20 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



August 25, 1922 



Trade Associations to Those Engaged in Similar Pursuits, ' ' expressed 

 regret that there was so little intercourse between different groups of 

 manufacturers that each knew very little about the others. He 

 declared that, although he had been engaged in the manufacture of 

 pine for a number of years, he knew very little about the hardwood 

 business or about those engaged in that branch of the lumber industry. 

 He pointed out, however, that his company had bought considerable 

 hardwood timber, chiefly gum, that it is getting into the hardwood end 

 of the business, that he and his associates hope to learn the hardwood 

 game and that they expect to profit by the experience of members of 

 tlie Institute, as well as to do their part in advancing the interests of 

 this organization and the industry wliich it represents. 



He said he felt that the Institute is going to occupy a very high 

 place in public confidence and esteem and that it will assist in the 

 material development of the South and the country as a whole. He 

 did not believe it would fail to do constructive work under such able 

 leadership and he emphasized that, since 61 per cent of the standing 

 timber in the country is located in the South, it is up to owners to 

 take hold of the Institute for their own profit and for the advancement 

 of the country. He asserted that money making is not all of life and 

 that, while the manufacturer is entitled to a fair return on his invest- 

 ment for himself and while those who work for him should receive 

 profitable wages, tliere should be due consideration for the consumer 

 and for the public. 



Must Unite to Solve Problems 



Mr. Kirby did not believe that any single manufacturer could work 

 out his problems by himself. His predecessors, he said, had tried to do 

 this and failed. He characterized the present as an "age of associa- 

 tion, of co-operative activities in the interest of all," and declared 

 that is the reason he welcomes the Institute and why he desires to do 

 his part. He said that he had not always been an association man, and 

 that he thought, in the old days, that he had good reason for remaining 

 aloof, but he added that he now knows what associations are doing 

 for themselves and for the public, and that he is confident that the 

 Hardwood Manufacturers' Institute can perform a wonderful service 

 for the industry and for the public. 



' ' In order to do this, ' ' he continued, ' ' all must come in. Its activi- 

 ties relate to production and distribution. There are no price or other 

 agreements, and no trade secrets are revealed. There are no criminals 

 among the lumbermen that I know. We will always obey the law if 

 they w ill only tell us what the law is. 



No right-minded man w.ints you to walk in the sun and hold an umbrella 

 over him. But that is what happens when you gather statistics and per- 

 form other service which enables you to conduct your business intelligently 

 and thus help those who are not helping you. All should come in and do 

 their part. 



It is well for lumbermen to come together in regional or larger meetings, 

 not necessarily to discuss boards but to discuss public f|urstioiis and public 

 welfares r.s ri unit. The tendency is toward federalization. There is even 

 a bureau for negro economics, whatever that may mean. The present 

 administration is trying to take the hand of the government out of busi- 

 ness. >Ve do not want any gnvernment bureau handling lumber activities 

 which we can handle ourselves. I am old-fashioned enough to believe that 

 all the rights of the States not specifically delegated to the federal govern- 

 ment belong to the former and also that the law of common sense shoulil 

 prevail. We ought to discuss all puldic questions and all pultlic policiis. 



If we can get the hardwood manufactunrs into the Institute, it will not 

 only put money in their pockets but happiness in their hearts because they 

 will have the consciousness of rendering a real service. I would like to 

 send a message to all hardwood manufacturers to come into the Institute 

 and help it to develop the very fertile field which lies immediately ahead 

 of it. Let us as individuals bring in as many members as possible. Re- 

 gional meetings like this will he'p. 



J. W. Link, of the Kirby oi'ganization, indicated that there had been 

 a decided change in his views regarding the value of hardwood timber. 

 He pointed out that it was impossible a few years ago to sell a railroad 

 any other kind of tie except pine and that a gum tie was virtually un- 

 salable. Now, he said, railroads are in some instances pronouncing 

 gum ties as superior to ])ine and other kinds, thus greatly broadening 

 the market for this character of timber. 



