, sales, stock on hand, etc., as will also 

 prove beneficial to all branches of the industry and the public will 

 also be 'undertaken. 



I was deeply interested in your discussion of statistics this morn- 

 ing. You are proceeding along proper lines, but you are not going 

 far enough. You will know all about the situation in your northern 

 woods, but nothing about our competing woods from the South. An 

 analysis made from the figures before you might, and very often 

 would be erroneous, because of an entirely different situation that 

 might exist in the South. Statistics can only be of real value to 

 us and a correct analysis can only be made by having a complete 

 picture of the hardwood situation before us, and this, therefore, 

 constitutes a national, not a sectional problem. 



Likewise, there will be established an inter-association relation- 

 ship department, which will have for its purpose the cooperation 

 with the various associations representing the different branches 

 of consuming interests for the purpose of determining their require- 

 ments, needs, etc., with a view of conformiiig manufacturing prac- 

 tices as closely to the needs of the public as possible, and to enable 

 the industry to have available such sizes and materials as may be 

 required. 



The Big Thing Is Blillmen's Unity 



The big thing, after all, gentlemen, is to bring all manufacturers 

 of hardwood lumber together. If this is done, and we will line up 

 shoulder to shoulder, it will be found that there are no real differ- 

 ences of opinion between us, and thru our concentrated efforts we 

 will march on to the real constructive things that have been so 

 sadly lacking in this industry. Some of you today may not see 

 this thing as I do, there may be differences of opinion between us, 

 but, as I have stated, they are slight, and I do most firmly believe 

 that eventually we will all be found welded together in one great 

 effective National organization, for we have the same interests, 

 the same aspirations; we are truly brothers, and there is no power 

 in the world big enough and strong enough to forever keep us apart. 

 Please understand that we are in no wise opposed to the whole- 

 salers. A legitimate wholesaler who honestly conducts his business. 

 and there are many such, is an important and necessary factor in 

 the trade, and should receive our encouragement. We do not deny 

 the right of the wholesalers to organize; it is fitting and proper 

 that they should organize in order that the problems that are 

 peculiar to their branch of the trade be most effectively handled, 

 but we likewise say that the manufacturers should organize, and 

 that there are many problems that concern the manufacturer in 

 which the wholesaler has absolutely no interest, and which can 

 only be handled effectively through an organization composed 

 exclusively of manufacturers. 



In your sectional organizations, the Northern Hemlock and Hard- 

 wood Manufacturers' Association, and I believe the same is true oi 

 the Michigan Hardwood Manufacturers' Association, your mem- 

 bership is restricted to manufacturers. Why have you organized 

 in this manner? Because you have recognized that it is proper that 



tliosc possessing a like interest should be bound together in one 

 organization, and that there should he no conflicting interests. 

 Regional Associations Should Continue 



If that is true in your sectional organization, why does the same 

 principle not apply to a National organization? Please understand 

 that the Hardwood Manufacturers' Institute has no desire to dis- 

 place any sectional or State manufacturing organization. It is 

 desirable that such sectional organizations continue to function as 

 they can be of material assistance to the National organization. 



There is a development in southern hardwood manufacturing 

 which is probably unknown to most of you. A large proportion ot 

 the yellow pine operators in the South own vast tracts of hardwood, 

 and within the past few years have begun the development ol 

 these hardwood properties. These operators as yellow pine manu- 

 facturers have always controlled their own business, have been 

 members of a strictly manufacturing organization, and they are 

 not going to change this attitude as regards hardwood. Thest 

 operators are almost solidly aligned with our organization; our 

 present membership among this class controls probably as much as 

 ten billion feet of hardwood stunipage, and within the course ol 

 a few years these interests will be producing a very considerable 

 portion of the hardwood lumber of this country. The gentlemen 

 interested in these enterprises know the value of effective organi- 

 zation of manufacturers and they constitute today our most en- 

 thusiastic nicnibersliip. 



No Personal Advantage Sought 



1 have no interest in this matter except as a manufacturer of 

 hardwood lumber anxious that the interests of the industry may 

 be promoted, that Federal regulation may be avoided, that we may 

 Ijctter serve the public, and that through effective organization 

 we may help each other. I am not a paid employee or secretary, 

 whose sole interest in the industry is the collection of a liberal 

 salary. I have everything I possess invested in trees, sawmills 

 and lumber, just as you fellows have. I am in this work at a great 

 personal sacrifice solely because I believe it to be right and the 

 dividends that will accrue to me individually from the success ol 

 our plan will be as nothing compared to many of you whose inter- 

 ests and investments arc many times greater than mine. 



This movement is devoid of personal aspirations; those who art 

 in the forefront are there because of their willingness to work, and 

 because they arc striving at great personal sacrifice for the big 

 constructive things we see before us. There is not one of us but 

 who would gladly cast aside any position we may hold, or recog- 

 nition that may have been accorded us. It makes no difference to 

 us whether the president of this organization be named Sherrill 

 or Fox; all that we are concerned about is that he be a hardwood 

 manufacturer and possess the intelligence of either of the gentle- 

 men I have named. 



The hand of welcome and fellowship is extended to you, my 

 friends. We come to you, not from the South, or the East, or any 

 other section, but as hardwood manufacturers. We frankly admit 

 that we need you, we believe you need us, and we believe that 

 through our combined efforts we can promote and develop our 

 mutual interests. 



Southwestern Club Reports Mills Busy 



■'Short but sweet" — also interesting and constructive — was the .Tul.v 

 iiiocting of tile Southwestern Ilarilwood Manufacturers' Club, helil at Now 

 Orleans Lumbermen's Club, Wednesday, .Tuly 12. 



Perhaps the outstanding feature of the brief session was the informal, 

 ' ral reports ot the delegates from the three states comprising the club, 

 each of which was represented, though the total attendance was small, 

 anent the production situation in his particular section. A consensus of 

 tile reports might be thus summarized : That the mills, after nearly all of 

 them having been down since the flood, are swinging back into action as 

 I>i-iiiiiijtly as practical ; that where the mills in the highlands of the three 

 slati-s, Mississippi, Louisiana ami Texas, and a fortiori, not affected liy 

 the liigh-watcr situation, almost all of them are running again by now and 

 tluit the mills throughout the delta regions also are now beginning to be 

 able to cast about to start up and that present indications are that prac- 

 tically all the plans will be a-humming away at capacity protluction ere 

 early fall, when by universal consent, it was agreed business would be in 

 ship shape again. 



