12 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



August 10, 192;; 



tor" and the second as the "secondiiry factor," and the boards be 

 graded entirely with those two factors in mind in order to get the 

 greatest possible percentage of utility for that specific group of con- 

 suming interests. 



This illustration is used purely to help vizualize what Hardwood 

 Record believes to be the purpose behind the program of standardiza- 

 tion. It would seem that if such a principle could be applied that 

 there would result a classification of boards for that industry strictly 

 minimizing waste and very closely meeting those consumers' needs. 

 The point is, though, that the technical research and engineering in- 

 \estigation would be applied alone to the formulation of grade speci- 

 tications and in no sense to the function of grading. To quote again 

 from the expressions of the lumberman above referred to, ' ' the scien- 

 tist first gathers all the facts, studies the subject from all angles and 

 then strives to reach dispassionate conclusions based upon his facts 

 without regard to prejudice or the personal equation." 



There should te no tendency to believe that anything in the Hoover 

 l)rogram as carried through by any branch of the lumber industry will 

 afEect the character of the boards coming out of the tree. These 

 boards will continue to have knots, worm holes, peck, shake and those 

 other defects which grew in the tree long before the axe touched it. 

 The inspector's knowledge of those defects would, under the Hoover 

 jirogram, be just as useful as before. 



H.\iH)VVOOD Record conceives that the whole theory of this thing 

 as far as the inspector is concerned is that he should grade a ship- 

 ment of lumber sold to a consuming factory on the basis of definite 

 cuttings predetermined by that factory through engineering research 

 and cutting room practices, to be correct for that individual purpose. 

 This theory being spread to cover careful allocated groups of Indus 



tries. 



If the Hoover program proves capable of practicable application. 

 it would seem to present the possibility of sinqdified rather than :i 

 more involved procedure for the inspector. 



Mr. Babbitt's Article 



IT HAS BEEN THE CONTENTION of Hardwood Record since 

 the first talk of a basic rearrangement of hardwood grades that 

 the proof of the pudding would lie in the hands of the consumers— 

 that thsy alone hold the balance. It is therefore gratifying to be 

 privileged to publish the article appearmg on pages 1.3, 14 and 20 of 

 this issue of Hardwood Record coming from the i)en of an executive in 

 the consuming field who has originated and carried forward more effort 

 in standardization of consumption requirements than any other one 

 man. The article by Mr. Babbitt is essentially non-partisan in its 

 origin and spirit. His very position is guarantee of that fact and 

 the tenor in which his thoughts are expressed leaves no room for 

 questioning his motives. 



For many years there has been a minority element in the con- 

 suming industries which seemingly has appreciated the tremendous 

 cost of waste in the factory and the possible economic, benefit as 

 well as the contribution to the cause of conservation which would 

 result from a more carefully prepared analysis of standardization 

 of the hardwood requirements of consuming industries. 



Mr. Babbitt has been a leading light in this group and in 

 Ills nftiliation with the Association of Wood-Using Industries and 

 the Wood Turners' Association he has carried on some notable work 

 111 that direction. Therefore his ideas are based not on impractical 

 (ir theoretical conceptions, but largely on actual experience, and 

 they are as a consequence a considerable addition to a di.scussion of 

 tl[is broad problem of standardization. 



Hardwood Record believes, though, that Mr. Babbitt is operating 

 under some misconception of the functions of that organization 

 wliicdi is endeavoring to apply the Hoover standardization program 

 to till' hardwood industry. Mr. Babbitt states the opinion that so 

 till the general standardization conferences have gotten no further 

 tluin the discussion of such serious questions as "how many angels 

 c:ni stand on the point of a needle?" He said, and quite correctly, 

 that it is facts and not opinions which determine the truth and 

 tli;it -'the facts which are required for a scientific standardization 

 nf hunber have no more connection with and depend as little upon 

 pMst customs, rules and trade habits as the fact which Galileo estab- 

 lished regarding the relation between the earth and sun were con- 

 nicted with and depended upon the current opinions of his day." 



Mr. Babbitt gives a very strong summary of the purpose behind 

 tills whole standardization movement when he says that it requires 

 ■■the facts of utility" providing the highest possible economic use 

 nt' the whole of the harvest products, and that there is no short 

 cut ti) this goal — ^no alternative to the path of thorough-going 

 siientific procedure. 



lljirdwood Record agrees with Mr. Babbitt's conception of tlic 

 nqiiirements of the case, but believes that he has possibly failed to 

 rippieciate the stupendous weight of this Hoover program as apjdied 

 to the lumber industry at large and the great pressure of conflicting 

 interests which through preliminary discussions must be brought as 

 closely as possible in accord before the final "scientific procedure" 

 can be successfully applied. It was from the beginning inevitable 

 that much extraneous and apparently futile discussion should be 

 interjected into these conferences. The project offered by the 

 Hoover program is too broad and its application too far-reaching 

 and evolutionary to permit any other result. The tendency, though, 

 is to get more specifically down to cases with each such gathering. 

 Mr. Babbitt emphasizes the necessity for a technical survey of 

 Wood uses as a basis for determining standardization requirements. 

 The hardwood group participating in the Hoover program function- 

 ing (as it of course must in applying these principals specifically 

 to the hardwood industry) as a separate unit, has already pro- 

 gressed notably and has already laid plans and started such or- 

 ganization as will enable it to carry through right along the lines 

 of Mr. Babbitt's suggestion. 



It would seem well for the manufacturing group in its investiga- 

 tion and standardization efforts to take cognizance of such work 

 as has already been effected in this same direction, and bring about 

 as dose a working arrangement as possible with the organizations 

 with which Mr. Babbitt is identified. His article is distinctly in- 

 structive and illuminating in its exposition of the consumers' slant 

 "U this broad question. 



Table of Contents 



REVIEW AND OUTLOOK: 



General Market Conditions Vi 'v* 



Scientific Grade vs. Scientific Inspection 17 



Mr. Babbitt's Article " 



SPECIAL ARTICLES: 



Utility Standardization "-1^ * J* 



Hines Has Instructive Exhibit ■••• " 



Panama Mahogany Is Like Other South American Wood of 



Same Family 11 % m 



Veneer and Panel Outlook Fine 3' * ™ 



British Standards for Aeroplane Plywood ■"' 



NEWS FROM THE NATIONAL CAPITAL: 



Europe Demonstrates Value of Grade-Marking 1| 



Miscellaneous 



CLUBS AND ASSOCIATIONS: 



Miscellaneous ^^'^ ?b t 70 



Michigan Hears Institute Story 15-16 «i /;o 



HARDWOOD NEWS NOTES 2S-3« & 32-34 & Sl-H 



HARDWOOD MARKETS 52-56 



CLASSIFIED ADVERTISEMENTS SO-61 



ADVERTISERS' DIRECTORY 59 



HARDWOODS FOR SALE 62-M 



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