President SherrUl announced, at this juncture, that Mr. Kirby is now 

 a member of the board of directors, thus making his advice available 

 to the Institute at all times. 



B. F. Dulweber, chairman of the inspection rules committee, said 



that he and his associates, in reconstructing grades of hardwood lumber 

 so as to more nearly meet the needs of consumers, as authorized at the 

 Louisville meeting, are proceeding on the theory that grading is a 

 mutual problem of the manufacturer and the consumer and that the 

 former must, as far as possible, meet the needs of the latter with the 

 timber now available. He suggested that consumers were somewhat 

 skeptical as to this consideration of their interest for the reason that 

 no such attention had ever been bestowed upon them. He indicated, 

 however, that headway is being made and he predicted that aU of the 

 consumers would be heartily co-operating with the manufacturers in 

 the next six months. 



Mr. Dulweber said that two_ objections had been encountered: (1) 

 That the grading rules had been in effect for about twenty-five years, 

 with comparatively little change; and (2) that the reconstruction of 

 grades — which he said would not be undertaken until adequate surveys 

 had been made — would result in confusion among inspectors and the 

 trade generally. He dismissed the first by saying that where there 

 was no change there was neither growth nor progress. As to the second, 

 he declared that the changes would be In the direction of simplification 

 and that, instead of resulting in confusion, they would make the work 

 of the inspectors very much easier and at the same time increase their 

 efficiency 100 per cent in a very short time. 



He also advanced the thought that reconstruction of the grading 

 rules would better distribute demand for hardwood lumber as between 

 the higher and lower grades, a development which would be of very 

 great value under the present rapidly decreasing percentage of firsts 

 and seconds secured from timber now available. He said that, under 

 present rules, consumers are forced to buy principally "clear" lumber 

 whieh necessitated an undue portion of No. 1 common and better. 

 Cypress Negotiations Under Way 



The committee, Mr. Dulweber said, is negotiating with the Southern 

 Cypress Association as to satisfactory grading rules for cypress. He 

 said that the institute had not accepted the grading rules of this 

 organization, primarily because members of the institute do not have 

 as much planing mill machinery as those of the association and 

 because the character of stock produced by the two groups is not the 

 same. He reported that he had drawn up tentative suggestions regard- 

 ing cypress rules which would be submitted to the association when 

 approved by his associates. 



The inspection department, he announced, is functioning splendidly 

 and is now furnishing original inspection and re-inspection wherever 

 and whenever desired. He indicated a large increase in demand 

 therefor but said that increase in the number of inspectors had put 

 the institute in position to render prompt and efficient service. 



In conclusion he made a strong appeal for the support of every 

 manufacturer and added that, if this were forthcoming, the institute 

 would "soon be an organization national in scope." 



"I hope that many manufacturers here who have not joined are 

 convinced, by what has taken place here this afternoon, that they 

 should join at once," said Fred K. ConUj chairman of the membership 

 committee. "If you are ready, sign the membership card. If you are 

 not ready, any one of us will be glad to answer any questions or furnish 

 any information desired regarding the objects and purposes of the 

 institute and what it is doing to accomplish these. Don't wait. We 

 are going over big because the hardwood manufacturers need a strong 

 organization. " 



His appeal did not fall on deaf ears, as indicated by the fact that the 

 following members attached their signatures during the afternoon: 



Marathon Lumber Co., Laurel, Miss. 



RooUs & Gholson, Gates, Tenn. 



Peavy-Byrnes Lumber Co., .Shreveport, La. 



Taylor Brothers, Lunsford, Ark. 



K. Sondheinier Co., Memphis. Tenn. 



Rush Lumber Co., Memphis, Tenn. 



Anderson-Tully Co., Memphis, Tenn. 



South Te.\as Hardwood Co., Houston, Texas. 



Bayland Sawmill Co., Bayland, Miss. 



W. G. Gooch Lumber Co., Canton, Miss. 



Marks Bros. Lumber Co., Money, Miss. 



This brings the total enrollment to 164 compared with 77 at the 

 organization meeting at Louisville June 15-16. 



